Overview

• Stanford Medicine researchers conducted a study with 22 pairs of identical twins, comparing the effects of a vegan diet to an omnivore diet over eight weeks.
• The study found that the vegan diet led to significantly lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, insulin, and body weight, all of which are associated with improved cardiovascular health.
• Most of the improvement in cardiovascular health occurred over the first four weeks of the dietary change.
• The study suggests that anyone who chooses a vegan diet can improve their long-term health in two months, with the most change seen in the first month.
• Despite the benefits, some experts caution that vegan diets can lack essential nutrients and that the quality of the diet is important.