A plant-based diet features whole foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds and nuts as well as unsweetened plant milks or nut butters, herbs and spices; fish or eggs may also be included.
This diet plan is rich in fiber, along with numerous vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals; plus it’s low in both fat and sodium intake.
Boost Your Immune System
Plant-based diets can help your body fight viral infections such as colds and flus more effectively, as these foods contain plenty of Vitamin C, E, Zinc and Protein that strengthen and support a strong immune system.
Immunity-boosting nutrients can be found in many fruits, vegetables and whole grains – including some fortified products and processed plant-based “meats.”
Start each meal off right by starting off with a large salad tossed with olive oil and lemon juice, adding whole or grilled vegetables, and finishing up with a piece of fresh fruit containing bright colors as they contain more of these anti-inflammatories known as phytochemicals – these antioxidants may help strengthen immunity!
Reduce Inflammation
Plant-based nutrition can be an effective way to combat inflammation and support your immune system’s optimal performance. Colorful fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes contain vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory properties which all work to ward off inflammation in your body.
Inflammation is linked with many chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and arthritis. Antioxidants and polyphenols found in plants work to relieve this inflammation by neutralizing pollutants such as pollution or processed foods as well as bacteria or viruses – eating colourful fruits and vegetables along with whole grains, nuts, beans seeds herbs spices will reap these benefits!
Lower Your Risk for Cancer
Studies suggest that eating whole plant-based diets is linked with lower risks of cancer; premenopausal women who regularly consume high amounts of soluble fiber have an approximate 62% lower risk of estrogen receptor negative breast cancer.
Plant-based diets help promote weight management, one of the key lifestyle factors in lowering cancer risk along with not smoking and exercising regularly. They’re also packed full of phytonutrients such as carotenoids and polyphenols which have anticancer properties.
AICR defines a plant-based diet as one consisting of 2/3 plants and 1/3 or less animal foods (eggs, dairy, fish, poultry and moderate amounts of meat). There are many eating plans you can employ in order to reach this goal, including veganism, pescatarianism, vegetarianism or adhering to AICR’s New American Plate.
Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease
Diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains have been linked with lower risks of Alzheimer’s. Such diets help lower inflammation which contributes to neurofibrillary tangles associated with Alzheimer’s.
Plant-centered diets and polyphenol-rich foods have been demonstrated to significantly improve cognitive abilities among aging adults. Furthermore, these interventions reduce biomarkers of Alzheimer’s progression.
Lifestyle changes have proven that heart disease can be significantly slowed or reversed through lifestyle modifications; now studies indicate that switching to a plant-based diet can also help combat Alzheimer’s. Eating this way increases gut bacteria diversity while providing antioxidants and phytochemicals necessary for brain health as well as providing brain-friendly choline. It is an easy and effective way of decreasing your risk for this devastating illness.
Help the Environment
Many individuals are shifting towards plant-based diets for environmental reasons. This approach can help lower greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing demand for meat and dairy products as well as clearing land for animal agriculture, thus decreasing pollution caused by animal farming operations.
“Plant-based diet” doesn’t equate with being vegan or vegetarian – rather, it describes eating patterns which primarily focus on plants such as whole fruits, vegetables, nutrient-dense starches, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Climate research indicates that shifting to a plant-based diet is crucial to protecting our planet. Doing so would prevent irreversible climate change from impacting on global populations while providing enough food for them sustainably. To achieve this goal, changes must take place rapidly among large segments of humanity regarding consumption of meat and dairy foods.
