Worried about gaining weight this holiday season? Go vegan

By Heather Moore

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

’Tis the season when people really pack on the pounds. So it’s a good thing that researchers at the University of South Carolina (USC) have just announced the most effective way to lose weight.

After comparing five common diets, the researchers concluded that people who stick to vegan foods tend to lose more weight than people who eat animal-based foods. This isn’t a holiday surprise to me — I’ve lost about 30 excess pounds since I started eating healthy (and tasty) vegan foods — but it certainly makes me merry. It’s always helpful when scientific research reaffirms the benefits of a plant-based diet.

Five groups

The researchers placed overweight volunteer dieters into five groups — omnivores, semi-vegetarians, pesco-vegetarians, vegetarians and vegans. Those in the omnivorous group were permitted to eat whatever they wanted. Those in the semi-vegetarian group were instructed to eat some meat, and those in the pesco-vegetarian group were allowed to eat fish but no other meat. The vegetarian group was instructed to refrain from eating meat but could eat eggs and dairy products, and the vegan group was told to eat only plant-based foods. None of the groups was asked to count calories, and everyone was given access to support groups, educational information and recipes.

By the end of the six-month study, the people in the vegan group had lost an average of 16.5 pounds each, more than those in any other group. This is probably because vegan foods tend to be low in calories and saturated fat. In fact, the folks in the vegan group reportedly did reduce their fat and saturated-fat intake more than the people in the pesco-vegetarian, semi-vegetarian and omnivore groups did. Research shows that vegans generally have lower body mass indexes (BMIs) than both vegetarians and meat-eaters and that the average vegan is 18 percent leaner than his or her meat-eating counterpart.

Many vegan foods are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, which help boost your metabolism so you can burn more calories. The lead author of the USC study revealed that the study’s vegan diet was high in carbohydrates and that the results of the study should help convince “carb-phobic” people that they can enjoy pasta, rice and other grains and still lose weight.

Healthier choices

We should all try to make healthier choices. Obesity is a growing problem, and scientists suspect that the obesity rates in many U.S. states are even higher than we thought. A new report by the McKinsey Global Institute estimates that obesity’s global economic impact is $2 trillion a year. We need to get our girth under control.

So this year, when you’re standing in front of the food table at the office holiday party, or when you’re making your New Year’s resolutions, remember that while Santa’s belly is supposed to shake like a bowl full of jelly, our bellies are not. We can stay slim during the holidays and beyond by being smart about what we eat and choosing vegan.

Heather Moore is a senior writer for the PETA Foundation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.