The Move Towards a More Plant-Based Diet

Over and again, the research is pointing us towards a more plant-based diet as the ultimate way to eat, for both our health and our waistlines. There is wide variety of ways this can be done to get the health benefits; from going completely vegan to having just meatless Mondays, there are benefits at both ends of the spectrum.

Here are the benefits of moving towards a more plant-based diet and where you need to be mindful.

1.     Reducing the risk of chronic diseases

·       Heart-healthy - a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of heart disease and in some cases, reverse heart disease

·       Reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes

·       Reduce the risk of high blood pressure - vegetarians were found to have no increase in their blood pressure as they got older, unlike their normal diet counterparts, of which 50% will develop high blood pressure by age 60

·       Cancer protective – particularly by reducing red and processed meats from the diet and replacing with plant-based foods

2.     Weight Loss

Plant foods have a low calorie-density, meaning we can eat a bucket and we don’t get many calories. So if we were to replace the calorie-dense junk foods we ate with plant foods, we’d save ourselves hundreds of calories every day. We’d also fill up quickly because of the fibre and water content in the veges.

3.     It’s better for the environment

The production of animal products creates the most green house gas out of all the foods produced for humans. It is estimated to produce the amount of beef one person would eat in a year, the same amount of green house gas would be produced as driving a car 1200 kilometers. Not to mention, the often terrible animal cruelty that occurs with mass animal production.

Where you need to be mindful:

• Increasing fibre intake rapidly – changing your diet quickly by adding more plant-based foods quickly can upset your stomach if you’re not used to it. Ease into the changes slowly and build on your plant foods.

• Getting enough vitamin B12 – Vitamin B12 is virtually impossible to find in plant-based foods and up to 83% of vegans are vitamin B12 deficient. Fish and shellfish, eggs and dairy are good sources but for vegans, a supplement is essential.

• Laziness – plant-based foods often require some prep so some people can get a little lazy with it. Depending on how flexible you are with your diet, typically the more animal products you avoid, the more planned you’ll need to be.

• Just because it’s vegetarian or vegan, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. If it’s packaged or processed, the same rules apply – check the ingredients list for long lists of unidentifiable foods and any nasties.