What if changing what you put on your plate could influence how quickly your body ages? New research is adding to the growing case for a whole-food, plant-based diet, with evidence suggesting that going vegan may benefit not only heart health and weight, but potentially the biological processes associated with ageing.
A recent article in Newsweek highlights research from the Twins Nutrition Study, in which researchers compared healthy vegan and omnivorous diets in identical twins. The study, published in BMC Medicine, examined DNA methylation, an epigenetic process involved in regulating gene activity and one of the markers scientists can use to estimate biological ageing.
After eight weeks, the twins following the vegan diet showed significant reductions in several measures of epigenetic age acceleration. Improvements were also observed in markers relating to inflammation, heart, liver, hormone and metabolic systems.
The findings are particularly interesting because identical twins share much of their genetic background, helping researchers reduce the influence of genetic differences. However, this was still a relatively small, short-term study, and the researchers caution that some of the changes could be related to greater weight loss among the vegan participants. More long-term research is needed before we can say that veganism literally reverses ageing.
Importantly, the potential benefits of eating plant-based extend far beyond biological-age measurements. An earlier randomized Stanford trial involving identical twins found that a healthy vegan diet improved several cardiovascular and metabolic markers in just eight weeks, including LDL cholesterol, fasting insulin and body weight.
Larger bodies of research also associate healthy plant-based eating patterns with lower risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and premature death. A 2024 meta-analysis found that healthier plant-based diets were associated with lower cardiovascular and cancer mortality and lower overall mortality.
There is also the everyday advantage of what a good vegan diet encourages us to eat: more beans, lentils, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds. These foods provide fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds while generally being lower in saturated fat and cholesterol.
The message is increasingly compelling: a vegan diet is not simply about removing animal products. It is about adding more plants to the centre of our plates. And if those choices can support a healthier heart, better metabolic health and potentially a younger biological profile, there are plenty of reasons to give plants a bigger role in our lives.
Read the full research: BMC Medicine study, “Unveiling the epigenetic impact of vegan vs. omnivorous diets on aging”