In addition to weight loss, a low-carb, vegan diet has also been shown to be associated with a reduction in heart disease risk.

Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto have been able to show that a low-carb, vegan diet – also referred to as the ‘Eco-Atkins’ diet – reduces the risk of heart disease by 10 percent over 10 years.

Many low-carb diets have been associated with a reduction in weight, but many of them place an emphasis on consuming animal proteins and fat, which can raise cholesterol. The vegan aspect of this Eco-Atkins diet places more emphasis on vegetable oils and proteins, which can help to lower “bad cholesterol” and therefore reduce the risk of heart disease.

Lead author Dr. David Jenkins, director of the Clinical Nutrition and Risk Modification Centre of St. Michael’s Hospital and a Nutritional Sciences professor at the University of Toronto, and colleagues designed a diet that combines both low-carbohydrate and vegan elements to identify the role that they play in both weight loss and reduction of heart disease.

Participants involved in the study were not only able to lower their bad cholesterol levels, but also lose an average of four more pounds over six months as compared to those who consumed a diet high in carbs.

“We could expect similar results in the real world because study participants selected their own diets and were able to adjust to their needs and preferences,” said Dr. Jenkins in a statement.

The findings of the study are published in British Medical Journal Open.