A study of 22 pairs of twins shows that a vegan diet at 8 weeks can improve cardiovascular health

CTOnews.com, December 6 (Xinhua)-- Stanford University School of Medicine recently invited 22 identical twins to compare a vegan diet with an omnivorous diet and found that a vegan diet improved overall cardiovascular health after 8 weeks.

The current industry consensus is that eating less meat can improve cardiovascular health, but existing dietary studies are often challenged by genetic differences, upbringing and lifestyle choices.

Scientists choose identical twins who grew up in the same family and have a similar lifestyle, hoping to study the subject by limiting other factors.

The trial, conducted from May to July 2022, consisted of 22 pairs of identical twins with 44 participants. The authors of the study selected healthy participants without cardiovascular disease from the Stanford Twin Registry (Stanford Twin Registry).

Both diets are healthy, rich in vegetables, legumes, fruits and whole grains, free of sugar and refined starch. A vegan diet is based entirely on plants and does not include meat or animal products such as eggs or milk. Omnivorous diets include chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, dairy products and other foods of animal origin.

For the first four weeks, the meal service served 21 meals a week-seven breakfasts, lunches and dinners. For the remaining four weeks, participants prepared their own meals.

Dr. Christopher Gardner said:

This study not only provides a groundbreaking way to prove that a vegan diet is healthier than a traditional omnivorous diet.

The related research results were published on JAMA Network Open on November 30. CTOnews.com attached the reference address of the paper: Landry MJ, Ward CP, Cunanan KM, et al. Cardiometabolic Effects of Omnivorous vs Vegan Diets in Identical Twins: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 TX 6 (11): e2344457. Doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.44457 .