Switching to a vegan diet is a choice that’s growing in popularity for many reasons. These include environmental, ethical and health reasons. If you are wondering ‘can going vegan make me lose weight’, the answer is more complicated than just yes or no. Although there isn’t a direct link between becoming vegan and losing weight, some may experience weight loss after moving towards a vegan lifestyle. However, this is not guaranteed for all!
In this article, we will discuss the potential ways that veganism can influence weight, the possible benefits and drawbacks, with considerations to make before embarking on a vegan lifestyle. We will look into the science of veganism and weight loss to help you make the most informed choice when it comes to your health and wellbeing.
What is a vegan diet?
A vegan diet eliminates all type of animal products. This means no meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs and even honey. The focus is on plant based foods, including all types of fruits, vegetables, grains, pulses and beans, nuts and seeds. Vegan diets are often adopted from an environmental and ethical perspective, though there are many potential health benefits associated with a vegan diet, including possible weight loss.
Can a vegan diet help with losing weight?
There are many factors that will influence the ability for someone to lose weight, in any scenario. Switching to a vegan diet can certainly promote some of these factors that contribute to weight loss, and one randomised control study conducted in 2015 found that vegan diets were more effective for weight loss than other diets that included animal products. Some of the links of a vegan diet and weight loss include:
Calorie balance
Switching to plant foods will naturally mean that there are less calories per gram of food, compared to the majority of animal foods. This means that if your total food volume stayed the same, it is very likely that you will be consuming less calories. For example, eating 100g of cooked beef can provide around 250 calories. Take the same weight of 100g of tofu, this provides just only 120 calories. Therefore, if you are consuming the same total volume of foods on a vegan diet vs a non-vegan diet, it is likely that the vegan diet will provide less calories overall.
Increased fibre
Fibre is a type of indigestible carbohydrate found in all plant foods and plays a key role to support weight loss in numerous ways. Firstly, consuming fibre rich foods can increase feelings of fullness, which can manage appetite and reduce overall calorie consumption. This is because fibre slows digestion and adds bulk to meals, signalling to the brain that you are fuller for longer. Fibre rich foods also provide a healthy gut microbiome, helping to feed the beneficial gut bacteria. This promotes the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), that regulate appetite and metabolism.
In fact, research shows that an imbalanced level of gut bacteria (known as microbiome dysbiosis) is associated with an increased risk of weight gain. Therefore, increasing your fibre intake can only improve the gut balance, therefore improving weight management outcomes.
Low saturated fats
Animal products such as meat and dairy are naturally higher in fats than the majority of plant foods. Therefore, a vegan diet will naturally contain a lower level of fats that can otherwise contribute to weight gain. Although there are vegan sources of foods that do provide a source of fats, the majority of this tends to be unsaturated fats, which are important for our overall health and wellbeing.
Improved food choices
Switching to a vegan diet will often mean reducing high calorie processed foods. Although there are many processed products on the market that are also suitable for vegan diets, it is important to focus on vegan whole foods. This will ensure your diet is well balanced and will provide a range of nutrients, some of which can help contribute to a multitude of health benefits and support with creating a calorie deficit.
It is important to note that switching to a vegan diet does not guarantee weight loss. The quality of the diet is what is most important. There are plenty of processed foods, fried snacks and high sugar foods readily available that are vegan, and regular consumption of these foods will hinder any sort of weight loss attempts.
Instead, focus on consuming a whole plant food diet, which includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, pulses and beans as well as nuts and seeds. This will ensure a diet low in any sort of saturated fats, added sugars, preservatives and additives that are often found in more processed foods.
What are some benefits of becoming vegan?
Aside from the weight loss links to becoming vegan, there are a huge range of benefits often associated with a vegan diet. This includes:
Better heart health
People who follow a good quality vegan diet will more likely have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which reduces the risk of heart disease. Many plant based foods are linked to providing heart healthy benefits.
Reduced cancer risk
A high quality review published in 2019 stated that a diet high in plant foods showed an inverse association with total cancers. Since vegan diets contain a large amount of plant foods, these provides protective compounds known as antioxidants and phytonutrients, which can help reduce cancer risk.
Supporting gut health
Due to the rich diversity of fibre that comes with consuming a vegan diet, the health of the gut can be improved with regular bowel movements, reduced risk of constipation and gut related issues. The bacteria living in the gut (the gut microbiome) are involved in a range of systems including immune function, digestive health, brain health and heart health. Creating a healthy balance of gut bacteria can not only maintain weight, but also ensure the digestive system is working at its best. Plant rich diets feed the bacteria better due to the range of fibres provided, which is essentially a food source for the gut microbiome. Research shows that a vegan diet significantly can reduce the abundance of potentially harmful bacteria and increase the occurrence of potentially beneficial metabolites, such as SCFA’s.
