Twins participating in a medical study note the benefits of a vegan diet
Last year, Stanford University researchers conducted a study to examine the effects of different diets on twins’ health. Participants were randomly assigned to either a meat-based or vegan diet for eight weeks. One of the participants was Aleksandra Shai Chai, who typically eats meat and was hoping to be assigned to an omnivore diet. However, she ended up with the vegan diet, much to her dismay.
Despite the initial reluctance, Chai stuck to the strict vegan diet, which replaced her favorite foods with tofu, beans, and vegetables. However, upon learning the study’s results, she felt thankful that she had briefly changed her eating habits.
The study, which involved 22 pairs of identical twins, revealed that vegan eaters had lower cholesterol, insulin, and body weight than those who followed a meat-based diet. Vegan eaters saw a drop in bad cholesterol by 15.2 milligrams, shed 4.2 more pounds than omnivores and had their insulin levels drop by roughly 20 percent more.
The results have led researchers to believe that vegan diets offer significant health benefits, particularly in improving cardiovascular health. Rigorous data collection and monitoring were critical for the study, with participants receiving prepackaged meals and having their health assessed regularly.
Despite initially struggling with the vegan diet, Shai Chai noted that after four weeks, she had more energy and slept better. However, as soon as the study concluded, she went back to eating her beloved sushi. Her twin sister, Mariya Foster, who followed a meat-based diet, has also become more mindful of healthy eating habits.
The study’s lead researcher, Christopher Gardner, is hoping the findings will encourage more people to incorporate vegan foods into their diets, given the positive effects on cardiovascular health. However, a lingering impact of the study has been some friendly teasing between the twins, with Foster jokingly noting that she is “even older” than her sister since she got the vegan diet.
The study has shed light on the benefits of vegan diets, and researchers are hopeful that it will prompt more individuals to consider plant-based eating for improved health outcomes.