While many of us try out best to limit our meat consumption, the temptation of a juicy burger or a succulent rack of ribs can be too much to resist.
But a new study might finally provide the incentive you’ve been waiting for.
Scientists from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have revealed the exact amount of money you could save by going vegan.
According to their calculations, changing to a low-fat, vegan diet could save you £1.44 ($1.80) per day.
Over the course of the year, that’s an impressive saving of £525 ($657).
‘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,’ said Dr Hana Kahleova, who led the study.
However, there’s bad news if you were considering the Mediterranean diet.
The researchers found that this change would actually cost you 48p (60 cents) more per day – which equates to £175 ($219) over the course of a year.
Scientists from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have revealed the exact amount of money you could save by going vegan (stock image)
While many of us try out best to limit our meat consumption, the temptation of a juicy burger or a succulent rack of ribs can be too much to resist (stock image)
In their study, the researchers set out to understand the economic impact of adopting three popular diets.
These were the standard American diet, the Mediterranean diet, and a low-fat vegan diet.
The team randomly assigned 506 participants to either a low-fat vegan diet, which consisted of fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans, or a Mediterranean diet, which focused on fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, low-fat dairy, and extra-virgin olive oil, for 16 weeks.
The participants then went back to their usual, American diet, for a four-week washout period, before switching to the opposite group for an additional 16 weeks.
Over the course of the study, the participants logged exactly how much money they spent on food.
The results revealed that total food costs decreased on the vegan diet by 19 per cent.
The decrease in costs was mainly attributable to daily savings of £2.31 ($2.90) on meat, 40p (50 cents) on dairy products, and 40p (50 cents) on added fats, according to the researchers.
These savings outweighed the increased spending of 40p (50 cents) on vegetables, 24p (30 cents) on grains, and 40p (50 cents) on meat alternatives on the vegan diet.
According to their calculations, changing to a low-fat, vegan diet could save you £1.44 ($1.80) per day. Over the course of the year, that’s an impressive saving of £525 ($657)
In contrast, the researchers found that total food costs increased on the Mediterranean diet by six per cent.
What’s more, the researchers found that a low-fat vegan diet had better outcomes for weight, body composition, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels, compared with a Mediterranean diet.
‘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,’ Dr Kahleova added.
The study comes shortly after experts called on meat lovers in Scotland to cut down their meat consumption.
Researchers from the University of Edinburgh say that cutting down on beef, lamb, and pork could help to curb climate change.
If everyone ate no more than the dietary recommendation of 70g of meat per day, Scotland could reduce its total red meat consumption by 16 per cent, according to the researchers.
Professor Lindsay Jaacks, Personal Chair of Global Health and Nutrition at the University of Edinburgh, said: ‘There is no question that we need to change our diets to reduce our impact on the planet.’
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain, according to the NHS
• Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruit and vegetables count
• Base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally wholegrain
• 30 grams of fibre a day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 portions of fruit and vegetables, 2 whole-wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of wholemeal bread and large baked potato with the skin on
• Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks) choosing lower fat and lower sugar options
• Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consuming in small amounts
• Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water a day
• Adults should have less than 6g of salt and 20g of saturated fat for women or 30g for men a day
Source: NHS Eatwell Guide
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