Plant-based diets: What are the benefits?
Plant-based diets are often significantly lower in the things we are told to avoid by healthy eating guidelines – such as saturated, trans- and total fats.
Plant-based diets are also devoid of dietary cholesterol, which is only found in animal products. They also tend to be higher in dietary fibre, magnesium, potassium, iron, vitamins C and E, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, carotenoids, flavonoids, and other beneficial phytochemicals.
These characteristics may explain the many health benefits associated with a plant-based diet, which include:
Lower cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels
Reversal or prevention of heart disease
Longer life expectancy
Healthier weight (regardless of how active you are)
Lower risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes
Improved symptoms of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis
Fewer medications
Lower foods costs; and
Less damage to the environment, which means better health for those living in that environment (i.e. all of us!)