Identical twins go on separate vegan and meat diets to see difference it makes to body

In 2021, a set of identical twins took part in an experiment that involved one going vegan while the other consumed meat to see which is the healthiest.

The diets are complete polar opposites, but which one is being kinder to your body?

Well, explorers Hugo and Ross Turner decided to put the plant-based and omnivore diets to the test to see which was best - with Hugo ditching meat and dairy and Ross sticking to a diet that included meat, dairy and fish.

The twins took part in the Kings College London study over a 12-week period and ate the same number of calories each day as well as carrying out the same gym training.

Hugo admitted that the switch to a plant-based diet hadn’t been easy, but he eventually ended up feeling more energetic.

The BBC documented the twins' diet journey, which certainly provided some interesting results.

Hugo told the BBC: "I was on the vegan diet and it really does take a hit on your body.

“I think the first couple of weeks it was really craving and wanting meat and dairy and cheese. I love cheese.

“I was now having to eat fruit and nuts and alternatives that didn’t have any dairy in them - and so that meant I was eating a lot more wholesome food, which meant that my sugar levels were a lot satiated during the day. I felt like I had more energy.”

Instagram/@theturnertwiins

On the other hand, Ross' meat-eating journey was a little different, as he said his gym performance was ‘up and down a little bit more’.

He added that on some days of the challenge he felt ‘very energetic’ and others he would have ‘huge lulls'.

With the plant-based diet, Hugo was a little luckier as his energy levels remained pretty much consistent.

However, Hugo found that the diversity of his gut bacteria dropped ‘severely’, while his brother’s stayed the same, meaning he was less likely to pick up illnesses.

Ross also noticed how much processed food he was eating after checking out his brother's super healthy vegan meals.

M-SUR / Alamy Stock Photo

By the end of the 12-week study, the men found that there wasn’t ‘a huge difference, if any’ between the two diets.

However, Hugo did see his cholesterol levels drop ‘off the scale’ while also losing weight and boosting his resistance to type two diabetes.

According to Insider, at the start of the diet, Hugo weighed 185 pounds and had 13 percent body fat. By the end of the 12 weeks, he weighed 181 pounds and dropped to 12 percent body fat.

By comparison, his brother also had 13 percent body fat at the start, but he put on 10 pounds of muscle, and also gained fat, bringing his end body fat percentage up to 15 percent and his weight to 189 pounds.