Top Benefits of Plant Based Diet

More people than ever are making the transition to a predominantly plant-based diet, with 7.3 million Americans considering themselves vegetarian and an additional 22.8 million following a mostly vegetarian diet (Vegetarian Times). People are attracted to a plant-based diet for numerous reasons, including concerns about health or the ethical treatment of animals. Here are just some of the benefits of focusing on a plant based diet.

It’s Less Expensive.

Switching to plant-based proteins is much more cost effective than paying for meat. Beans and legumes are great sources of protein that cost significantly less than an equivalent amount of meat.

You’ll Always Meet Your Recommended Fiber Intake.

The recommended daily intake of dietary fiber is at least 25 grams for adults, yet most don’t get close to that amount in their diet. Eating a plant-based diet makes it considerably easier to meet your recommended daily fiber intake.

Reduced Risk of Chronic Disease.

Accumulating scientific evidence suggests that a plant-based diet reduces your risk of chronic diseases, including:

• Certain types of cancer. Vegetarian diets have been associated with lower risk of colon, breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers, although additional research is needed to explore the direct links between plant-based foods and lower cancer risk.
• Heart disease. Animal products are one of the top sources of saturated fat in the American diet. Saturated fat is associated with higher levels of LDL cholesterol and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Hypertension. Eating a plant-based diet that emphasizes whole foods reduces your sodium consumption, which can lower your risk of hypertension.
• Type 2 diabetes. While a plant-based diet certainly can contain sweets, it also tends to be high in fiber. This helps to prevent severe swings in blood sugar. As a result, a plant-based diet may lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Gallstones and kidney stones. Gallstones and kidney stones tend to form in people who have a very high protein diet. Eating animal proteins may increase your risk of gallstones or kidney stones, particularly if you are already prone to developing these.

It’s Better for the Environment.

We grow a lot of grain to feed animals, but we would use less water and other energy resources if we ate the grain ourselves. In the United States, 70% of the grain produced is fed to farmed animals.

An article in Scientific American reveals that the amount of beef the average American eats in a year creates as much greenhouse gas as driving a car over 1,800 miles.

Better Blood Sugar.

One of the most noticeable effects you’ll see from eating plant-based sources of protein is better blood sugar levels. Animal foods contain IGF1 (insulin growth factor) which promotes higher blood sugar causing cravings, blood sugar swings, and often that shaky, moody feeling you get if you don’t eat something right away, or if you skip meals. Plant-based proteins don’t cause this. In fact, they do the opposite; they keep you full a long time and provide greater satiety. They also don’t spike your blood sugar.

More Energy.

All plants are full of carbohydrates and fiber, plant-based protein that contains amino acids, healthy fats that benefit the metabolism, and vitamins and minerals that support the body. They energize us and keep our bodies from having to break down foods like animal products. Think of it this way: the less work your body has to do, the more energy it can provide you.

Nuts & Seeds are always a great choice for plant-based snacks that offer energy and many other health benefits.