3 ms·

I think it's because of the high fiber, low processed sugar nature of the good vegan diets. There are very unhealthy vegans that eat lots of weird processed thi

I think it's because of the high fiber, low processed sugar nature of the good vegan diets. There are very unhealthy vegans that eat lots of weird processed things. But yeah. Anecdotally, I know people who were "cured"* of type II diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc by switching to a high-carb (no refined carbs) vegan diet. I also know people who have had the same results by dropping carbs and moving to a high fat, high protein, high veggie diet. It sounds to me as if it's the refined carbs/sugars that are the primary enemy. * By cured, I mean they were able to get off of all medication. But if / when they revert their diets, the symptoms come back, and the meds are again required.

cageface 9y ago
The problem is that a high fat, high protein diet has other downsides that a healthy plant based diet doesn’t, specifically cardiovascular issues.
- christophilus 9y ago
  I was vegan for a while (McDougall), so I'm aware of the evidence for this. But I don't know if I buy it. I don't remember seeing any studies that focused on people who had high-fat + low sugar diets. Most of them compared typical western diets with (undeniably) healthy vegan diets. The typical western diet is indeed high fat, but is also crazy high in refined sugars.
- tracker1 9y ago
  cardiovascular issues seem to be centered around inflammation not specifically fat. Not dietary cholesterol or saturated fat. There's lots of evidence to also support intermittent and extended fasting. In general minimizing starchy carbs alone, along with refined sugars and grains goes a long way. If you eat vegan or keto/lchf. I've done both... with vegan, I still had to take a large amount of insulin and gained weight, even at 1500-1800 calories a day... on keto, I eat a little more but managed to lose 63# last year and come off insulin (mostly).

cageface 9y ago

The problem is that a high fat, high protein diet has other downsides that a healthy plant based diet doesn’t, specifically cardiovascular issues.

christophilus 9y ago
I was vegan for a while (McDougall), so I'm aware of the evidence for this. But I don't know if I buy it. I don't remember seeing any studies that focused on people who had high-fat + low sugar diets. Most of them compared typical western diets with (undeniably) healthy vegan diets. The typical western diet is indeed high fat, but is also crazy high in refined sugars.
tracker1 9y ago
cardiovascular issues seem to be centered around inflammation not specifically fat. Not dietary cholesterol or saturated fat. There's lots of evidence to also support intermittent and extended fasting. In general minimizing starchy carbs alone, along with refined sugars and grains goes a long way. If you eat vegan or keto/lchf. I've done both... with vegan, I still had to take a large amount of insulin and gained weight, even at 1500-1800 calories a day... on keto, I eat a little more but managed to lose 63# last year and come off insulin (mostly).