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-fibre 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 fibre 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.

(c) 2003 Animal News Centre
 

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