Vegan Diet Results: How Soon Can You Expect Them?

How quickly you see results on a vegan diet depends on what you're hoping to achieve. Some benefits of a vegan diet can be felt almost immediately, such as increased energy and reduced inflammation, while others can take weeks, months, or even years. For example, it can take just a few days for diabetes symptoms to become easier to manage, and a few weeks to see a difference in your cholesterol levels. On the other hand, significant weight loss can take several months, and it can take years to reverse anaemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency.

Weight loss

Switching to a vegan diet can be a great way to lose weight. Studies show that vegans have a lower average BMI (body mass index) than meat-eaters and other vegetarians. However, the rate of weight loss depends on several factors, including the diet you are switching from and how much weight you have to lose.

On average, it takes about 18 weeks to lose 5.6 pounds on a vegan diet, which equals about a third of a pound per week. This means you could lose up to 63 pounds in a year. However, it's important to note that weight loss varies from person to person, and some people may not lose any weight at all.

Factors Affecting Weight Loss

• Starting Diet: If you are switching from an already healthy diet, a vegan diet may not speed up weight loss significantly. However, if you are giving up fast food and processed junk food, you are more likely to see faster and more dramatic weight loss.
• Amount of Weight to Lose: If you have more body fat, you will likely lose weight faster. As your body approaches its ideal weight, weight loss tends to slow down as your body naturally wants to hold on to its fat stores.
• Body Type: Genetics play a role in weight loss. Some people are naturally skinny, while others tend to carry extra weight. If you have always carried extra weight, you may find it more challenging to lose weight.
• Healthy Vegan Diet: Not all vegan foods are healthy. Eating too many processed vegan foods, large portions of pasta or cereal, or excessive amounts of nuts or nut butter can hinder weight loss.

Tips for Weight Loss on a Vegan Diet

• Focus on Whole Foods: Choose a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These foods are high in fiber and water content, filling you up without adding extra calories.
• Limit Processed Foods: Avoid processed vegan foods, as they often contain high-calorie oils, sugars, and other ingredients that can lead to weight gain.
• Increase Protein Intake: Include plant-based protein sources such as beans, tofu, and plant-based protein powder in your diet. Protein helps build muscle, prevent hunger, and promote fat loss.
• Exercise: Incorporate regular exercise into your routine, such as strength training or cardio. Exercise helps burn calories, achieve your desired body shape, and boost your metabolism.
• Calorie Deficit: Create a calorie deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn. You can use a calorie calculator to determine your daily calorie needs and create a deficit to promote weight loss.
• Healthy Drinks: Avoid sugary drinks, including store-bought smoothies and fruit juices, as they can be high in calories. Stick to water, herbal teas, or sparkling water instead.
• Portion Control: Pay attention to portion sizes and avoid overeating, even if you are consuming healthy vegan foods. Use a food journal or an app to track your calorie intake and ensure you are within a healthy range for weight loss.

Lower cholesterol

Adopting a vegan diet can be an effective way to lower your cholesterol and improve your health. A plant-based diet is typically higher in healthy unsaturated fats and lower in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat, which can lead to lower cholesterol levels. Here are some insights on how a vegan diet can help lower cholesterol and the timeframe in which you may see results:

Lowering Cholesterol with a Vegan Diet:

• A vegan diet eliminates dietary cholesterol, which is only found in animal products. By avoiding meat, dairy, eggs, and other animal-based foods, you remove the direct source of cholesterol from your diet.
• Plant-based diets are typically rich in fiber, which is exclusively found in plant foods. Fiber reduces the absorption of cholesterol in the gut and increases its excretion, leading to lower LDL cholesterol levels in the blood.
• Replacing animal protein with plant-based sources can help lower LDL cholesterol. This may be due to the phytonutrients and fiber content of plant-based proteins.
• Soy consumption, which is common in vegan diets, has been linked to reduced total and LDL cholesterol levels in multiple studies.
• A vegan diet typically includes a variety of nuts, which are known to have potential benefits in improving lipid profiles and lowering cholesterol.

Timeline for Lowering Cholesterol:

• Within 1 week of adopting a vegan diet, you may start seeing improvements in your cholesterol levels. Some people have reported drops in their total cholesterol levels by as much as 100 mg/dL within the first week.
• In as little as 3 weeks, you may be able to measure a noticeable difference in your cholesterol levels through a blood test. This timeframe is supported by both research and anecdotal evidence.
• Within 4-6 weeks, you can expect more significant improvements in your cholesterol levels, along with other health benefits such as increased energy and reduced inflammation.
• Sticking to a vegan diet for the long term can lead to sustained improvements in cholesterol levels and overall health. Some sources suggest that it takes 5 years for your body to act younger than the day you gave up meat.

More energy

One of the most significant benefits of a vegan diet is the increase in energy levels. A plant-based diet is a great way to enhance your energy since digestion is naturally easier and certain plant-based foods contain energizing properties.

