If you want to lose a stone just in time for summer — go vegan.
Researchers have found that, on average, overweight people who switch to a plant-based diet lose 1st 2lbs (7.4kg) in the first three months.
They believe the secret is not being able to eat fatty, calorie-dense foods like cheese and red meat — as well as limiting their takeaway options.
The study analysed the results of 11 scientific trials of vegan diets and weight loss involving almost 800 adults who were either overweight or had type 2 diabetes.
Some of the studies compared vegan diets to typical western diets, while others compared them with other fad diets like the Mediterranean diet.
Vegan diets which forbid the consumption of animal products and instead opt for fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and seeds, have grown in popularity in Britain (stock image)
Compared to those who did not change their diet and continued eating meat and animal products, vegans lost 1st 2lbs (7.4kg) in 12 weeks.
Compared to other fad diets, vegans lost 9lbs (4.1kg).
However, a vegan diet did not significantly outperform these diets in terms of blood-sugar levels or cholesterol, with only very minor improvements noted.
Lead author Anne-Ditte Termannsen, from Copenhagen University Hospital, said: 'This rigorous assessment of the best available evidence to date indicates with reasonable certainty that adhering to a vegan diet for at least 12 weeks may result in clinically meaningful weight loss and improve blood sugar levels, and therefore can be used in the management of overweight and type 2 diabetes.
'Vegan diets likely lead to weight loss because they are associated with a reduced calorie intake due to a lower content of fat and higher content of dietary fibre,' she said.
'However, more evidence is
