Animal-Free Diet Rivals Anti-Cholesterol Medication

by ANC Staff

Recent research by nutrition experts at the University of Toronto in Canada has shown that a vegan diet - which contains no animal products - can reduce cholesterol levels as effectively as the latest and most expensive cholesterol-lowering medications.

The range of foods eaten in the study included high-fiber cereals like oats and barley, soya products, fresh fruit, vegetables, and almonds.

"These foods have an almost identical effect on lowering cholesterol as the original cholesterol-lowering drugs," said Professor David Jenkins, leader of the research team.

The vegan diet succeeded in reducing levels of the artery-clogging low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by almost 29 percent. In comparison, Lovastatin, the most popular anti-cholesterol medication, reduced the levels by 30.9 percent. Several other alternative cholesterol-lowering techniques reduced cholesterol by a mere 4 to 13 percent.

The findings prove that people showing early warnings of heart disease can improve their health without medication, said the study’s authors.

The findings have been welcomed by vegetarian organizations as a further vindication of the oft-mocked vegan lifestyle.

Alistair Currie of Viva!, a British vegetarian campaigning group, commented, "Let’s nail this ludicrous myth that vegans are unhealthy once and for all.

The scientific evidence is absolutely clear: our diet isn’t just adequate, it is actually good for you."

"Amongst many others, Martin Shaw, Chrissie Hynde and Britain’s oldest dog are all vegan: this isn’t a diet for pasty-faced hippies, it’s a diet for everyone," Currie said.

The Canadian researchers speculated that humans may be particularly suited to a vegan diet because the human body originally evolved on the same kind of diet eaten by apes in the wild, with high levels of fiber and vegetable protein.

The American Dietetic Association recently stated that vegetarian and vegan diets are "healthful, nutritionally adequate and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases". They also stated that these diets provide for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy and infancy.

A vegan diet is one which cuts out meat and dairy products and consists entirely of plant foods, including grains, beans (including soya products), nuts, seeds, fruit and vegetables.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.