Vegan diet linked to health benefits including low acid load and weight loss

A low-fat vegan diet significantly decreases dietary acid load compared to a Mediterranean diet, finds the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The randomized crossover trial also affirms that this diet — consisting of leafy greens, berries, and legumes — promotes weight loss and a healthy gut microbiome. 

“Eating acid-producing foods like meat, eggs, and dairy can increase the dietary acid load, or the amount of acids consumed, causing inflammation linked to weight gain,” says lead author Hana Kahleova, MD, Ph.D., director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee. 

“Replacing animal products with plant-based foods like leafy greens, berries, and legumes can help promote weight loss and create a healthy gut microbiome.”

Animal products linked to health risks

Published in Frontiers in Nutrition, the study examined 62 overweight adults who either followed a Mediterranean or a low-fat vegan diet for 16 weeks. They first went through a four-week cleansing period, followed by an additional 16 weeks on the alternate diet.

Those eating animal products — meat, fish, eggs, and cheese — produced more acid, increasing dietary acid load. The researchers say this is tied to chronic inflammation and metabolism disruption that can lead to increased body weight. 

They add that plant diets are more alkaline and linked to weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure.

Early this year, the U.S. News and World Report scored the Mediterranean diet as the “most highly rated” out of 38 diets examined, based on nutritional completeness, health risks and benefits, long-term sustainability and evidence-based effectiveness.

Vegan diets lead to weight loss

Researchers used the Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) and Net Endogenous Acid Production (NEAP) scores to calculate dietary acid load. Higher scores show higher acid load.

PRAL and NEAP scores were seen to decrease significantly on the vegan diet, while no significant changes were seen on the Mediterranean diet.

Lower dietary acid is linked to weight loss, which was seen even after adjusting changes in energy intake, say the researchers.

The study revealed participants’ body weight decreased by 13.2 pounds on the vegan diet compared to no changes in the Mediterranean diet. 

Researchers add that top alkalizing foods include vegetables, particularly leafy greens, broccoli, beets, asparagus, garlic, carrots, and cabbage. 

It also includes fruits, such as berries, apples, cherries, apricots, or cantaloupe; legumes, like lentils, chickpeas, peas, beans or soy; and grains, such as quinoa or millet.