Switching to a low-fat vegan diet can significantly reduce grocery costs, saving consumers over $650 annually, according to new research. This shift not only offers financial benefits but also promises health improvements.
Adopting a low-fat vegan diet can lead to significant savings on grocery bills, according to new research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a nonprofit organization.
Published in JAMA Network Open, the study found that a low-fat vegan diet cuts food costs by 19%, or $1.80 per day, compared to the standard American diet comprising meat, dairy and other animal products. On an annual basis, this translates to a saving of over $650.
Moreover, the study revealed that the Mediterranean diet, often hailed for its health benefits, actually increases daily food costs by 60 cents when compared to the standard American diet. When comparing the vegan diet to the Mediterranean diet, the savings extended further, totaling approximately $870 per year.
“As the cost of groceries remains stubbornly high, consumers should swap the meat and dairy products for a low-fat vegan diet based on fruits, vegetables, grains and beans to possibly save more than $650 a year on their grocery bill, compared with a standard American diet, and more than $870, compared with the Mediterranean diet,” lead author Hana Kahleova, a director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said in a news release. “A vegan diet won’t just save money; it could save lives by helping to avoid or improve conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”
One of the study’s notable findings is that the lower costs associated with a vegan diet mainly stem from savings on meat ($2.90 per day), dairy products (50 cents per day) and added fats (50 cents per day). These savings more than offset the slight uptick in expenses on vegetables (50 cents per day), grains (30 cents per day) and meat substitutes (50 cents per day).
This new research builds on a prior study by the Physicians Committee, which also highlighted the economic benefits of a low-fat vegan diet. The participants were randomly assigned to follow either a low-fat vegan diet, which emphasized fruits, vegetables, grains and beans, or a Mediterranean diet, which included fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy and extra-virgin olive oil. Both groups adhered to their respective diets for 16 weeks before returning to their baseline eating habits for a four-week washout period and subsequently switching to the opposite diet for another 16 weeks.
The study on food cost employed dietary records from the participants to connect intakes with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan, 2021, which leverages national food prices collected for the consumer price index.
The broader implications of this study go beyond just the immediate financial savings.
Adopting a low-fat vegan diet offers promising health benefits, such as improved weight management, better body composition, increased insulin sensitivity and lower cholesterol levels — all crucial factors in preventing and managing chronic diseases.
With the persistent rise in grocery costs, the findings provide a compelling argument for consumers to consider a plant-based diet both for their wallets and their well-being.