I have never been so obsessed with vegetables. For some reason, I spent my childhood with cans of Green Giant Sweet Corn. At some point, there may have been some odd peas as well. Fruit was always more fun. This is probably how I survived into adulthood without getting scurvy.
As an adult, I’ve added broccoli, spinach, salad leaves, and tomatoes to my repertoire, along with the now-essential avocado. But much of the vegetable world still leaves me cold. The pulse is thick and suspicious. I can’t stand anything pepper-adjacent. The smell of celery reminds me of cleaning my guinea pig’s cage as a child.
Therefore, I have never tried vegetarianism. And I never thought about veganism, which is the more hardcore version of avoiding all meat products, including eggs, butter, and milk (and avoiding anything containing these items). many of food).
However, there is no doubt that veganism is popular. According to comparison website Finder, there are currently an estimated 2.5 million vegans in the UK, equivalent to 4.7 per cent of the adult population. Other data shows the number of vegans in the UK quadrupled between 2014 and 2019, but there are signs that the market for prepackaged premium vegan products is slowing.
The word “vegan” conjures up, perhaps unfairly, virtuous and humorless associations. And the more modern term “plant-based” brings to mind people munching on the yucca plant.
Then, earlier this year, I read the results of a study by Stanford Medicine in the United States. Scientists found that participants’ heart health improved after just one month of consuming a vegan diet. They had “significantly lower” levels of “bad” LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol and insulin. High levels of insulin are a risk factor for diabetes. Vegans also had lower body weight than meat-eating vegans.
Professor Christopher Gardner, who led the study, said: “Based on these results, most of us would benefit from a more plant-based diet when it comes to longevity.”
I love science and am always interested in evidence-based methods to improve health. Additionally, I am now in my mid-50s, so I empathize with the above. I gained weight, my blood test results were less than ideal, and my cholesterol and sugar levels rose. At one point, I was on the verge of being “pre-diabetic.”
So I decided to go vegan for a month. I’m going to do this as a control experiment as well as test if I can quit my usual chicken dinner and milk tea for 4 weeks. I plan to see my doctor before and after the 28 days to have my blood measured and note whether there has been any significant improvement.
We have a farewell meal of crispy duck with hoisin sauce, crack open the last egg for breakfast the next morning, and prepare for a month of vegetative phase.
consultation
My first stop was the office of Dr. Jeff Mullan, founder of the health platform Human People. Dr Mullan is a former NHS surgeon who now practices ‘functional medicine’, focusing on preventative care and longevity through paying attention to diet and lifestyle.
Dr. Moulin will draw my blood and run a ton of tests. Subsequent results revealed some cause for alarm. Less severe markers show that I am borderline vitamin D deficient and have slightly elevated CRP (C-reactive protein) markers, which indicate inflammation, but my cholesterol is very high. is.
It’s in the “red zone” of the chart, specifically my LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. If this continues, Dr. Moulin says you may need to start taking a statin.
But in the meantime, Dr Moulin explains how switching to a plant-based diet is a good start. “Vegans have a great lipid (cholesterol) profile,” he says. “This is because animal foods are high in saturated fat, which increases LDL cholesterol, and dietary cholesterol is only found in animal foods.”
The high fiber content found in vegetables, grains, and legumes also lowers cholesterol, he says. “These foods bind to cholesterol in your digestive tract, making it difficult for your body to absorb it. They also contain plant sterols, which block cholesterol absorption.
“For all of these reasons, you may see positive changes if you follow a plant-based diet for a month.”
I don’t eat meat now. You can get protein from beans and legumes, Dr. Moulin says. I pull a face and he sympathizes, “I can’t even resist lentils.” However, upon further investigation, I discovered that because I love falafel and hummus, I’m now a fan of chickpeas, which is also a pulse, and gave me a bit of a boost.
Dr Moulin warns that even vegans can be deficient in vitamin B12, iodine and folic acid. “Our bodies are also better at extracting iron from meat than from plants,” he says. “Vegans’ omega-3 levels are much lower.” He recommends taking supplements to supplement these bases.
He also has a warning. “There are vegans and there are vegans.” vegan” he says. Dr Moulin is not a fan of alternative meats such as “facon” and vegan sausages. “It’s easy to eat an unhealthy diet, even if you’re avoiding animal products,” he says. “Meat substitutes contain more of the CP and emulsifiers of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), which are perfect for destroying your gut.” Recent research shows that people who eat more ultra-processed foods have a higher It has been shown to have an increased risk of vascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke.
