Will you lose weight if you eat a "plant-based diet"? If you don't do the "5 major points", you will still gain weight.
Can changing from a “meat-free” diet to a “plant-based diet” not only help with weight loss, but also prevent various diseases? In fact, a retrospective study published by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) pointed out that subjects who adopted a more plant-based diet were lighter than those who eat meat; a study in “JAMA Internal Medicine” also showed that using Replacing animal protein with plant-based protein effectively reduces blood pressure, cholesterol and the risk of type 2 diabetes, and is associated with lower mortality.
Adopting a plant-based diet seems to have many benefits, but if you implement it in the wrong way, you may end up in the dilemma of “the more you eat, the more you gain weight”. Jenna Hope, a nutritionist at the University of Surrey in the UK, said that plant-based eaters need to pay attention to the following five key points to avoid falling into “weight loss misunderstandings”:
1. Eat enough protein.
Compared with carbohydrates and fats, protein increases feelings of satiety and keeps you full longer. Protein requires more energy to break down, meaning fewer calories are absorbed. Good sources of protein for a plant-based diet include nuts, seeds, tofu or legumes, Hope said.
2. Add more fiber.
The intestines and stomach need to spend more time digesting fiber, which means the feeling of satiety will be effectively prolonged, which is more beneficial for weight loss. A study published in “Annals of Internal Medicine” pointed out that if you take in 30 grams of fiber every day without changing other dietary patterns, you can lose 1.7 kilograms more than the average person. Dietary guidelines from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) also recommend that men and women should consume 36 grams and 25 grams of fiber per day, respectively.
“If your fiber intake is low at the beginning, you need to pay attention to slowly increasing your fiber intake to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort.” Hope said.
3. Avoid processed vegetarian foods.
Hope pointed out that not “all vegetarian foods” are healthy. Even vegan foods may contain saturated fat or be high in sodium. For example, the sodium content and fat content of common braised snacks and vegetarian meats in Taiwan are often excessive. Therefore, it is recommended to use prototype foods as the basis of a plant-based diet to make it less likely to consume excess calories.
4. Check food labels.
Hope said that when reading the calorie label, remember to pay special attention to three ingredients: “low-sugar vegan food” should have less than 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams, and “low-fat vegan food” should have less than 1.5 fat per 100 grams. grams, and “high-fiber food” recommends more than 6 grams of fiber per 100 grams.
5. Avoid refined sugars.
Sugar is high in calories and low in nutritional value and is the main cause of weight gain. Hope advises plant-based eaters to reduce their sugar intake and use fruit as an alternative source. If you are consuming foods that are higher in sugar, you should consume an equal source of fiber to slow the release of sugar into the bloodstream.
To sum up, Hope believes that in order to achieve your weight loss goal, you need to find a dietary method that is suitable for you and can be adhered to. Adopting a plant-based diet is not necessarily the best way to lose weight. Diet composition, exercise, sleep and stress will also affect the effectiveness of a plant-based diet.
“Plant-based diet is indeed a more environmentally friendly way of eating; however, this does not necessarily mean that your weight loss plan will be successful. Proper exercise every week to increase muscle mass and develop regular work and rest habits will help you lose weight. Necessary measures to prevent weight loss later,” Hope said.
Source:
A plant-based diet for overweight and obesity prevention and treatment
Single-Component Versus Multicomponent Dietary Goals for the Metabolic Syndrome
Further reading:
Is eating meat linked to cancer? Oxford Statistics: Vegetarian diet may reduce 3 cancer risks
