With most gyms now back open and some people even looking to ditch those possible quarantine gains, some trending diets are creeping their way back into our social media feeds.
They include Keto, Paleo, and Vegan, just to name a few.
So what are the most significant differences between a vegan and a meat-eater diet?
Newswatch 16's Ryan Leckey teamed up with a pro to take a bite out of these topics and more.
Jessica Bachman, Ph.D., is a registered dietitian and Director of Nutrition Education for Stronger U Nutrition. It's a global nutrition coaching company with 40,000 members in 50 countries.
Ryan joined Dr. Bachman just outside of Clarks Summit on Thursday, July 9, 2020.
The following key points are from Dr. Bachman to break down the differences:
Vegan Diet
- Can be well balanced
- Typically encourages a variety of healthy fats, whole grain, fruits, and veggies.
- Can get adequate protein but have to be purposeful about it.
- Health benefits such as cancer-protective, lower risk for diabetes, better overall health are related to a higher intake of fruits and vegetables, fiber, and a potentially lower intake of red meat/processed meat.
- No vegan foods naturally contain vitamin B12. Therefore, you need to add a B12 supplement or eat fortified foods. Also, pay attention to vitamin D, zinc, iodine, magnesium, which may be low in a vegan diet.
For more on the Vegan Diet and some of the associated health benefits, click here.
Head here for a great podcast by Sigma nutrition, which discusses research on the health benefits of a vegan diet.
Omnivorous (Meat-Eaters) Diet
- Can be well balanced.
- Less restrictive and easy to eat in any situation like dining out.
- Generally easier to get adequate protein in.
- Generally able to get all vitamins and minerals from food.
- Larger variety of energy-dense foods that may promote weight gain.
Benefits of a plant-based diet
(Almost any diet can be plant-based. It simply means you're eating lots of plant-based foods including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains)
- Higher fiber (associated with reduced cholesterol, helpful for weight management, reduced risk for colon cancer, regular bowel movements)
- Lower energy density foods such as fruits and vegetables which keep you full on a low amount of calories (helpful for weight management)
- Wide variety of nutrient-dense foods (fruits/veggies) that have most of the vitamins and minerals you need.
The bottom line for weight loss:
Any diet that is well balanced and includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein sources will provide the greatest health benefits.
Regardless if you're following a Vegan or Meat Eater diet (or any other diet in between), eating fewer calories than you consume will lead to weight loss.
Head here to learn more about a calorie deficit and research behind weight loss.
Weight Loss and Sleep
If you're struggling to lose weight and are in a calorie deficit, sleep could be an issue.
Check out this link to hear a podcast with Dr. Bachman on the impact sleep plays on achieving weight loss goals.