What does a Plant-Based Diet mean?

Recently there has been an increase in people using a "Plant-based" diet to better their health. But what really does that mean? Are they Vegan? Vegetarian? Pescatarian? Or just a focus on plants with little meat products?

Well, technically the answer to these questions is all yes.

I know, confusing, right?

"Plant-based" is a widely used term to describe a variety of diets, but the main take away is eating mainly fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, and whole grains, with some eating dairy products and eggs.

Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

Substantial evidence indicates that a predominantly plant-based diet is associated with improved cardiovascular risk factors, reduced incidence, and progression of Coronary Heart Disease.

So what does that mean?

Basically, the plant-based diet has been researched by scientists. And it has been found to reduce heart disease when compared to those who eat a more diet high in animal meat.

This also includes diabetes and high blood pressure.

But there is more. By eating a plant-based diet, most people switch to a healthier overall diet. A healthier diet reduces the chance of disease-related costs, including insurance and medical bills.

Weight loss and the Plant-Based Diet

Along with the other health-related benefits of eating a plant-based diet, weight loss and prevention of becoming overweight or obese are two big reasons people make the switch.

With over 69% of US adults being either overweight or obese, a plant-based diet could be the answer.

Another study found that patients who were overweight or obese that switched to a plant-based diet for at least four weeks lost an average of 3.4 to 4.6 kg which is 7.5-10 lbs. And this was without restricting caloric intake.

What's With the Meat?

An increased intake in animal protein has been linked to higher death rates following heart diseases. This includes processed red meat, unprocessed red meat, dairy, poultry, and eggs.

Substituting animal protein with plant protein isn't as hard as it may seem. Peanuts and beef both have the same amount of protein in them, 26 g of protein per 100 g of food.

One study found BMI increases as the amount of animal foods in the diet increases. Those that follow a plant-based diet tend to gain less weight as they age. And those who weigh more have a higher death rate than those who aren't

How do I get started?

So you have learned the basics with all the health benefits and think you are ready to get started. Now what?

Just like when starting a new workout routine, you don't want to start off too strong. Professionals recommend making small changes slowly to your diet.

Start simply by adding more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. In fact, the majority of people, especially Americans don't get the recommended 5 servings of fruits or vegetables a day.

Once you have achieved that regularly without any issues then start substituting animal-based products with plant-based products. Again, slow and steady. Start with changing your milk to Almond milk.

Simple changes really add up.

Be sure to keep up with all of our nutrition articles, because in the next several months I will be writing even more about plant-based diets.

References

https://www-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.bigbrother.logan.edu:2443/pmc/articles/PMC5466943/pdf/jgc-14-05-369.pdf