Switching to a vegetarian diet won't automatically cause weight loss. Many vegetarian foods contain high amounts of fats and carbohydrates. Lacto-vegetarians might over-indulge on dairy products, and lacto-ovo vegetarians add eggs to the list of temptations. Even vegans, who consume no animal products at all, might put on pounds by snacking on rich foods such as cashews and coconut. However, balanced vegetarian diet plans which control calorie intake offer healthful advantages in a weight-loss program.
Benefits
Vegetarian diets foster improved health over the long term. Scientific research points to a reduced risk of obesity when people eliminate some animal products from the diet. The risk of other serious diseases including cancer, coronary disease, diabetes and high blood pressure also falls for those on some form of balanced vegetarian diet, according to the American Dietetic Association. Post-menopausal women who diet fare better on the vegetarian plan, losing less bone mass than dieters in the same age group who eat meat.
Weight Loss
Whether a diet plan results in weight loss depends primarily on whether the diet cuts total calories, says Frank Sacks of the Harvard School of Public Health. Participants in the two-year study Sacks conducted reduced food consumption to 750 calories below maintenance level. Each of the four groups in the study cut calories using a different combination of foods, but overall average weight loss stayed the same whether the skipped calories came from fats, carbohydrates or protein. As long as the diet chosen was balanced and combined with healthful practices like regular exercise, dieters lost weight. Vegetarians willing to cut calories and make healthy choices will lose weight, although vegetarianism itself doesn't cause the weight loss.
Easier Dieting
Vegetarianism limits food choices to healthier food groups, making a diet plan easier to follow. The average vegetarian diet, even without weight loss in mind, provides fewer calories than non-vegetarian fare. Some vegetarian foods contain healthier fats than meat sources, and overall cholesterol in vegetarian food drops compared to an omnivorous plan. Pitfalls of vegetarianism include high-fat treats and processed carbohydrates. Vegetable protein sources also might upset the weight-loss plan, says Katherine Zeratsky of the Mayo Clinic. Replacing meat with fatty peanut butter or cheese made from whole milk could increase total fat and calories. Choosing other proteins like beans and low-fat nut butters provides a lower-calorie alternative.
Following the Plan
Filling a diet with a variety of foods and snacks gives a better chance of weight-loss success. In the two-year study led by Sacks, at six months into the plan the average weight loss reached 12 lbs., but by the end of the first year most dieters broke the rules and gained weight. At the end of the study, the average total weight loss dropped to between 7 and 9 lbs. Learning to cook new vegetarian meals you truly enjoy can help keep the plan working.
References
- American Dietetic Association; Position of the American Dietetic Association -- Vegetarian Diets; Winston J. Craig, et al.; June 2006
- Harvard School of Public Health; Diets That Reduce Calories Lead to Weight Loss, Regardless of Carbohydrate, Protein or Fat Content; Feb. 25, 2009
- MayoClinic.com; If I Switch to a Vegetarian Diet, Will I Lose Weight?; Katherine Zeratsky; April 10, 2009
- Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source -- The Best Diet is the One You'll Follow
- Purdue University; Higher-protein Diets Support Weight Loss, But May Lower Bone Density in Postmenopausal Women; Amy Patterson Neubert; July 6, 2010
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