Did you know that eating a plant-based diet can protect you from heart-related diseases? If you didn’t, this article will help you understand what that means and how you protect yourself from diseases. You will get to understand what a plant-based diet means. Also, you will get to know and appreciate some of the benefits of eating a plant-based diet.
First thing first, let’s get to understand more about plant-based diets. Consumption of a plant-based diet entails eating plant-based proteins, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Also, the adoption of a plant-based diet can range from personal health to environmental concerns relating to factory farming.
One thing to note here is that eating consumption of plant-based proteins does not mean you are a vegetarian. What you are doing is including a bigger proportion of food from plant sources. Remember plant-based diet improves your general body system. On that note, it is also critical to consider your level of activity, nutritional deficiencies, and food allergies before going for a plant-based diet. You can also consider your levels of vitamins and minerals requirements as you adopt this kind of diet.
What does this diet contain?
The plant-based diet contains:
- High Fiber content.
- Little saturated fats.
- Lots of nuts and soy protein.
- Little processed meat
- And high in fruits and vegetables.
You can also include these foods in your menu:
- Consumption of nuts and seed butter.
- Soy beverages
- Dried beans such as kidney beans and black beans
- Brown lentils
- And split peas.
Also if would like to stay away from meat you can go for veggie burgers.
How do you get started as far as a plant-based diet is concerned?
This is what you need to to do:
- Modify your meat-eating habits. The first thing that you need to do is to change your perception terms of meat consumption. Therefore, gradual reduction of meat consumption is critical.
- Eat vegetables. Vegetables are good. Studies have shown that vegetables help fight inflammation, improve blood pressure, and reduce the risk of cancer. You can include vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, and carrots.
- Go for the good fats. Good fats refer to lipids that remain liquid at room temperature. This could include nut butter, seeds, olive oils, and avocados. So, good fats play an integral role in brain functioning, metabolism, and skin health and protect you from cardiovascular diseases.
- Eat whole grain. It is advisable to include whole grains in your diet, especially in the morning. This can include buckwheat, quinoa, barley, or oatmeal. Whole grains are rich in nutrients, help in digestion, and reduce the risk of chronic inflammation.
What else do you need to do?
- Add some greens to your diet. You need to go for the leafy greens. This could include spinach, kale, and collards. You could steam or grill to preserve nutrients. The greens help reduce belly bloating, support bone health and regulate blood glucose levels in your body.
- Eat fruits. You can consider a ripe juicy peach or even a slice of watermelon. What’s more, you could also go for the apples. Fruits are a good source of minerals or even nutrients. Fruits help you lose weight and have a good chunk of fiber
- Eat Salads. Ensure that you include salads in your diet once in a while. This may include greens such as spinach, red greens Broccoli. You can also mix the vegetables with beans, peas, and fresh herbs. A salad serves you with fiber, and nutrients that improve your bones and protect you from peepers.
What are some the benefits of eating a plant based diet?
1.Plant-based diet protects you from arthritis
As you have seen a plant-based diet has low high fiber and low-fat content. These components have been proven to control inflammation. Remember, those who suffer from arthritis are also likely to have suffered from inflammation. What’s more, studies have shown that plant-based diet help manages rheumatoid arthritis. That means that you control symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis when you stop taking animal products. So, the consumption of plant-based diet help relieves pain.
When you eat a plant-based diet your body is supplied with nutrients that help ease inflammation and hence rheumatoid pain. Additionally, you improve your joints, stiffness, and swelling when you eat such a diet every day.
2.The benefits of eating a plant-based diet-Improved athletes performance
Nowadays athletes are going for plant-based diets to get optimal performance. Remember dietary requirements for athletes are not different from the rest of us. The only difference is that their dietary requirements could be higher since they are actively involved in physical activities. On top of this athletes require a plant-based diet because:
They are at risk of heart disease. Studies have shown that athletes are likely to suffer from coronary plaques. So, a plant-based diet ensures the heart of an athlete is strong by reversing these heart-related diseases. What’s more, this also controls blood pressure and cholesterol.
A plant-based diet helps improve arterial flexibility and diameter. This also ensures good blood flow. This improves their performance in the field.
Since plant-based diets are low in fats they reduce body fats among athletes. This is associated with increased aerobic capacity. Consequently, there is increased oxygen that’s required during intense exercise.
3.Lowers the risk of diabetes
According to the American diabetes association, the cost of diabetes treatment is very high. For instance, in the year 2020, diabetes patients in the US used 327 billion dollars in the management of diabetes. The cost can even go higher if the patient has an underlying medical condition. However, consumption of a plant-based diet is known to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. For instance, plant-based diets such as vegan diets can be used in the management of type 2 diabetes. Remember, plant-based diets are insulin-sensitive and have little sugar. So, the body can make use of this little sugar to produce energy.
In addition to this, a plant-based diet contains fiber. This fiber slows the release of sugars during food metabolism. Such a mechanism prevents increased blood sugar. Therefore, diabetic patients can benefit from beans consumption. This is because beans contain resistant starch. The starch takes time before it’s fully broken down during digestion. So, this does not interfere with your blood sugar. What’s more, the starch travels to the colon where it is used to produce fatty acids. Therefore, the consumption of beans improves blood sugar as compared with refined grains.
4.Reduces the risk of cancer
Plant-based diets contain phytochemicals that help protect body cells from inflammation hence lowering the risk of cancer. This is because a plant-based diet contains vegetables, fruits, and legumes. What’s more, plant-based diets are full of good chemicals such as phytochemicals. The most important phytochemicals include:
- Carotenoid-These are soluble fats. Fruits, vegetables, oils and grains gives a you a good chunk of carotenoid. The interesting bit about these compounds is that they are highly pigmented. Therefore, it is advisable to consider natural foods that are red, green, yellow, or orange. On top of this lutein, lycopene, and beta-carotene can also give you carotenoid. Such compounds lower the risk of heart disease, and also cancer.
- Antioxidants-This is another type of phytochemicals that protects your body from any kind of cell damage. Remember, diseases can attack body cells when the DNA cells are damaged . Therefore, you are likely to get cancer. This is because the cells tend to divide abnormally and uncontrollably. So, this division can lead to the destruction of normal body tissues. Therefore, antioxidants protect and restore damaged cells.
These compounds protect the body from damage. The chemicals also interrupt body processes that can encourage cancer production. Additionally, plant-based diets have high levels of fiber. Also, fiber lowers risk of colorectal and breast cancer
Therefore, the benefits of eating a plant-based diet are many.
Conclusion
Plant-based diets have gained popularity across the globe due to their many benefits. The benefits of eating a plant-based diet include: protecting you from arthritis pain, improving athletic performance, lowering the risk of diabetes, and reducing the risk of cancer.