Environmental support
We all know that animal agriculture is a huge contributor towards greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. Therefore, by not eating animal products, your carbon footprint is reduced.
What are the potential negatives of a vegan diet?
Whilst there are many benefits, there are considerations to make before opting for a vegan diet with potential downsides:
Possible nutrient deficiencies
Although a vegan diet can be well balanced, there are certain nutrients that can be harder to obtain from a solely plant based way of eating. Therefore, it is important to take into consideration the following nutrients: Vitamin B12, calcium, iodine, Vitamin D, iron, omega 3 and possibly zinc.
Although many (not all) of these nutrients can be obtained on a plant based diet, they often have a lower bioavailability, meaning absorption of the nutrients are reduced. For example, zinc is found in plant foods like whole grains and nuts. But these foods also contain compounds known as phytates, which can significantly reduce absorption of zinc. This also goes for iron, the non-haem iron found in plant foods is poorly absorbed compared to the haem iron found from animal sources.
Therefore, careful planning is needed when eating a vegan diet, to ensure these nutrients receive extra attention. Read more about vitamins and minerals for vegans here. Supplementation may be warranted in some cases, though it is important to speak to your health professional to ensure you are taking what is right for you.
Reliance on processed foods
There is an ever increasing demand for vegan-friendly products in the market. This has led to an increased drive in products that are highly processed, including faux meats, vegan cheese, snack bars and vegan ready meals. Whilst occasional consumption of these foods will do little harm, it can be easy to rely on these foods more than recommended due to the convenience, ease and availability. A diet that regularly includes these more processed vegan foods is more likely to promote weight gain rather than supporting some of the health benefits associated with a vegan diet.
Undereating protein
Switching to a vegan diet can naturally limit certain protein choices which are animal based. And although there are plenty of vegan protein sources, they often are lower in protein compared to non-vegan options. Examples include beans, lentils, nuts, soy and mycoprotein. It is therefore important to again plan to ensure you are meeting your protein goals throughout the day by consuming enough of the protein rich vegan foods. Quantity of foods needs to be considered, as larger portions of vegan protein sources may need to be consumed to help meet protein requirements. Learn more about key sources of vegan protein and how to meet requirements in our blog here.
Tips to support weight loss on a vegan diet
Stick to whole foods
Ensure that the majority of your diet is based on whole, unprocessed plant sources. This includes legumes like chickpeas and lentils, unprocessed soy products such as tofu and tempeh fruits and vegetables, whole grains such as quinoa and brown rice, as well as nuts and seeds. Plant based milks and yoghurts can also be consumed, though it is important to choose options that are unsweetened with no additives. Be aware that the majority of vegan meat substitute products are classed as ultra processed.
Optimise protein
A good quality source of protein should be consumed at each meal and snack. This is in order to help meet protein goals on a vegan diet. Good quality vegan protein includes tofu, tempeh, seitan and legumes. Consider supplements with protein powders if you struggle to met your protein requirements. Ensuring your protein intake is high will preserve lean muscle mass whilst you focus on fat loss.
Be mindful of portions
Although plant foods are less calorie dense, it is still important to be aware of your portion sizes. Overeating on any foods will create a calorie surplus which can hinder weight loss progression. Practice mindful eating so that you are eating when hungry and can better recognise when you are starting to feel satisfied and content during mealtimes.
Be aware of healthy fats
Vegan diets can contain a surplus of healthy fats, including avocado, nuts and seeds, and olive oil. Whilst including a regular intake of these fats provides many benefits, these will still be high in overall calories compared to protein and carbohydrates. So it is important to be moderate with portion sizes of these foods.
Whilst a vegan diet can be an effective option for weight loss, it is not guaranteed. Work with our weight loss expert dietitian who can ensure that your diet is balanced and tailored to your health goals and requirements, to allow the best possible outcome possible.
A dietitian can create a personalised plan that considers your requirements, goals, activity levels and any existing health conditions. They will ensure that whilst following a vegan diet, your nutritional requirements are met, to prevent deficiencies and gaps in your diet. They can also offer you regular accountability and support with check ins, which gives continued motivation, meaning you are more likely to adhere to the changes made.
Reach out today to work with one of our vegan dietitian specialists, to bring you closer to your health goals, whilst following a vegan diet in the most sustainable way.
