- Advanced glycation end products, which are often found in higher amounts in animal foods, are harmful compounds linked to insulin resistance and metabolic health problems.
- A recent study suggests that a low-fat vegan diet may be more effective than the Mediterranean diet in reducing AGE levels and managing weight, at least in the short term.
- For those looking to try a low-fat vegan diet, experts recommend gradually adding more plant-based meals to their routine and seeking help from a doctor or dietitian to ensure a balanced diet.
A recently published studyLimits in Nutrition It suggests that a 16-week low-fat vegan diet may significantly outperform the Mediterranean diet in reducing dietary advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and promoting weight loss.
AGEs are harmful compounds often found in foods cooked at high temperatures, especially animal products rather than plant products. They have been linked to insulin resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress, and potentially a variety of
The new research is a secondary analysis of a 36-week crossover trial conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in 2019 comparing the weight loss and cardiometabolic health outcomes of a low-fat vegan diet with a Mediterranean diet.
The results of the current study showed a significant reduction in dietary AGEs and body weight in participants following a low-fat vegan diet, while no significant changes were seen in those following a Mediterranean diet.
The findings suggest that a low-fat vegan diet may have clear short-term benefits, but more research is needed to determine whether it is truly more effective than the Mediterranean diet for long-term weight loss and overall health.
The original trial included 62 adults aged 30 to 76 who were overweight or obese and were screened from a cohort of 506. Those who were already on a vegan or Mediterranean diet or had certain conditions or lifestyle factors that could affect the results were excluded.
Participants were randomly assigned to either a low-fat vegan diet or a Mediterranean diet without calorie restriction for 16 weeks.
The low-fat vegan diet focused only on plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, and a daily supplement of 500 micrograms of vitamin B12. It excluded animal products and added fats.
The Mediterranean diet emphasized fruits, vegetables, legumes and fish, along with 50 grams of extra virgin olive oil daily. It discouraged red and processed meats, cream, butter, margarine, sugary drinks, pastries and processed snacks.
After the first 16 weeks, participants returned to their baseline (typical) diet for a 4-week “cleanse” before switching to the opposite diet for 16 weeks.
During the free-living study, participants were asked to maintain consistent physical activity and medications unless otherwise directed by their physician. They attended weekly diet-related classes provided with nutrition education, recipes, meal plans, and group support.
The researchers tracked participants’ body weight and composition, monitored their self-reported dietary adherence, and had registered dietitians review participants’ 3-day dietary records at four points throughout the trial.
In the secondary analysis, they analyzed dietary AGEs using self-reported dietary records from the original trial. Each food item was assigned an AGE score based on a published database of AGE content and estimates of less than 10% of foods not included in the database.
The Physicians Committee’s analysis found significant differences in dietary AGEs and weight change between the low-fat vegan diet and the Mediterranean diet.
The low-fat vegan diet resulted in a 73% reduction in dietary AGEs and an average weight loss of 13 pounds, while the Mediterranean diet showed no changes in AGE levels or body weight.
According to the study authors, the reduction in dietary AGEs on the low-fat vegan diet occurred primarily as a result of eliminating meat from the diet (41%), minimizing added fats (27%), and avoiding dairy products (14%), all of which are known to be significant sources of dietary AGEs.
Most of the weight lost on a vegan diet comes from the loss of body fat and visceral fat, which makes for ideal adjustments to body composition to support long-term health and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Additionally, changes in dietary AGEs were associated with changes in body weight, and this association remained strong even after adjusting for overall caloric intake.
Given that the Mediterranean diet did not have any effect, it is important to take into account the characteristics of the study participants.
The study authors noted that their participants were a “health-conscious group” whose consumption of saturated fat was relatively low at baseline.
This may explain the lack of results from the Mediterranean diet, contradicting previous studies reporting benefits of the Mediterranean diet compared to other diets and in different populations, such as:
But to support the results, previous studies have reported that a low-fat vegan diet may reduce dietary AGEs.
In conclusion, this was a study that directly compared a Mediterranean diet with a low-fat vegan diet in reducing AGEs and associated body weight outcomes, and the authors viewed it as “hypothesis generating.”
This, along with the use of self-reported dietary data and other possible study limitations, suggests that further research is needed to confirm these new findings.
AGEs are complex compounds formed in the bloodstream when sugars react with proteins, fats, or nucleic acids; a process called glycation.
Notably, AGEs also come from our food. In fact, most AGEs in the body come from dietary sources and can accumulate to harmful levels.
“[AGEs] It’s “especially abundant in animal products,” which are typically rich in both protein and fat, “and in foods cooked at high temperatures—especially when cartilage is present or charred,” said Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS, an assistant professor and physician-scientist at the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging at Rush University Medical Center, who was not involved in the study. Today’s Medical News.
In contrast, plant-based foods generally have lower AGE content due to their lower protein and fat concentrations and typically lower cooking temperatures.
Holland explained how reducing dietary AGEs, specifically by adopting a low-fat vegan diet, can help support weight loss:
“A low-fat vegan diet that excludes animal products, reduces fat intake, and avoids dairy products leads to a significant reduction in dietary AGEs. This reduction is crucial because AGEs contribute to insulin resistance, which can inhibit the body’s ability to effectively manage glucose, leading to weight gain. By reducing AGEs, the body is better able to regulate insulin, reduce inflammation, and improve overall metabolism, all of which contribute to weight loss.”
“The challenge with a low-fat vegan diet lies in its long-term sustainability,” Holland said. “The Mediterranean diet, on the other hand, is often praised for its easy integration into daily life and its balance, which may make it a more sustainable option for many people.”
Still, “while the vegan diet may seem restrictive at first, especially for those transitioning from a typical Western diet,” she said, “it actually offers a wide variety of foods that are often underappreciated.”
Eliza Whitaker, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Dietitian Insights who was not involved in the study, agrees and offers the following advice for those looking to adopt a low-fat vegan diet:
- It includes a variety of fruits, starchy and non-starchy vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, grains and soy-based products.
- limit processed foods and read nutrition labels on prepared vegan foods to watch fat intake
- Take a vitamin B12 supplement and talk to a health care professional about whether you should supplement iodine, vitamin D, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
- discovering new spices or flavors to enhance vegan foods and create flavor profiles and textures similar to animal products
- Before adopting a healthy, low-fat vegan diet for weight management, consult your doctor or a registered dietitian to determine if this is the best weight loss approach for you.
Both experts recommend taking a gradual approach that aligns with what’s most sustainable for you. That could mean adding a few low-fat vegan meals to your weekly diet and stopping there, or eventually eliminating animal products altogether if you prefer.
“Even if a vegan diet is not right for you, this study provides further evidence that you should reduce your intake of animal foods and increase your intake of plant-based foods,” Whitaker concluded.