A whole food plant diet has over 70 years of data to support its ability to prevent and reverse disease and aging. Why isn’t everyone eating this way? One concern is that this diet is too expensive.
A new study analyzed standard diet costs versus a low-fat plant diet in a randomized real-world study. The results are encouraging for sure!
Study
The new research is a secondary analysis of a previous Physicians Committee study comparing a low-fat vegan diet to a Mediterranean diet. The study randomly assigned participants to either a low-fat plant diet, which consisted of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans, or a Mediterranean diet, which focused on fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy, and extra-virgin olive oil, for 16 weeks.
Neither group had a calorie limit. Participants then went back to their baseline diets for a four-week washout period before switching to the opposite group for an additional 16 weeks. The study found that a low-fat plant diet has better outcomes for weight, body composition, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels, compared with a Mediterranean diet.
Food Cost Assessment
For the food cost assessment, intakes from the study participants’ dietary records were linked to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan, 2021, a database of national food prices, which are calculated from data collected for the consumer price index.
Previous Physicians Committee research that food costs decrease by 16% on a low-fat vegan diet, compared to a diet that includes meat, dairy, and other animal products.
A low-fat plant diet cuts food costs by 19%, or $1.80 per day, when compared with a standard American diet (Western Diet) that includes meat, dairy, and other animal products, according to new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published in JAMA Network Open.
The study also found that a Mediterranean diet costs 60 cents more per day when compared with the standard American diet. Total food costs were 25% lower, $2.40 per day, on a plant diet, compared with the Mediterranean diet.
Plant Diet Saves Money
“As the cost of groceries remains stubbornly high, consumers should swap the meat and dairy products for a low-fat vegan diet based on fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans to possibly save more than $650 a year on their grocery bill, compared with a standard American diet, and more than $870, compared with the Mediterranean diet,” says Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, lead author of the paper and director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “A vegan diet won’t just save money; it could save lives by helping to avoid or improve conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.”
The decrease in costs on the plant diet was mainly attributable to savings of $2.90 per day on meat, 50 cents per day on dairy products, and 50 cents per day on added fats. These savings outweighed the increased spending of 50 cents per day on vegetables, 30 cents per day on grains, and 50 cents per day on meat alternatives on the plant diet.
Conclusions
If the only advantage of eating a whole food plant diet was to prevent heart disease, the #1 killer of men and women, it would be the diet of choice for all people. There are so many other examples of disease prevention and remission to enjoy. Now that additional data is available that this diet also saves money over a standard diet, what are you waiting for?
How about a nice whole food plant diet-friendly lentil artichoke stew tonight?
Perhaps you might be interested in trying something different and easy to cook, if that is the case we recommend a surprising seasonal delight: Acorn Squash.
About the author: Dr. Joel Kahn is one of the world’s top cardiologists and he is passionate about scientifically showing the body’s ability to heal itself through proper nutrition. He is on a mission to try to prevent all future heart attacks by educating and inspiring people to follow an active and holistic lifestyle by applying cutting-edge science to their lives.
At his core, Dr. Joel Kahn believes that plant-based nutrition is the most powerful source of preventative medicine on the planet. Having practiced traditional cardiology since 1983, it was only after his own commitment to a plant-based vegan diet that Dr. Kahn truly began to delve into the realm of non-traditional diagnostic tools, prevention tactics, and nutrition-based recovery protocols.
As with anything you read on the internet, this article should not be construed as medical advice; please talk to your doctor or primary care provider before changing your wellness routine. WHN does not agree or disagree with any of the materials posted. This article is not intended to provide a medical diagnosis, recommendation, treatment, or endorsement. Additionally, it is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone or anything. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
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References/Sources/Materials provided by:
https://www.kahnlongevitycenter.com/blog/can-a-plant-diet-make-your-healthier-and-save-you-money
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2826289
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2020.1869625
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2808910
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2826289
