Research

Macro partitioning

A 6-month vegan low-carbohydrate diet (26% carbohydrate, 43% fat, 31% protein) produces greater LDL-C reduction and modestly greater weight loss compared to a high-carbohydrate lacto-ovo vegetarian diet in hyperlipidaemic adults.

To lower LDL-C and lose weight, try a vegan low-carb diet focusing on soy, gluten (seitan), nuts, and vegetable oils while restricting carbohydrates to about 26% of your calories. Ensure you are in a caloric deficit (approx. 60% of estimated needs) and prioritize these specific plant-based macronutrients over animal products or high-starch vegetables.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
The relative LDL-C and triglyceride reductions were also greater on the low-carbohydrate treatment (treatment difference (95% CI) −0.49 mmol/L (−0.70 to −0.28), p<0.001... The approximate 4 kg weight loss on the metabolic study was increased to −6.9 kg on low-carbohydrate and −5.8 kg on high-carbohydrate 6-month ad libitum treatments (treatment difference (95% CI) −1.1 kg (−2.1 to 0.0), p=0.047).
David J.A. Jenkins et al. · BMJ Open · 2014

Why this rating

Randomized controlled trial, but with a small sample size (n=39) and high attrition rate (41%).

Source

Effect of a 6-month vegan low-carbohydrate (‘Eco-Atkins’) diet on cardiovascular risk factors and body weight in hyperlipidaemic adults: a randomised controlled trial

David J.A. Jenkins et al. · BMJ Open · 2014

DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-003505

rct · n=39Cited 104×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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