One of the biggest shift you can make in your life is adopting a plant-based diet. Don’t worry about missing out on calcium or proteins. There are a number of plants that can guarantee to give you all the nutrients you need. If anything, a plant-based diet has the ability to make you healthier and feeling better.
The following are some of the health benefits of having a plant-based diet:
Lowering blood pressure
Most of the people who have adopted a plant-based diet have reported lower blood pressure than they previously had. That can be linked to the increased use of foods higher in potassium, which has been linked to lower blood pressure. Some of the protein-rich foods from plants include nuts, grains, seeds, legumes, and all types of vegetables and fruits. Apart from potassium, they also contain vitamin B6 another agent that’s key to lowering blood pressure.
Lowering blood cholesterol
By nature, plant-based foods have zero cholesterol, including cacao and coconut. Taking these foods is, therefore, one of the best ways to lower the cholesterol levels in the body. The best plant-based foods to take for healthy cholesterol levels include fruits, vegetable, seeds, nuts, and whole grains. With that, your chances of getting heart disease become almost non-existent. Not so for meat from fish, poultry, eggs, and fast food. 7 Best Vegan Restaurants in America
Regulating blood sugar level
It has been established by researchers that the best way to fight high levels of blood sugar is taking foods with more fiber. What it does is slow down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. In effect, you will feel less hungry when taking fiber-rich foods. Another thing you are likely to report is feeling less stressed due to a balance in the levels of cortisol in your bloodstream. It goes without saying that whole grains, nuts, legumes, seeds, vegetables, and fruits are all rich in fiber. Not so for meat and other animal foods which are known to raise blood sugar levels.
Lowering the rate of cancer
One of the surest ways to avoid the risk of cancer is taking low-fat whole foods. That basically means going full throttle on a plant-based diet. But you have to avoid bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking. A diet that’s rich in animal foods is a major cause of cancer, especially that of the colon and breasts.
Aiding weight loss
Expect to lose a lot of weight by consuming a diet full of whole-foods that are also plant-based. Only make sure that the diet is low in processed sugars and fat. Tailor your diet to one full of raw and clean whole foods and you have even greater chances to lose weight. Not that cooked food is bad. In fact, it helps in the absorption of nutrients into the body. You will lose your weight naturally by consuming more vitamins, fiber, and minerals as compared to animal proteins and fats. For most people, it is possible to lose five pounds two weeks after adopting a plant-based diet.
If you choose a plant-based diet, let it be one from whole foods if you hope to maximize the benefits.