There are many health benefits from consuming a plant-based diet, but also other benefits. What is a plant-based diet? It’s not necessarily vegetarian or veganism. It’s all about consuming food that’s mostly from plants. Besides many of the health benefits, it can be quite kind to your wallet. One gram of plant-based protein costs less than a gram of animal protein. You don’t have to switch to all plant proteins, either. Making one or two nights a week meatless can boost your budget and improve your health.
Eating more food from plant sources can help prevent cancer.
The link between reducing the risk of cancer and increasing the amount of food derived from plants has been known for over twenty years. If you fill two-thirds of your plate with plant-based foods and leave the remaining third for protein, either from plants or animals, it can improve your health. The food you eat must be healthy and low in sugar and fat. It also shouldn’t contain highly processed food, even if that food is plant-based.
Plant-based foods provide antioxidants.
Plants contain phytonutrients you can’t get from animal-based products. They have phytochemicals and fiber. They also contain vitamin C, which is only found in significant amounts in raw liver, fish roe, and eggs in animal-based foods. Plants contain far more antioxidants, like vitamin C. The phytochemicals and vitamin C help boost your immune system and fight inflammation. Inflammation can damage cells and tissues and is linked to cancer, heart disease, and inflammatory diseases like arthritis.
A plant-based diet can help you lose or maintain a healthy weight.
Obesity is a leading cause of preventable deaths, surpassing smoking several years ago. If you’re overweight, it increases your risk of cancer. Obesity also increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other serious conditions. It occurs due to inflammation and hormonal issues caused by obesity. If you consume a plant-based diet that’s healthy, it reduces your caloric intake while keeping you full.
- You’ll get more fiber from a plant-based diet. It’s in all unprocessed plant foods. That improves your digestive system, aids in mineral absorption, improves the gut microbiome, and reduces cancer risk.
- A plant-based diet can help lower your blood pressure. That reduces the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart attack. Several studies show that people who consume a vegetarian diet have a lower risk of high blood pressure.
- A plant-based diet can help reduce the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. To be effective the diet must include healthy options, not sugar foods or highly processed food.
- People who consume a plant-based diet tend to live longer. It can reduce the risk of all diseases that affect mortality by approximately 25%.
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