Abstract
Millions of individuals are obsessed with controlling their weight and losing pounds. There are many weight loss diets for people with different opportunities and health conditions. For example, several years ago, about 3% of Americans, 2% of British adults, and 10% of Germans officially reported their desire to eat largely plant-based food (as cited in Medawar et al., 2019). Today, the number of people who prefer a vegan diet continues increasing, making its analysis important for health care. In this report, the evaluation of macromolecules, including proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and the veganism impact on weight loss and the body will be developed.
Macromolecules
To achieve the required weight loss, any diet has to be balanced in terms of macromolecules. These small organic molecules, also known as macronutrients, comprise larger molecules, critical for human life and health (Carreiro et al., 2016). There are four types of macronutrients, namely proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and nucleic acids. Carreiro et al. (2016) thoroughly discuss the contributions of balance between the first three. Proteins are made of amino acids to maintain energy balance and regulate all necessary reactions (Carreiro et al., 2016). Carbohydrates consist of monosaccharides and are responsible for glucose supply in the central nervous system. Lipids, meaning oils, waxes, and fats, are hardly mixed with water and aim at storing energy in the body.
Protein, Carbohydrate, and Fat Content
The main idea of a vegan diet is to restrict the consumption of animal products, including meat and animal-related products like eggs, dairy, and honey. The sources of proteins for vegans are seeds, legumes, whole grains, and nuts (Dinu et al., 2016). A lower intake of fats results in positive effects on total and LDL-cholesterol (Dinu et al., 2016). There is no need to neglect using fat-containing products at all, and vegans obtain the necessary balance by eating nuts and avocadoes that are known for large amounts of oils. Medawar et al. (2019) explain unregulated carbohydrate fermentation as a beneficial metabolic process due to the presence of vegetables, grains, and fruits in the vegan diet. A decreased number of fats and rich fiber content remove the necessity to count calories while taking this diet.
How the Diet Leads to Weight Loss
When a person hears about not eating animal food, there is an expected outcome that it is easy to lose weight. Vegetables and fruits, which are the main components of a vegan diet, have few calories but many nutrients. Therefore, nutrient density like fiber, vitamin K and C, and magnesium contribute to a better dietary health index (as cited in Medawar et al., 2019). The role of fiber in vegan diets cannot be ignored because it provokes certain behavioral and emotional changes. As soon as people start using vegetables, seeds, and nuts regularly, the intake of fiber prolongs a feeling of fullness. In other words, vegans do not feel that they are hungry, which results in minimized food intake and weight reduction.
The Diet’s Effect on the Body
The total exclusion of animal products and animal-derived substances is not a new trend, but some people are concerned about its possible effects on the body. The study by Dinu et al. (2016) shows the reduction of many health problems like cerebrovascular diseases and cancer of different types. Metabolic alterations and gut microbiome changes are also associated with vegan diets (Medawar et al., 2019). However, the lack of calories may be dangerous for some vulnerable groups where the fat amount is critical.
Recommendation and Conclusion
The choice of a diet is one of the methods to reduce an appetite, restrict calories, and achieve the desired weight results. Vegan diets are characterized by severe requirements like no meat or animal-derived food. Therefore, some people find this nutritional approach beneficial from health, ethical, and environmental perspectives. On the other hand, it may be recommended only to people with no mental health problems and emotional concerns under which the whole style of life should be re-evaluated.
References
Carreiro, A. L., Dhillon, J., Gordon, S., Higgins, K. A., Jacobs, A. G., McArthur, B. M., Redan, B. W., Rivera, R. L., Schmidt, L. R., & Mattes, R. D. (2016). The macronutrients, appetite, and energy intake. Annual Review of Nutrition, 36(1), 73–103. Web.
Dinu, M., Abbate, R., Gensini, G. F., Casini, A., & Sofi, F. (2016). Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 57(17), 3640–3649. Web.
Medawar, E., Huhn, S., Villringer, A., & Witte, A. V. (2019). The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review. Translational Psychiatry, 9.