Whether you want to clean up your act for a January detox or make more long-term health changes, a change in diet is an excellent start. And today we’re here to talk about the benefits of a plant-based diet!

We’ll also describe what a plant-based diet is and how you can implement one. Plus, we’ll answer important questions such as… What are the benefits of eating more plant-based foods? And what's the benefit of choosing more plant-based proteins?

There’s so much conflicting dietary advice available today. So many different diets – ranging from paleo to vegan – are touted as optimal by supposed experts, and it can be difficult to sort the wheat from the chaff.

However, one thing that everybody seems to agree on is that natural wholefoods are healthier than processed foods. This implies that a plant-based diet may be a great option, because it has wholefoods foods at its core.

What Is A Plant-Based Diet?

A plant-based diet is a diet made up either predominantly or entirely of plants and plant products. A plant-based diet does not need to be full-blown veganism – you can make your diet plant-based simply by introducing more foods from plant sources. A plant-based diet also does not necessarily have to exclude all meat and dairy completely.

Different Variations Of A Plant-Based Diet

There are several versions of a plant-based diet to choose from.

• Vegetarian – Vegetarians eat mostly plants and no meat, but do eat dairy and eggs.
• Vegan – Vegans eat a diet solely of plants and consume zero animal products.
• Raw vegan – This is a stricter type of veganism, involving only raw, plant-based foods.
• Flexitarian – Flexitarians eat mostly plant-based foods, but also include a minority of animal products in their diet.

Image by JerzyGorecki on Pixabay: What is a plant-based diet?

What Are The Benefits Of Eating More Plant-Based Foods?

There are many benefits to eating more plant-based foods. These kinds of foods are:

• Rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals
• Relatively cheap, especially if they are locally grown
• Low in saturated fat
• Typically less calorie-dense than animal products

What's The Benefit Of Choosing More Plant-Based Proteins?

Several plant foods are high in protein. Studies suggest that choosing plant-based proteins has many benefits, including:

• Less saturated fat intake
• Increased fiber intake
• Weight loss
• Potentially lower risk of cardiovascular disease
• Potentially lower risk of some types of cancers

How To Do A Plant-Based Diet

How you go about implementing a plant-based diet is up to you. We’re all unique, and we all have our own different needs, preferences, and lifestyles. A plant-based diet is simply a diet that predominantly consists of plants, so whether you choose to forgo animal foods altogether or simply reduce your animal product intake and increase your plant-based food intake is your choice.

Ask yourself: what diet makes you feel best? What diet do you enjoy most? What diet makes you feel physically and mentally optimal? Experiment with different approaches and see what works best for you.

Health Benefits Of A Plant-Based Diet

We’ve rounded up the top 10 benefits of a plant-based diet.

1. May Reduce Your Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease

Research suggests that eating a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of developing various types of cardiovascular diseases. Research suggests that a diet rich in plant foods can improve heart health and cardiovascular health markers.

2. May Decrease Your Risk Of Cancer

Research suggests that a plant-based diet may reduce the risk of certain cancers including breast and colorectal cancer. Plant-based diets tend to be higher in dietary fiber, and a high-fiber diet appears to reduce the risk of several cancers.

3. May Lower Blood Pressure

Several studies have found that vegetarian, vegan, and plant-based diets lower blood pressure compared to diets that are high in animal foods and lower in plant foods.

4. May Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Research suggests that eating a plant-based diet, particularly vegetarian or vegan, can help with the management of type 2 diabetes. The research found that as well as helping with type 2 diabetes management, vegetarian diets also decrease the likelihood of the onset of type 2 diabetes. The research found that individuals following vegetarian diets are about half as likely to develop diabetes, compared with non-vegetarians.

5. May Improve Cholesterol Levels

Research suggests that plant-based diets can improve cholesterol markers. A plant-based diet can boost healthy HDL levels and decrease LDL levels.

6. May Reduce Your Risk Of Stroke

A 2021 study found that people who eat a healthy plant-based diet have a lower risk of having a stroke.

Image by Via Slowikowska on Pexels: What are the benefits of eating more plant-based foods?

7. May Lower Body Weight

Research suggests that eating a plant-based diet is a good way to lower body weight, and to maintain low body weight.

8. May Increase Longevity

A 2022 study by Professor Lars T. Fadnes and his team of researchers at the University of Borgen found that a plant-based diet can increase life expectancy by up to a decade!

9. Reduces Animal Suffering

Industrial meat production involves a lot of animal suffering. You can do your bit to reduce the suffering of animals by switching to a plant-based diet.

10. Can Save You Money

Plant-based diets are often a lot easier on the wallet than diets high in animal foods. Meat and dairy tend to be more expensive than foods like fruits and vegetables. You can save money at the same time as you improve your health by choosing to eat a plant-based diet!

A Note On Immunity Supplements

It can be difficult to get all of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients you need from food alone. All diets, including plant-based ones, can be improved with the addition of high-quality supplements. GenBoost will be releasing a new immunity supplement range soon – keep an eye on the blog for updates!

Featured image by Scott Warman on Unsplash