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Vegan Diet Lowers Dietary Acid Load and Promotes Weight Loss
- In 2025, a randomized cross-over study conducted in Washington, DC evaluated 62 overweight adults by comparing the effects of a low-fat vegan diet versus a Mediterranean diet over two 16-week periods.
- The study investigated the impact of dietary acid load, primarily influenced by consumption of animal-derived foods such as meat, eggs, and dairy products, on body weight and inflammation related to obesity.
- Participants adhered to each diet for 16 weeks with a four-week washout interval between them; the vegan diet led to a notable reduction in dietary acid load and produced weight loss, whereas the Mediterranean diet did not.
- Body weight dropped by 13.2 pounds on the vegan diet independent of calorie intake, and Hana Kahleova noted that plant-based foods promote weight loss by increasing the body's pH level and reducing inflammation.
- These findings suggest that reducing dietary acid load through a vegan diet may support weight loss and lower inflammation, emphasizing potential benefits for metabolic health and insulin sensitivity.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Association of plant-based dietary patterns with the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus using cross-sectional results from RaNCD cohort
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is increasing in middle- and low-income countries, and this disease is a burden on public health systems. Notably, dietary components are crucial regulatory factors in T2DM. Plant-based dietary patterns and certain food groups, such as whole grains, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and fruits, are inversely correlated with diabetes incidence. We conducted the present study to determine the association …
Vegan diet lowers dietary acid load and promotes weight loss
Compared with a Mediterranean diet, dietary acid load decreased significantly on a low-fat vegan diet and was associated with weight loss, according to a randomized cross-over trial conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
Vegan diet improves dietary acid load, a key risk factor for diabetes, new study finds
Compared with a Mediterranean diet, dietary acid load decreased significantly on a low-fat vegan diet and was associated with weight loss, according to a randomized cross-over trial conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and published in Frontiers in Nutrition.
Acid-busting diet triggers 13-pound weight loss in just 16 weeks
Swap steaks for spinach and you might watch the scale plummet. In a 16-week crossover study, overweight adults who ditched animal products for a low-fat vegan menu saw their bodies become less acidic and dropped an average of 13 pounds—while the Mediterranean diet left weight unchanged. Researchers link the shift to lower “dietary acid load,” a hidden inflammation trigger driven by meat, eggs, and cheese.
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