Five Health Benefits of Going Vegan
Earlier this month marked World Vegan Day on November 1st. It was started back in 1994 by the Vegan Society to champion the global plant-based eating movement. Health Magazine interviewed Alicia Romano, a registered dietitian at Tufts Medical, to find out more about the benefits and drawbacks of a vegan diet.
1. Vegan Diets Influence You to Eat More Whole Foods
The vegan diet makes you eliminate meat and dairy, so it forces you to get imaginative with your fruits, veggies, and whole grains. Romano says, “You might be getting in a lot more color and variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains that all have their own beneficial properties.”
2. Your Saturated Fat Intake Will Go Down Dramatically
Saturated fat increases your cholesterol and is known to contribute to heart disease. It is also found primarily in animal products like meat and cheese. Just by going vegan, you are automatically reducing the amount you consume.
3. Your Risk of Chronic Diseases Decreases
Plant-based eating is very heart-healthy. Romano says, “There’s a substantial amount of research that correlates more plant-based diets with decreased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.”
4. You Will Cook More
The vegan diet requires you to pay a lot more attention to what you are eating and some nutrients you are receiving in your diet. As a result, you end up preparing more of your food, because restaurants are still catching up to the plant-based diet craze. One of the key benefits is you can cut unnecessary fat, calories, and additives out of your diet.
5. It’s Better For The Planet
Research has shown that raising meat specifically cattle is detrimental to our environment. It requires large amounts of energy, water, and land compared to the resources needed to grow plants like fruits and vegetables.
A Few Drawbacks to The Vegan Diet
By dropping meat, you are going to lose out on some essential protein and nutrients. You will have to find ways to supplement these back into your diet. Meat gives us a lot of protein, vitamin D3, vitamin B12, and calcium. If you take on a vegan diet, it is essential to focus on your micronutrient intake as you may experience some deficiencies if not monitored carefully. This is one of the reasons; we developed our GrandFusion blends so that everyone can get the vital micronutrients all from plants. Check out our store here.
The vegan diet is not perfect, but it is a great way to improve your health and help out the environment in the process.
Inspired by www.health.com
