The effects of a vegetarian and vegan diet on plasma and erythrocyte lipids

Abstract

Vegetarians usually consume milk, cheese and eggs, whilst vegans consume a diet consisting entirely of plant foods. The protein in a vegan diet is therefore entirely of plant origin. The vegan diet also differs from that of vegetarians and omnivores in having a lower fat content, no cholesterol and a high proportion of short-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly linoleic acid. The diet of large numbers of people in the Third World is predominantly of plant origin and vegans are an excellent natural ‘experimental model’ for the study of the effects of such a diet on plasma and membrane lipids.