Lose weight, lower cholesterol - and help the planet by going veg. Research on a new "Eco-Atkins" diet has been released in the June 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

The dietary study, conducted by lead author Dr. David J.A. Jenkins, uses the traditional protein intensive Atkins diet, but substitutes animal-based proteins with plant-based ones. "In just two weeks on the so-called 'Eco-Atkins' diet, everything starts to look much better metabolically ... I think this becomes an alternative for the heart disease reduction diet, which is obviously appropriate for diabetes," said Jenkins in the article.

The research found that while traditional "high-carb" vegetarian diets and the Eco-Atkins diet both helped participants lose weight, the Eco-Atkins diet helped lower cholesterol levels as well.

The research group included 44 overweight men and women who also had high cholesterol. Participants either had a standard high-carb vegetarian diet or the Eco-Atkins variety, vegetarian diet high in plant-based proteins, such as those found in nuts.

At the conclusion of the four week study, both groups lost the same average amount of weight of 8.8 pounds (3.99 kg), but the group consuming predominantly plant-based proteins saw a greater reduction in "bad" cholesterol levels.

The study was supported by the Canadian government, Canadian food distributor Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and the Solae Company of St. Louis, Mo., which manufactures soy foods.

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