Imagine a diet where you could eat a generous amount of pasta and still lose weight. It sounds like a dream - but new research has shown it may be a reality. The University of South Carolina has released the results of a study whereby a vegan group lost the most weight in comparison to five different diet groups. The vegan group ate no animal products, but consumed a large amount of carbohydrates.
After six months, the vegan group lost more than twice the weight of the non-vegetarians - an average of 7.4 kilograms. The vegetarians (who ate eggs and dairy) came a close second, clocking a loss of 6.3 kilograms. Comparatively, the meat eaters, semi-vegetarians and pesco-vegetarians lost only three kilograms.
"One advantage of a vegan diet for weight loss is that it can be very filling – this is partly because it's very high in fibre but also because foods like legumes and wholegrains have a lower glycaemic index so they help you feel full. Diets that are high in fibre and low-GI have been shown to help with weight loss," Dr Kate Marsh told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"With a vegan diet, you can also eat a large volume of food without necessarily consuming a lot of kilojoules. And one of the hardest things about sticking to a weight loss plan is being hungry."
