The health and biological age of identical twins were compared after following either a plant-based or omnivore diet for 8 weeks. The results showed that the vegan group had better health and appeared younger biologically.

 

A recent study conducted on twins indicates that adopting a vegan diet could potentially contribute to improved heart health and a decelerated aging process. In order to account for variables such as genetics, the study involved 22 pairs of twins who followed either vegan or omnivore diets. Although adhering to a vegan diet may pose challenges in terms of sustainability, it is worth noting that one does not necessarily have to strictly adhere to a plant-based lifestyle in order to reap its benefits.

Apologies, omnivores, but vegans have emerged victorious in the latest battle of the diet wars. A recent study, which directly compared the two eating styles using identical twins, revealed that a vegan diet is associated with better heart health, greater weight loss, and even signs of slower aging. The research, published in JAMA Network Open on November 30, found that after just eight weeks, those following a vegan diet experienced these benefits.

The study, conducted by researchers from Stanford University, involved 22 sets of identical twins, all healthy adults with an average age of 40. Each pair of twins was randomly assigned a specific diet for the duration of the eight-week experiment. One twin followed a vegan diet, consuming only plant-based foods without any meat, eggs, dairy, or other animal products. The other twin followed an omnivorous diet, which included at least one serving of fish, meat or chicken, one egg, and a serving and a half of dairy per day.

Both diets were carefully designed to be nutritionally balanced, focusing on vegetables, beans, and whole grains, while avoiding added sugars and refined carbohydrates. For the first four weeks, the participants received their meals from a delivery service at no cost. After that, they prepared their own meals and snacks with guidance from an on-call dietitian.

At the end of the trial, the researchers discovered that those on the vegan diet had lower cholesterol and insulin levels, as well as greater weight loss compared to their meat-eating counterparts. However, the most intriguing finding was that the vegans appeared biologically younger based on health markers. Christopher Gardner, the senior author of the study and a professor of medicine at Stanford, emphasized the significance of these results and suggested that a more plant-based diet would benefit most individuals in terms of longevity.

The concept of biological age and how to reverse it has become a prominent trend in healthcare. However, measuring biological age can be complex and sometimes controversial, as previously reported by Business Insider's Hilary Brueck. Nevertheless, additional evidence has consistently indicated that adopting plant-based eating habits is associated with healthier aging.