Benefits Of A Plant Based Diet

 

The term plant-based diet was coined to refer to diets that primarily contained plant foods. You can eat animal foods in moderation and still be a plant-based dieter. Now vegan and vegetarian diets are also being referred to as plant-based diets. They do not contain any animal foods. Any diet that is mostly based on plant foods can be called a plant-based diet.

In this article, we discuss the benefits that an adequately planned plant-based diet offers:

A Plant-Based Diet May Promote Better Heart Health

When different types of meat are eaten in excess, it could cause heart issues as meats are generally high in saturated fats. Cutting down on meats and eating more plant foods reduces the risk of heart diseases.

A 2019 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that a plant-based diet could help prevent the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Limiting meat foods is not just enough. You also have to ensure that you include adequate amounts of healthy plant foods. Eat more vegetables, whole grains, fruits, healthy oils, and legumes.

A Plant-Based Diet May Help With Hypertension

Hypertension or high blood pressure puts you at the risk of developing various health conditions like stroke, heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and more. The diet you follow plays an important role in regulating your blood pressure. Some studies have suggested that plant-based diets may be useful in reducing blood pressure. A 2016 study found that vegetarians were at 34% lower risk of developing hypertension compared with non-vegetarians.

A Plant-Based Diet Could Help With Weight Loss

Weight loss is one of the common benefits expected of a plant-based diet. The weight-loss benefits of plant-based diets could be primarily caused because of replacing certain unhealthy foods.

The body mass indexes of meat-eaters and non-meat eaters have significant differences.

Plant-based diets contain foods like vegetables and whole grains that are digested slowly.  Fruits are rich in fiber and antioxidants that help you stay full for longer.