Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people become aware of their impact – and of the impact other kinds of diets have - on our planet.
Here at P-Nuff we are big fans of plant-based diets but understand that some people might not understand what is meant by that. The term ‘plant-based diet’ actually covers a whole spectrum of diets, ranging from completely vegan to flexitarian (where you just try to cut down on your meat intake).
To help you decide on how to go about adopting a plant-based diet we’re going to highlight some of the physical and environmental benefits. We are not saying that you will automatically be suddenly appearing on the best betting sites because of your physical transformation – but we do think these benefits are worth thinking about.
You May Lose Some Weight
Even though this reason should not be the only reason for changing your diet to more of a plant-based one, it is true that plant eaters tend to weigh less. The risk of obesity definitely decreases when you eat more plants than meat and that obviously has a knock-on effect on your health.
A reason for this is that grains and vegetables tend to take longer to digest – and fruits contain antioxidants and fiber. It should be noted that you still have to eat the right kinds of plants and vegetables for a healthier lifestyle. But by swapping out some of the meat in your diet, you do stand a chance of losing excess weight.
Environmental Impact
The huge surge in support for the battle against climate change in the last few years shows how people are treating – and thinking about – the planet these days. The young, especially, understand that how we look after where we live will have an impact for generations to come – and that we don’t have much time to stop any further irreversible harm.
There are many things we can do to help the environment but switching to a plant-based diet may be the most important in limiting our personal impact. The production of meat and milk from farming has much more of an impact than for their plant-based alternatives. If you are searching for what you can do to save the planet, changing what you consume could be a very good start.
Increased Athletic Performance
We joked before that switching to a plant-based diet would not automatically turn you into a sporting superstar. But there are increasing numbers of elite athletes that follow vegan diets and health reasons are a major factor. Lewis Hamilton and Venus Williams are both vegans – and Tom Brady counts himself as a flexitarian.
Plant-based diets are very good for the heart and the anti-inflammatory and immune support that plants provide are obviously very important for athletes. It just goes to show that sporting superstars do not necessarily need mountains of meat to provide the protein needed to power them to victory.
May Decrease the Risk of Some Cancers
A series of studies have shown that a diet rich in vegetables, grains, seeds and fruit is an excellent way of sourcing cancer-protective nutrients. There are ongoing studies into the relationship between plant-based diets and cancers, but the health advantages here seem obvious.
If you are adopting more of a plant-based diet it is likely that you will be avoiding more processed foods that have been shown to have a direct link to some cancers. There is obviously no guarantees made, but a plant-based diet is healthier.
Adopt a Plant-Based Diet
As you can see, there are plenty of advantages to eating more plant-based foods. It doesn’t mean that you have to give up everything if you don’t want to. But it does look like it could be a great start in becoming a better you.
