Health benefits of a vegan diet.Many studies have found that vegetarians have a lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes type 2 diabetes n. See diabetes mellitus. . Fewer studies have examined vegans. British researchers compared 21 vegans and 25 non-vegetarians who were similar in age and Body Mass Index (BMI BMI body mass index. BMI abbr. body mass index Body mass index (BMI) A measurement that has replaced weight as the preferred determinant of obesity. ). The vegans, all of whom had been vegan for at least 3 years, had diets that were lower in saturated fat saturated fat, any solid fat that is an ester of glycerol and a saturated fatty acid. The molecules of a saturated fat have only single bonds between carbon atoms; if double bonds are present in the fatty acid portion of the molecule, the fat is said to be and higher in polyunsaturated fat, carbohydrates, and fiber than the non-vegetarians. The vegans had lower blood pressure, lower blood triglyceride levels, and lower fasting blood glucose levels. Vegans also had better pancreatic beta-cell function, which means that they were at lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The subjects had similar weights and activity levels; therefore, the differences seen were probably due to dietary factors. These results suggest that a vegan diet vegan diet (vē´g  n),n the strictest form of vegetarian diet, which prohibits the consumption of all animal products, including can reduce risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Goff LM, Bell JD, So PW, et al. 2005. Veganism and its relationship with insulin resistance Insulin Resistance Definition Insulin resistance is not a disease as such but rather a state or condition in which a person's body tissues have a lowered level of response to insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas that helps to regulate the level and intramyocellular lipid. Eur J Clin Nutr 59:291-98. |
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