Benefits of a Plant Based Diet

Plant-based diets are gaining popularity. Plant based food sales were up 27% in 2020, topping $7 billion, according to the Plant Based Foods Association. Experts believe that the rise in popularity was in large part due to weight gain issues many people experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Whereas plant-based diets mainly consist of whole grains, legumes, fresh produce, nuts and seeds not everyone eschews animal products entirely. Whatever your reason for considering a predominantly plant-based diet, the benefits are numerous and go well beyond potential weight loss.

Here are 10 benefits

1. Reduced inflammation. Nutrients found in fruits and vegetables have been shown to reduce inflammation

2. Reduced arthritis pain. A 2015 study published in Arthritis demonstrated  significant drops in pain levels and improved motor function in just two weeks from adherence to a whole-foods plant-based diet

3. Reduced carbon footprint. Switching to a plant-based diet is considered the single biggest action a person can take to reduce their environmental impact

4. Lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and improved kidney function

5. Reduced risk of heart disease

6. Lower levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol

7. Reduced risk of developing cognitive impairment and dementia

8. Improved gut health caused by a healthy mix of beneficial bacteria

9. Reduced risk of certain cancers. Phytochemicals produced by plants help to protect against cellular damage

10. Improved athletic performance. A growing list of athletes have turned to a predominantly plant based diet including Lewis Hamilton (multi-winning Formula 1 champion), Venus Williams (tennis), Alex Morgan (US soccer star) and Arnold Schwarznegger (Terminator) 

Gamechangers – Excellent documentary to consider watching regarding sports performance and plant-based diet