In the short-term, a low-fat vegan diet results in lower calorie intake despite greater food intake and similar appetite ratings as a low-carb keto diet.
Metabolically, it also leads to marginally higher average blood glucose levels throughout the day, improves blood lipids other than triglycerides, and reduces inflammation compared to a ketogenic diet.
There are benefits intrinsic to time-restricted feeding that occur independent of weight loss. Eating within a 6–10-hour feeding window seems to provide a variety of health benefits compared to eating the same stuff spread out in a longer eating window of 12+ hours.
Whether this feeding window comes earlier in the day (breakfast and lunch) or later in the day (lunch and dinner) doesn’t seem to matter. The body isn’t stupid and appears to adapt to our regular eating schedule.
In short, read the ingredient label of your favorite high-fiber protein bar. If it uses isomalto-oligosaccharides (IMOs), then it is best avoided. The FDA has ruled that IMOs have insufficient evidence to be claimed as a dietary fiber, and a handful of studies suggest that they are absorbed with similar efficiency as sugar.
Eat fibrous vegetables and proteins first during meals, saving your starches for last, and you can drastically reduce the blood glucose and insulin response to that meal.
