5 benefits of a plant-based diet (2024)

FAQs

What are the benefits of plant-based diet? ›

Research shows that plant-based diets are cost-effective, low-risk interventions that may lower body mass index, blood pressure, HbA_1C, and cholesterol levels. They may also reduce the number of medications needed to treat chronic diseases and lower ischemic heart disease mortality rates.

Plants are high in fiber.

Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar and it's great for good bowel management.

After eight weeks, the group consuming the vegan diet showed lower insulin, decreased weight, and reduced levels of lipoprotein cholesterol, a protein associated with heart disease and stroke.

Some studies have shown that those on a plant-based diet are found to have lower plasma vitamin B12 levels and higher levels of vitamin B12 deficiency than those who consume animal products. Vitamin B12 is an important cofactor in DNA synthesis, and deficiency can lead to anemia and severe neurological dysfunction.

Plant-based diets offer all the necessary protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals for optimal health, and are often higher in fiber and phytonutrients. However, some vegans may need to add a supplement (specifically vitamin B₁₂) to ensure they receive all the nutrients required.

Plant-based diets and the gut microbiome

Eating a variety of different plants has been shown to promote the growth of beneficial microbial species in your gut. A healthy gut microbiome provides benefits across the body. These include improving the immune system and digestive health, as well as reducing inflammation.

Your blood cholesterol levels will plummet.

Elevated blood cholesterol is a key risk factor for heart disease and strokes, two of the leading killers in the United States. Saturated fat—primarily found in meat, poultry, cheese, and other animal products—is a major driver of our blood cholesterol levels.

Plant foods provide protein, other nutrients

While protein is an essential nutrient for maintaining health and preventing age-related declines, the evidence suggests that a varied diet with plenty of plant-based protein sources, specifically, is the most beneficial for promoting healthy aging.”

Specifically, they found that those who consumed plant-based meats fell below the daily requirements for calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc and vitamin B12. Plus, those eating these foods exceeded the reference values for sugar, saturated fat and sugar. This group did consume more fiber than the meat-eaters.

Eating a healthy vegan diet (i.e., rich in fruits, veggies, and whole grains) makes it easy to exceed the recommended 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, and it's not unusual for that to translate into daily poops for vegans—or two or three!

What foods should you avoid on a plant-based diet? ›

You'll restrict grains and foods made with them, such as bread and pasta. You also limit starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn, as well as beans and legumes. And you'll cut high-sugar tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, and bananas, as well as fruit juices and sweets.

One of the most common reasons for fatigue and low energy in vegan, vegetarian and more plant-based diets is because of either low or no consumption of heme iron. This depends on the source of where you get your iron from.

For example, white rice and white bread are plant-based foods, so you would think they're good to eat. But they are highly processed, and so are depleted of many heart-healthy nutrients and have a high glycemic index, which means they can make blood sugar levels spike and increase hunger, leading to overeating.

There are a lot of great plant-based protein sources, including tofu, lentils, beans, nuts and nut butters, seeds, and quinoa. Don't forget: Dairy, eggs, beef, poultry, and fish are allowed on the plant-based diet, they just shouldn't be the center of the meal.

Fiber-rich, gut-friendly foods like legumes, avocados, potatoes and berries could all help reduce visceral fat and opting for at least one vegan meal each day will assist you in ramping up your fiber intake with ease—along with complex carbs, healthy fats and other essential nutrients.

Plant Protein

Anyone can follow plant- based eating. Peanuts and peanut butter is one of the most powerful plant foods that have a perfect balance of calories and nutrients. They are a food that has a lot of nutrients to offer, with the majority of calories coming from those good nutrients.

Is pasta vegan? Unfortunately, not all pasta is vegan. We've found pastas of all varieties, from spaghetti to lasagna noodles, with eggs in the ingredient lists. But don't worry—there are widely available vegan pastas that don't involve eggs or dairy and don't skimp on the texture you've come to love.

The diet consists primarily of food made of plants: fruits and vegetables in addition to nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes. A plant-based diet is not a vegetarian or vegan diet; you can eat poultry, beef, eggs, fish, and dairy products, however most of your nutrient intake is coming from plant-based food sources.