A Bushel of Benefits of Eating Plants

We all have varied opinions about eating plant-based foods. While some people abhor their taste, others do not like their texture. A plant-based diet consists of exclusively plant foods, including fruit, vegetables, grains, and legumes, and avoids meat, dairy, and eggs.

Well, whether you like them or not, we certainly cannot deny their benefits. Here’s why.

Better Nutrition

Not only are plant-based foods naturally lower in calories compared with animal foods but science also shows that people’s overall nutrition is usually better when they follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. Plant-based foods are full of fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals, free of cholesterol, and low in calories and saturated fat.  For example, soy, quinoa, and nuts are good sources of protein, and tofu, lentils, and spinach are good sources of iron.

Weight loss

People who follow a plant-based diet tend to have lower BMIs compared with their omnivore counterparts. And research shows that people who use a vegetarian diet to shed unwanted pounds not only are more successful at losing weight but they also have better luck keeping that lost weight off.

Here are a few tips on how you can lose weight by consuming a plant-based diet according to a health expert.

• Transition slowly.
• Eat a variety of whole food plant-based foods (and stop stressing about deficiencies)
• Avoid skipping meals.
• Fill up on whole grains.
• Cut out oil.
• Snack when you’re hungry.
• Keep going even when you hit a snag.

You can read about plant-based weight-loss stories here.

A Healthier Heart

Eat more plants and you might even lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation- all of which are risk factors for heart disease. Also, studies link eating a vegetarian diet with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Ground-breaking research by the Physician’s Committee shows that a plant-based diet doesn’t just prevent heart disease but that it can manage and sometimes even reverse it. Other research has found that plant-based diets improve cardiovascular conditions such as angina (chest pain) and atherosclerosis, which occurs when arteries become narrowed or blocked due to a build-up of a cholesterol-containing substance called plaque.

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A Potential Mood Boost

When researchers gave young adults two extra servings of fruits and vegetables each day for two weeks, participants reported an improvement in their well-being. A vitality and motivation boost was reported too. Another research that looked at the impact of diet on emotional well-being and productivity at 10 corporate sites of a major U.S. insurance company found that a plant-based dietary intervention led to significantly reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue.

Lower diabetes risk

One recent review of studies reveals that people who eat a plant-based diet are more insulin sensitive. Thus, there is a lower risk of them becoming insulin resistant and diabetic. Also, another study found that meat-eaters double their risk of diabetes compared with vegans and vegetarians. Eating patterns that emphasize legumes, whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds and discourage most or all animal products―are especially potent in preventing type 2 diabetes and have been associated with much lower rates of obesity, hypertension, and hyper-lipoedema, and cardiovascular diseases. A low-fat plant-based diet is even proven to treat and reverse diabetes.

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Ward off Cancer

Regularly eating fruits, vegetables and grains are consistently associated with lower cancer risk. And there’s plenty of research that suggests those disease-fighting phytochemicals may prevent or thwart cancer.  An explanation: Plants produce many phytochemicals (literally, plant chemicals) that may protect cells from damage. The classes are based on studies showing that plant-based diets not only reduce the risk that cancer will start; they also improve survival after diagnosis. Plant foods contain fiber, which helps remove excess hormones that could lead to certain types of cancer, including breast and prostate cancer. Fiber also helps to remove waste from the digestive system, which can play a role in preventing colorectal cancer. Researchers found that vegetarians had a lower overall cancer rate than meat-eaters.

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