Animal foods are extremely hard to digest. When the digestive system becomes overwhelmed, it sucks all the energy out of you. On the other hand, plant-based foods are basically fiber, water, healthy fats, and plant-based protein. There’s nothing in those foods that cause your digestion to slow down or take a stand-still.

The latest studies show that a whole-food, plant-based diet lowers your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and breast cancer. The trick is eating a high-fiber diet, one full of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and nuts and seeds.

Adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet may mean that you no longer have to rely on coffee or other caffeinated drinks to get you through a hectic day, largely because of the nutrient density of the foods you’re eating. “When you stop fueling yourself with quick-burning, simple carbohydrates, and fat-laden animal products and start nourishing yourself with plants, your body will have the nutrients to fuel you properly, giving you lasting energy,” says Jennifer Mimkha, M.P.H., R.D., plant-based dietitian and owner of Prana Nutrition in Tampa, Florida.

A well-planned and diverse vegan dietary pattern can be healthy at all stages of life and may be followed for an entire lifetime, according to the American Dietetic Association. Following a vegan diet—particularly a plant-heavy vegan diet abundant in legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds—may be linked to a decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, and certain types of cancers.

The benefits to your body, your energy, and your "debloating" from inflammation can kick in almost immediately. It's possible to measure the difference in your cholesterol blood test in as little as three weeks.

However, it's important to note that the timeline for seeing results from a vegan diet may vary depending on individual factors such as age, metabolism, activity level, and overall health status.

Clearer skin

A plant-based diet can bring about significant skin benefits, including clearer skin and a more youthful complexion. Dermatologist Dr. Niyati Sharma, who opened Australia's first plant-based dermatology clinic, is a strong advocate for plant-based living and its skin benefits. She notes that a whole-food, plant-based diet is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Sharma's passion for plant-based living stems from her own experience with acne in her late 20s. She found that embracing plant-based, whole foods gradually improved her skin. She attributes this improvement to the anti-inflammatory properties of plant-based foods, which help to reduce acne, as well as other common skin conditions like psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema.

A plant-based diet can also help to prevent skin aging. A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology in May 2020 found that a plant-based diet can help to lengthen telomeres and reverse the aging process of DNA.

The link between a plant-based diet and clearer skin may be due to the reduction of certain hormones and steroids commonly found in dairy products. Milk contains these hormones and steroids to nourish calves, but they are not beneficial for humans. By eliminating these additional hormones, a plant-based diet can lead to improvements in skin health.

In addition, a plant-based diet can improve gut health, which can have a positive impact on the skin. A 2015 study published in Science Direct found that a vegan diet reduced inflammation in participants, as measured by lower CRP (C-reactive protein) levels. This reduction in inflammation can have a positive effect on overall health and skin clarity.

While a vegan diet can bring about skin benefits, it is important to note that the type of plant-based foods consumed matters. An unhealthy vegan diet that includes inflammatory foods like French fries may not provide the same level of skin benefits as a diet rich in whole foods and anti-inflammatory options.

Improved gut health

A vegan diet can improve gut health by boosting the gut microbiome, which can lead to improvements in weight management and blood sugar control. A healthy gut microbiome is a diverse microbiome, and a plant-based diet is the best way to achieve this.

The Benefits of a Vegan Diet for Gut Health

Research has shown that a vegan diet can improve gut health by boosting the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome refers to the microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi) that live in the digestive tract. When properly balanced, these microorganisms promote a healthy digestive tract, as well as a healthy immune system, bowel movements, metabolism, and hormones that help regulate appetite.

A diverse gut microbiome is key to a healthy gut, and a plant-based diet is the best way to achieve this diversity. A vegan diet that is high in fiber can improve gut health by increasing the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut, such as lactic acid bacteria (e.g., Ruminococcus, E. rectale, and Roseburia) and reducing the number of harmful bacteria (e.g., Clostridium and Enterococcus species).

A vegan diet improves the gut microbiome by providing the fiber that these microorganisms need to thrive. Fiber, or non-digestible carbohydrates, are found exclusively in plants, and they act as food for the gut bacteria. A high-fiber diet has been linked to improved immunity, blood-brain barrier integrity, energy levels, and regulation of critical functions of the intestine.

In addition to increasing the number of beneficial bacteria, a vegan diet can also reduce the number of harmful bacteria. For example, a diet high in animal fat and protein can increase the number of pro-inflammatory bacteria, such as Bacteroides. On the other hand, a vegan diet that is high in fiber can reduce the number of these pro-inflammatory bacteria and increase the number of anti-inflammatory bacteria, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.

The time it takes to see improvements in gut health on a vegan diet can vary depending on the individual, but some people may see improvements within a few weeks. One study found that a vegan diet for 16 weeks boosted the gut microbiome and led to improvements in body weight and blood sugar management. Another study found that a vegan diet for just two weeks was enough to develop a new type of healthier gut flora.

However, it's important to note that everyone's gut is different, and the time it takes to see improvements in gut health on a vegan diet may vary. Some people may see improvements within a few weeks, while others may take longer. It's also important to consult a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet.

Frequently asked questions