Scientists reveal exactly how much money you can save by going vegan

Although many of us do our best to limit our meat consumption, the temptation of a juicy burger or juicy rack of ribs can be too much to resist.

But a new study may finally provide the boost you’ve been waiting for.

Scientists from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have revealed exactly how much money you can save by going vegan.

According to their calculations, switching to a low-fat, vegan diet could save you £1.44 ($1.80) a day.

Over the course of the year, that’s an impressive saving of £525 ($657).

‘A vegan diet not only saves money; it could save lives by helping prevent or improve conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease,” said Dr. Hana Kahleova, who led the study.

However, there is bad news if you are considering the Mediterranean diet.

The researchers found that this change would actually cost you 48 cents (60 cents) more per day – which equates to £175 ($219) over the course of a year.

Although many of us do our best to limit our meat consumption, the temptation of a juicy burger or juicy rack of ribs can be too much to resist (stock image)

In their study, the researchers wanted to understand the economic impact of adopting three popular diets.

These were the standard American diet, the Mediterranean diet and a low-fat vegan diet.

The team randomly assigned 506 participants to a low-fat vegan diet, which consisted of fruits, vegetables, grains and beans, or to a Mediterranean diet, which focused on fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy products and extra. -virgin olive oil, for 16 weeks.

The participants then returned to their usual American diet for a four-week washout period, before switching to the other group for another sixteen weeks.

Over the course of the study, participants kept track of exactly how much money they spent on food.

The results showed that total food costs fell by 19 percent on the vegan diet.

The cost reduction was mainly due to daily savings of £2.31 ($2.90) on meat, 40p (50p) on dairy products and 40p (50p) on added fats, the researchers said.

These savings outweighed the increased spending of 40 cents (50 cents) on vegetables, 24 cents (30 cents) on grains and 40 cents (50 cents) on meat alternatives for the vegan diet.

According to their calculations, switching to a low-fat, vegan diet could save you £1.44 ($1.80) a day. Over the year that’s an impressive saving of £525 ($657)

In contrast, the researchers found that total food costs increased by six percent on the Mediterranean diet.

Additionally, the researchers found that a low-fat vegan diet had better results in weight, body composition, insulin sensitivity and cholesterol levels, compared to a Mediterranean diet.

‘As the cost of groceries remains stubbornly high, consumers should swap meat and dairy for a low-fat vegan diet based on fruits, vegetables, grains and beans to potentially save more than $650 per year on their grocery bill, compared to a standard American diet , and more than $870, compared to the Mediterranean diet,” added Dr. Kahleova added.

The research comes shortly after experts called on meat lovers in Scotland to reduce their meat consumption.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh say cutting beef, lamb and pork production could help tackle climate change.

If everyone ate no more than the dietary recommendation of 70 grams of meat per day, Scotland could reduce its overall red meat consumption by 16 percent, according to the researchers.

Professor Lindsay Jaacks, personal chair of Global Health and Nutrition at the University of Edinburgh, said: ‘There is no doubt that we need to change our diets to reduce our impact on the planet.’

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS

• Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count

• Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat

• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and a large baked potato with the skin still on

• Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks), opting for lower fat and lower sugar options

• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish per week, one portion of which is fatty)

• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities

• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

• Adults should have less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide