A Harvard medical student recently went vegan as a health experiment — and was shocked to discover its impact on his cholesterol. Nick Norwitz breaks down the findings in his viral video.
A Harvard medical student recently went vegan as a health experiment — and the results were surprising. Plant-based diets have been heralded for their health benefits — but Nick Norwitz, 25, discovered that his LDL cholesterol actually spiked during his week-long food swap. Low-density lipoprotein , sometimes called 'bad cholesterol,' is associated with negative health effects when present in high amounts, doctos say.
After a week of eating an 'almost entirely carnivore' diet, Norwitz switched to a 'full vegan keto diet' for the entire following week. His plant-based diet focused on tofu with some added vegan protein powder, green vegetables like spinach and Brussels sprouts, and some dark chocolate and macadamia nut butter, he said in his video. For his primary fat sources, Norwitz incorporated macadamia oil, extra virgin olive oil and some toasted sesame oil.
Honestly, my stomach got pretty upset on the vegan diet,' Norwitz says. 'That’s just me, and my biology and microbiome.' 'Despite eating less total fat, less saturated fat, more fiber and zero cholesterol on the vegan diet, my total LDL cholesterol actually went up.' The reason for the LDL cholesterol spike on the vegan keto diet as compared to the 'carnivore-esque' keto diet was calories, Norwitz said.
Just because something is labeled vegan doesn't make it healthy, the cardiologist cautioned. 'It’s important to stay away from highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates , which are common in many vegan items,' Serwer said. Genetics also play a large role in a person's metabolism of cholesterol, he noted. 'Changing diets suddenly can disrupt your body's physiology and cause fluctuations in cholesterol levels,' Serwer said.
For those choosing to go vegan, the doctor said, it's important to 'increase soluble fiber, focus on whole foods, which are minimally processed, and incorporate healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, seeds and olive oil into your diet.'
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Lil Baby Graduates From Harvard Business School Program ‘Launching New Ventures’Lil Baby celebrated with his family after completing the week-long program.
Read more »
Harvard, MIT and MGB-led group helps build major solar and wind farmsBoston area universities, hospital systems and nonprofits are using their combined purchasing power to help build and run a solar farm in Texas and a wind farm in North Dakota. They expect their investments to produce enough renewable energy to power roughly 130,000 homes a year.
Read more »
Khan Academy: A Case Study in Scaling a Start-UpA conversation with Harvard Business School professor Bill Sahlman on creating a focused strategy for growth.
Read more »
Bulgari, Save the Children Hold Harvard Masterclass on Corporate Social Responsibility and Luxury RetailBulgari and Save the Children held a masterclass at Boston's Harvard University coinciding with World Children’s Day and marking 15 years of their partnership.
Read more »
Harvard-Westlake goalkeeper Jackson Friedman is a standout for more reasons than his jerseyHe had seven shutouts as a freshman for the Mission League champion Wolverines and this offseason played in Europe against elite players ages 15-16.
Read more »
Grad transfers Jakimovski, Moore lead Colorado to 4th straight win, 88-66 over HarvardAndrej Jakimovski scored 20 points and Elijah Malone added another 16 as Colorado rolled to its fourth-straight win to start the season, knocking off Harvard 88-66. The Buffaloes won their seventh straight home game dating back to last season and now have won 20 of their last 21 at home since the beginning of the 2023-24 season.
Read more »