7 Reasons Why You Should Try a Plant Based Diet (Guest Post by Fresh n' Lean)

Scientists, researchers, celebrities, and authors all over the world are only some of the people that are talking about the benefits of plant based meals. Including more plant products into your diet can give your health a wonderful boost. In fact, eating more whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds, can have significant benefit to your health and well-being.

Here are some of the common health issues you can avoid by choosing a plant-based diet.

1. Preventing Cardiovascular Disease

Researchers have conducted tests on people who consumed at least eight servings of vegetables and fruits in a day. They came to the conclusion that such people have a 30% lesser chance of having a stroke or a heart attack in comparison to people who ate fewer that 2 servings. In fact, a paper published by Dr. Dean Ornish talks about how patients that already have heart disease can reverse the damage by making the appropriate changes in their eating habits. In addition to taking the recommended medications, these patients restricted the the fat content in their diet, switched to more of plant foods, and made other essential lifestyle changes.

2. Preventing Cancer

The American Cancer Society stresses the importance of a plant-based diet for helping the body keep cancer at bay. When you consume red meat including lamb, pork, and beef, among others, this meat induces the bacteria in your gut or gastrointestinal tract to release acids. As a result, you raise your chances of developing clogged arteries, a condition known as atherosclerosis. Meat also causes mutations in your cells that can ultimately lead to cancer.

Plants contain several compounds called phytochemicals that can protect your cells from damage and mutations. While such mutations can be caused by elements in the environment, the main cause is linked to the meat content in your diet.

3. Preventing Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes could become one of the most significant causes of death in the world by 2030, as reported by the World Health Organization. By making a few important changes in your diet, you could lower your chances of becoming one of these statistics. For instance, eating 2 to 3 servings of fiber-packed whole wheat grains every day can cut back your risk by 30% compared to people who almost never eat whole grains. Since plant-based foods have a high fiber content, your body can break them down and digest them slowly. Not only do you feel full longer and faster, but your body produces less amounts of the hormone, insulin.

4. Preventing Hypertension/ High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol

Having hypertension or high blood pressure indicates that you have a higher risk of developing stroke and heart disease. If you have been consuming meat and other animal products all your life, you could have high blood pressure by the time you’re 60. This is why it’s recommended that you change your diet to include more plant-based meals.

Not only can you reverse the damage, but you might also notice that it becomes easier to keep your hypertension levels down. High cholesterol causes high blood pressure, but you can control the bad cholesterol percentages in your blood by choosing a low-fat, healthy diet.

5. Preventing Skin Damage and Aging

Plants and vegetables contain phytochemicals, vitamins, and pigments that can bring back a healthy glow to your skin. For instance, tomatoes have lycopene that works to prevent the damage caused by the sun. Sweet potatoes can induce your skin cells to produce collagen that in turn help to plump up the skin and remove the appearance of wrinkles.

When you cut back on fat-laden animal products, you’re also eliminating saturated fats that can cause the pores of your skin to clog and acne to appear. In addition, plant compounds can actually hydrate your skin.

6. Preventing Obesity

Typically, animal sourced products are calorie dense while plant food has a lesser number of calories in the same portion sizes. For instance, eating a bowl of ice cream for dessert is likely to cause much more severe damage to your waistline than a bowl of fresh fruit. In addition, the processed and refined foods that you eat contain chemical additives and preservatives that have no nutritional content, but pack on unwanted calories.

If you choose fiber-packed food instead, you would need smaller portion sizes since you’ll feel fuller for longer. The fiber you eat keeps your gut healthy by moving food through it more easily. If you can prevent constipation, you can help keep your weight down.

7. Preventing Weakened Vision

Foods like grapes, kiwi, squash, corn, kale, and spinach are known to contain pigments like zeaxanthin and lutein. The American Optometric Association reports that these compounds can help keep your eyes healthy by preventing the formation of cataracts and weakening of the eye muscles. Carrots contain beta-carotene that can help you see in dim light thanks to the Vitamin A they produce in the body.

Plant Based Meals for Extraordinary Health

These are only some of the benefits that you can gain from making healthy changes in your diet. Plant-based produce is easier on the pocket when you’re paying for the food and in the long-run, when you pay medical bills. In addition to being good for you, cutting back on animal produce is good for the environment. Think about ethical issues like preventing cruelty to animals and you’ll be sold on the idea of moving to healthy, plant-based meals.

References:

1.    http://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/slideshows/reasons-to-choose-a-plant-based-diet

2.    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/plant-based-diet_b_3807973.html?section=india

3.    http://www.active.com/nutrition/articles/6-reasons-to-try-a-plant-based-diet

4.    http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4304/7-Reasons-Why-You-Should-Eat-PlantBased.html

5.    http://www.businessinsider.in/8-reasons-to-go-on-a-plant-based-diet/The-top-10-plant-based-diets-of-2016-/slideshow/50539939.cms

6.    http://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/seven-easy-to-find-foods-that-may-help-fight-cancer

7.    http://www.helpguide.org/articles/diet-weight-loss/diabetes-diet-and-food-tips.htm

Photo credit: Tomi Makanjuola

Article written by: Thomas Asseo

About Fresh n' Lean: Fresh n’ Lean is a U.S. based meal delivery service co-founded by Thomas Asseo, a health and fitness enthusiast from California. Fresh n’ Lean aim to provide everyone with a convenient, healthy, vegan diet meal plan, and promote a healthy lifestyle through good quality food. All dishes are organic vegan meals, GMO free, contain no artificial ingredients, and are made by real people, not a product of a machine. Everything is tailored to provide well-balanced and nutritious meals that keep you and your whole body feeling great. It’s the gift of health, delivered to your door.