Identical twins tried vegan diet while other ate meat to test difference each makes to body
A lot of people like to turn over a new leaf at the start of a New Year, vowing to treat their body like a temple and finally get their arse in gear.
These promises of self-improvement can be a lot to live up to, but knowing that thousands of other people are in the same boat can make it a little easier to stay on the right track.
Loads of Brits are taking part in Dry January to detox after the booze-fuelled festive season, while others have signed themselves up for a meat-free month.
Veganuary is a chance for people to ditch their carnivore diets for the next few weeks and hopefully reap the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.
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The point of the challenge, which was first launched by Jane Land and Matthew Glover in 2014, is to encourage people to take a long hard look at how much meat they consume.
And dually, those who participate will hopefully realise that going plant-based and sparing animals might be a better way to live.
Ditching the likes of beef and chicken from your diet will also bring a ton of health benefits, according to experts.
Researchers at the University of Exeter are currently conducting a study on 200 Veganuary volunteers to see what effects it has on their habits and attitudes.
PhD researcher Sophie Hearn told the BBC that people who have tried out veganism for a brief period in the past ended up forming 'lasting habits' and didn't go back to consuming as much meat.
Now, the team are hoping to gain even more insight into how taking part in the yearly challenge which takes place in January can change someone.
"Our new study aims to help people feel more confident in making plant-based choices," she said. "This could further enhance how effective Veganuary and similar initiatives can be in the longer term."
Professor Natalia Lawrence also added: "We know that reducing meat intake can have a number of benefits including on health, the environment, animal welfare, and on finances."
But if you simply can't wait to find out the results of this study later on this year, you're in luck - as these twins have already conducted a similar experiment.
British adventurers, brothers and fellow fitness buffs Hugo and Ross Turner decided to take on opposite diets for 12 weeks to see how it would impact their bodies.
That's the beauty of being a twin - you have the perfect test subject on standby if you ever want to try out any wacky investigation which needs a direct comparison.
Anyway, back in 2021, the brothers decided to use the fact that they share the same genetic material in the hopes of furthering science.
Hugo followed a plant-based diet for a three month period, while Ross was allowed to chow down on meat, dairy and fish.
Throughout the study, which was conducted by King’s College London, the twins consumed the same amount of calories each day as well as following the same gym routine.
The BBC documented the whole thing, with the brothers each explaining the pros and cons which they picked up on.
Hugo explained he felt as though the vegan lifestyle really took a hit' on his body, however, he soon began to adjust.
"I think the first couple of weeks it was really craving and wanting meat and dairy and cheese," he said. "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.”
On the other hand, Ross revealed that his carnivore diet had a lot of ebbs and flows.
Although he often felt 'very energetic', he would also experience 'huge lulls', which made working out quite the struggle.
Whereas his brother Hugo managed to maintain good energy levels throughout the entire process.
However, he explained that after going vegan, the diversity of his gut bacteria dropped ‘severely’, while his brother’s stayed the same - meaning Ross was less likely to pick up illnesses.
But again, it's swings and roundabouts, as Ross revealed that he realised how much processed food he was shovelling down in comparison to his twin's vegan meals.
At the end of the 12-week study, the pair said their wasn't 'a huge difference, if any' in their health.
However, there was some minor improvements, as Hugo saw his cholesterol levels drop ‘off the scale’, he shed a few pounds and boosted 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.
In comparison, Ross 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.
So... Veganuary, anyone?
Topics: Animals, Food And Drink, Health, Lifestyle, Vegan, Science
Olivia Burke