The Mediterranean diet has long been hailed as the healthiest eating plan, with heaps of evidence to support its many benefits. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it’s been linked to better cardiovascular health, reduced cancer risk, improved brain function, lower body weight, and more. However, a new study suggests that a different diet plan is even more effective for weight loss and fighting inflammation, a key underlying cause for a wide range of chronic health conditions. The researchers say that following a low-fat vegan diet may, in fact, outshine the Mediterranean diet for its many benefits.
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The study, published by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, compared the two diet plans and found that following a low-fat vegan diet was associated with a stark 73 percent reduction of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs), a pro-inflammatory dietary compound associated with oxidative stress, insulin resistance, and a higher risk of heart disease. Subjects who followed the Mediterranean diet saw no reduction in these inflammatory compounds.
Additionally, those who followed a low-fat vegan diet lost an average of 13 pounds, while those who followed the Mediterranean diet saw no change. This could offer new incentives to try a plant-based diet or at least incorporate more plant-based meals.
“The study helps bust the myth that a Mediterranean diet is best for weight loss,” Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, lead study author and director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said via news release. “Choosing a low-fat vegan diet that avoids the dairy and oil so common in the Mediterranean diet helps reduce intake of harmful advanced glycation end-products leading to significant weight loss.”
The research team attributed the changes on the scale to the lower levels of AGE produced in the vegan group. They note that AGE levels tend to be higher in animal products than in plant-based foods and can also be created through the process of cooking with high heat. Grilling high-fat meats over an open flame, for instance, would yield especially high levels of AGEs.
A second study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association seemed to corroborate the benefits of vegan eating when it compared a low-oil vegan diet with Mediterranean diets rich in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). The researchers determined that while both plant‐based diets improved cardiometabolic risk profiles when compared with the subjects’ baseline diets, the vegan group saw more pronounced decreases in LDL cholesterol.
Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, a fitness and nutrition advisor at Fortune Recommends Health, agrees that avoiding animal products can have far-reaching effects.
“A vegan diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, could offer substantial health advantages if balanced properly. Some research suggests following a vegan diet may lower the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers because it can be fiber- and nutrient-rich and offer an abundance of fruits, vegetables, beans, and other grains. It can also align with ethical and environmental concerns if that is important to you,” he shares.
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However, the particular foods you choose within your plant-based diet can make or break its impact. Mohr says it’s important to incorporate a variety of high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, as you would while following a Mediterranean diet.
“A successful vegan diet revolves around whole, less processed plant-based foods that incorporate diverse protein sources like lentils, tofu, and tempeh, to name a few,” he tells Best Life. “To make sure you’re still getting optimal nutrition, you can also consider fortified foods or supplements for vitamins B12 and D, calcium, iron, and zinc.”
As you make your own decisions about nutrition, it’s important to remember that the healthiest diet plan is the one you can actually stick to. If you find the vegan diet overly restrictive or unsuitable for your lifestyle, you can still greatly enhance your health by following a Mediterranean diet that emphasizes a wide range of whole, plant-based foods.
That said, a low-fat vegan diet is gaining ground as a premier health plan.
“Our research shows that you can use the power of your plate to lose weight with a low-fat vegan diet that’s rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans and low in AGEs,” Kahleova says. “It’s a simple and delicious way to maintain a healthy weight and fight chronic disease.”