Identical twins share a significant amount of DNA; meal selection They can have very different health outcomes for them.
In March 2022, 22 pairs of identical adult twins will participate in a randomized clinical trial, with one twin adopting a vegan (completely plant-based) diet and the other twin adopting an omnivorous (carnivorous) diet. took.
The study results, published in JAMA Network Open on November 30, 2023, showed that twins who ate a healthy vegan diet had lower “low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, fasting insulin levels, weight loss“We compared them with twins who ate a diet that included meat.
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LDL (low-density lipoprotein), also known as “bad cholesterol,” should be kept low to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, experts agree.
Lower fasting insulin levels (20% lower) indicate that the twins have less insulin resistance, which means they are less likely to develop diabetes or metabolic syndrome.
Identical twins share a significant amount of DNA, but dietary choices can lead to very different health outcomes. (St. Petersburg)
“Even compared to healthy omnivorous diet It includes plant-based foods, and incorporating more plants into your diet and reducing your meat intake may provide additional health benefits,” said Dr. McConlogue, professor of medicine at Stanford University and lead researcher. Dr. Christopher Gardner told FOX News Digital.
All participants were healthy and had no history of cardiovascular disease.
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The twins adhered to their assigned diet for eight weeks from May to July 2022.
Both vegan and omnivore diets are considered healthy and are “rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains, and free of sugar and refined starches,” the research article states.
A vegan diet includes only plant-based foods and no meat or animal products.
The researchers noted that the omnivorous diet included chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy products, and other animal-derived foods.
Both vegan and omnivore diets are considered healthy and are “rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains, and free of sugar and refined starches,” the research article states. (St. Petersburg)
During the first four weeks of the study, participants' meals were provided by a delivery service.
In the second half of the study, the twins all prepared their own meals.
Researchers collected participants' weight data and blood samples at the beginning of the study, then at four and eight weeks.
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When evaluating the results at the end of the eight weeks, Stanford researchers partnered with a Kentucky-based company called TruDiagnostic. The company measures biological age based on epigenetics and studies human health. environment and lifestyle It affects their genes.
“While this study shows that following a vegan diet is associated with improved cardiovascular health, a completely vegan diet may not be the right answer for everyone.”
“The TruDiagnostic group initially reported to us that one of the groups experienced a statistically significant change that meant a decrease in biological age. Both vegan and omnivorous diets are considered healthy. “They were rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains, and were free of sugar and refined starches,” the research article states, as Gardner told FOX News Digital.
“At the time, they weren't told about the research group and didn't know if this was for an omnivorous group or a vegan group.”
Based on their findings, researchers recommend that people experiment with adding more vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains to their diets. (St. Petersburg)
It turns out that the vegan group showed a decrease in age.
“This was the most surprising discovery for me,” Gardner said. “We thought the eight-week intervention in this study would be too short to cause meaningful change.”
Looking forward, he said further research is needed to replicate these findings.
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Michelle Ruthenstein new york cityA nutritionist specializing in heart disease who was not involved in the study said there are a variety of factors that could explain the results.
“People looking to change their diet should seek the assistance of a registered dietitian to ensure their nutritional needs and health goals are met.”
“Cardiometabolic benefits observed in healthy adult identical twins adhering to a healthy plant-based vegan diet as opposed to those eating a healthy omnivorous diet” can be explained by factors such as reduced saturated fat intake, increased dietary fiber, increased antioxidant content, beneficial fat uptake, enhanced insulin sensitivity, and potential positive effects. intestinal microbiota” she told FOX News Digital.
“These factors collectively contribute to favorable changes in lipid profile, insulin levels, and body weight, highlighting the potential of a well-structured plant-based diet in addressing cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy individuals. It emphasizes the benefits.”
The vegans in the study (not pictured) also lost an average of 4.2 pounds more than the omnivores, but the nutritionist noted that weight loss is not always the most important factor when determining diet success. (St. Petersburg)
Rosenstein said the key components of healthy dietary changes are education and individualization.
“A vegan diet can lead to deficiencies in iron, calcium, and vitamin B12,” she told Fox News Digital.
“People looking to change their eating habits should seek the assistance of a registered dietitian to ensure they meet their nutritional needs and health goals. “It's very different for women in their 30s,” she added.
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She pointed out that some people go vegan and still eat cookies, soda, fries and other processed foods throughout the day, but that doesn't lead to healthier outcomes.
Vegans also lost an average of 4.2 pounds more than omnivores, but weight loss isn't always the most important factor when determining diet success, says American registered dietitian Tanya Freilich. Point out. charlotte, north carolinaworks as a lupus nutritionist.
Eating more beans, lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms, nuts, and seeds, and eating less processed meat for protein, is a great way for anyone to start improving their cardiovascular health. said the nutritionist. (St. Petersburg)
“For example, bodybuilders would look overweight if you just looked at their weight relative to height because their muscles are so heavy,” Freilich, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. told.
“Additionally, people can be healthy in different shapes, sizes, and weights.”
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“Ideally, we need to look more closely at what kind of weight loss occurs with each diet,” Freilich says. “It depends on many other factors, such as exercise and the actual foods chosen in a vegan or omnivore diet, including portions and food combinations.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the North American Meat Research Institute for comment on the study's findings.
The study had “many'' limitations
As were all study participants, generally healthy First, Gardner acknowledged that the results cannot be generalized to young people, the elderly, or people with existing health problems.
The eight-week schedule was also a limitation.
“Ideally, we would like to conduct studies over months or years to better understand how sustainable this type of dietary change is,” he says. I did. “The reality is that when a study spans months or even years, very few people are willing to voluntarily be randomly assigned to one diet or the other.”
Gardner also emphasized that there are many different ways to follow an omnivorous or vegan diet.
Vegans lost an average of 4.2 pounds more than omnivores, according to nutritionists, but weight loss isn't always the most important factor in diet success. (St. Petersburg)
“It's very easy for nutritionists to design both healthy and unhealthy versions of these eating patterns,” he told FOX News Digital.
“If others reading about this study are interested and want to try this, they may choose unhealthy vegan diets. For example, soda is vegan, many candies are vegan, refined flour is vegan, and refined flour is vegan.” It’s vegan.”
based on research resultresearchers recommend that people experiment with adding more vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole grains to their diets.
It says there is a “widespread consensus” that eating more whole foods, more vegetables, less added sugar, and less refined grains across common diet plans leads to “a surprising degree of health improvement.” said Commissioner Gardner. American Heart Association Nutrition Committee.
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“What I recommend most is [those] Trying to change your diet for the better should not focus on the vegan or omnivore labels, but instead on how much more unprocessed foods, especially plants, you can include in your diet. It's about focusing on what's going on,” Frierich said.
“Your diet needs to be suitable for you and your lifestyle, not just for eight weeks, but throughout your life.”
Eating more beans, lentils, chickpeas, mushrooms, nuts, and seeds and eating less processed meat for protein is a great way for anyone to start improving their health. cardiovascular healthFrierich pointed out.
“These foods are generally low in saturated fat and sodium and high in fiber,” she says.
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“Your diet needs to work for you and your lifestyle, not just for eight weeks, but for your entire life,” Frierich said.
“While this study shows that following a vegan diet is associated with improved cardiovascular health, a completely vegan diet may not be the right answer for everyone.”
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