Vegans, or those who follow a plant-based diet, are known to avoid animal products, which includes meat, as well as, milk, eggs and even honey! Even though this type of diet doesn't seem rewarding at first, it has numerous benefits that can improve your life. Isn't a plant-based diet bland and tasteless?
Contrary to the popular belief, a plant-based diet offers a variety of tastes and options for your meals. If you're still having second thoughts about giving this lifestyle a chance, check out these benefits and reasons a plant-based diet can improve your life!
1. Lower blood pressure
Doctors constantly talk about the negative effects of hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, on your health. They talk about numerous causes, such as a diet high in fat, being overweight, leading a stressful life that leads to one of many serious consequences. But do they ever give true solutions to this problem?
Sure, minimising stress and adjusting your diet is a great start, but how can you do that?! You need to know your blood pressure to know how to act. Believe it or not, it has been proven that vegans and vegetarians have lower blood pressure and fewer chances of getting hypertension than omnivores. Something to think about!
2. Fewer cardio-vascular risks
Similar to high blood pressure, a plant-based diet can help you reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases. Since different types of meat contain saturated fat that can cause chaos in your arteries, veins and heart, if consumed excessively, can seriously endanger your health. So, how can a plant-based diet help you?
The plant-based diet isn't miraculous. You'll still have to worry about your health. Unhealthy plant-based ingredients, such as processed food and sugary drinks exist. And they can be harmful to your body as well. That's why you need to make sure to intake enough healthy plant-based foods, such as whole-grains, veggies and vegetable oil.
3. Prevents type 2 diabetes
It’s commonly known that there is a link between your lifestyle and diabetes. The most important factor that influences your health is a diet. The type of food you consume and the way you live is amongst the factors that can determine whether you’ll be affected by diabetes or not.
How can this type of diet prevent diabetes? The first thing you should consider is weight. If you eat healthy plant-based foods, you're less like to be overweight and get diabetes. On top of that, meat contains saturated fat that builds up fat tissue in your body, which means that your cells will become insulin resistant. So, if you want to prevent diabetes, or minimize its effects on your life, switch to a plant-based diet.
4. Decrease risks of cancer
Did you know that some types of meat, such as red and processed meat, have been categorized as cancerogenic, alongside tobacco and asbestos? If you wouldn't want to poison your body with harmful minerals, such as asbestos, then why consume processed meat!?
Besides meat, some people and some scientists believe that dairy is harmful to your body too! So, to decrease the risk of cancer, switch to a plant-based diet. Instead of animal products, such as meat and milk, opt for plant-based milk alternatives that are a much healthier option! On top of that, fruits, beans, veggies, grains can also help you get to remission faster.
5. Keeps your brain strong
Believe it or not, a plant-based diet keeps your brain strong. Even though in science it's commonly known that cognitive capacities deteriorate over time and as we age, some types of healthy foods can reverse their effects. What about organic illnesses, such as dementia?
Sadly, there is no cure for progressive illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease. However, some fruits, veggies and whole grains can reduce the risk of cognitive impairment. How is that possible? They are rich in polyphenol, which minimises the chance of getting early-onset dementia and cognitive impairment later on.
6. Less risk of stroke
As previously mentioned, your complete health deteriorates if you’re overweight, have diabetes or high blood pressure. All of these conditions are major risk factors for a stroke. Even though as we age it’s normal to gain weight or have a bit higher blood pressure, your health needs to be kept under control.
By now it's quite obvious that a plant-based diet reduces the chances of having your arteries clogged, which directly leads to a stroke. If you consume plenty of fruits and veggies, you're less likely to get a stroke. No matter how unpleasant they are, strokes are preventable! Eat a plant to prevent living like a plant for the rest of your life!
7. Lose weight like a champ
Some of the biggest health complications come with being overweight. A couple of kilos extra won't do you harm, however, if you start noticing changes in your mood and health, that's a major red flag! So, how can a plant-based diet help you reduce your body mass easily?
Even though if you want to lose weight you’ll need to train as well, swapping your heavy meat diet for a plant-based one will do wonders for your body. If your main goal is to nourish a healthy body, a plant-based diet can help you there. As fruits and veggies are more filling, they don't contain a lot of calories, which is a great way to help your weight loss process.
8. Intake versatile nutrients
Contrary to the popular belief, plant-based diets are versatile and rich in different types of nutrients. Many people worry that they will lack protein in their diets when they are switching to a vegan diet. Even though you can get enough proteins from different kinds of plants, you can always add something extra.
How can you enrich your diet if processed and artificial nutrients aren’t as healthy? Instead of taking different kinds of harmful pills, consume vegan protein powder that can help you fulfill your diet. It's a natural ingredient that is cruelty-free and more than enough to provide you with necessary proteins during your day.
9. Gives you strength
Since swapping meat for a plant-based diet requires some lifestyle changes, you should consider introducing some workout routines into your life if you haven't so far. Many people think that vegans and non-meat eaters don't have enough strength to train, however, they are wrong.
Many popular athletes are on a plant-based diet. On the other hand, you need to make the transition as smooth as possible. Going on a plant-based diet can give you strength, especially, if you consume enough nutrients through fresh fruits and veggies, and nuts. So, don’t worry about your fitness plan, you’ll have more than enough strength to endure the training.
10. Lower cholesterol
You’ve probably heard how a lot of older people complain bout having high levels of cholesterol. It’s not always something you can control, but you can keep it in check if you switch to a plant-based diet. Since cholesterol leads to fatty deposits in your bloodstream, it can cause cardiovascular problems which lead to heart attacks and more.
So, if you move away from animal products that are saturated in fat, you're less likely to suffer from high bad cholesterol. Instead of a steak, opt for a plate filled with different kinds of veggies that can satisfy your eyes, appetite and stomach!
11. Improves your mood
It’s not a myth that meat is filled with different kinds of chemicals that create a disbalance of hormones in your brain. Therefore, if you eat meat, you’re more likely to suffer from depression! Many studies regarding this subject find that a plant-based diet can help you reverse the effects of depression.
Besides eating healthier, you’ll also feel better about your overall well-being. You’re doing something magnificent for your body and the environment, which can also be the reason why you’re happier. Naturally, you need to eat plenty of versatile food to support your system.
12. Lengthens your life
Due to the other health benefits mentioned here, we've come to the conclusion that a plant-based diet can help you live longer! It prevents a series of deadly diseases and minimizes the risks of incurable conditions that might endanger your life.
So, if you minimize the intake of meat and processed products, you're more likely to live a longer and happier life! All you need to do is consume plenty of grains, fruits, and veggies to stay on top of our game.
13. Saves the planet
If you’re still thinking about changing to a plant-based diet, don’t do it for yourself, do it for the planet! Not only will you benefit from this type of change. You'll also save the planet for future generations.
Besides the health benefits of vegan lifestyles, many vegans promote sustainability that helps us save the planet. By going green, you have a chance to reduce the waste we produce and minimise its negative effects on our environment. If we all took part in this process, we would improve everyone’s lives.
14. Minimises green-house gasses emission
Did you know that the meat industry is one of the biggest pollutants on the Earth? Besides torturing the poor animals before they slaughter them, they also produce extremely large amounts of gasses that worsen our climate.
If you don't want to live in a world where polluted air is all around us, you'll do this planet and environment a big favour by switching to a plant-based diet. Save the planet for future generations and prevent the emission of green-house gasses where possible.
15. Saves the bees
You’ve probably seen a lot of popular campaigns online whose slogans are “Save the bees!”. These individuals aren’t particularly attached to those flying insects. They care about our planet and environment!
Without bees, there would be no plants, flowers and trees. The entire greenery will wither, which will also affect the food system. If you cut down the use of honey or eliminate it from your diet completely, you’re allowing those little creatures to create enough for their species to survive! Luckily for honey lovers, bee-free kinds of honey exist on the market, so you can still knock yourself out with this tasty treat.
16. Prevents deforestation
Besides emitting green-house gasses, the food industry requires a lot of space where they can raise animals. Naturally, such places can't be in the middle of the cities, and therefore, people are cutting down trees to create a suitable space for the food industry.
This has to stop! By switching to a plant-based diet, you’re not supporting a meat industry. If more and more people decided to prevent deforestation, which can seriously endanger our eco-system, tyranny would end. Lead by example. Eat a plant-based meal instead of meat to save the planet and save the planet's lungs- the forest.
17. Saves the seas
Sadly, a large proportion of the world's oceans are dying. We are so used to single-use products that we didn't think about the future of our seas and kids. Luckily, a lot of people are becoming aware of this problem, and therefore they've ditched plastic straws and shopping bags and replaced them with reusable ones. But what does a plant-based diet have to do with that?
Fish are dying. Our seas are filled with plastic and garbage, which affects marine life. On top of that, some people are overfishing, which can lead to extinction! By switching to a plant-based diet, you're not supporting overfishing and you're saving the seas!
Conclusion
Are you ready to try out something completely new yet beneficial for your health? Then a plant-based diet is exactly what you need. Taking into consideration its many benefits, this type of lifestyle will improve your life and boost your health in no time!
If you ever feel like giving up on this type of food, remember all these benefits listed above! A change that starts from a single step can lead to a completely new point of view!
