Vegan culture has boomed in recent years, with more restaurants and cafes than ever offering vegan options on their menus, but veganism wasn’t always popular. In the past, vegans were thought to be less healthy than omnivores that consumed lots of healthy meat. That attitude changed significantly in recent decades, and the benefits of a vegan diet are now supported by science. With more people living longer nowadays, it’s important to get our diet right and reduce the chances of developing avoidable diseases. Here are some of the benefits of switching to vegan.
A Vegan Diet Is Nutrient Rich
A vegan diet is made up of whole foods, fruits, and vegetables. It doesn’t contain protein and fat, just like an omnivorous diet, but it contains much less. It also has far less processed sugar and salt. Additionally, a vegan diet has an increased value of nutrients that are beneficial for every system in the body.
Vegan diets are shown to have increased amounts of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy plant compounds, which improve the condition of the skin, hair, eyes, and inner organs. They are also richer in potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins A, C, and E. All of this contributes to more energy and a healthier body and mind.
If you want to switch to a vegan diet and get these great health and wellbeing benefits, you don’t have to do it all at once. Simply adjust your daily diet to include more vegan foods and move slowly in that direction. As you notice the benefits of your diet, you are likely to use it more often.
It Can Help You Lose Weight
Recent studies have shown that those who switch to a vegan diet are more likely to lose weight than those who stick to eating meat-protein. In general, a vegan diet contains far less protein and fat than traditional diets. Coupled with exercise, it appears to be far easier to drop excess weight and stay thin.
High protein diets might be good for repairing muscles after exercise, but they also encourage your body to store more fat and increase muscle density, which also increases your weight. Conversely, a fully vegan diet is high in carbohydrates that encourage your body to burn calories even when you aren’t exercising.
When you switch to a vegan diet for weight loss, it’s a good idea to choose vegan foods that contain more protein. Lentils, chickpeas, and soy milk are made up of extra protein and can support an exercise routine. Always remember to maintain a balanced vegan diet and avoid processed foods.
It can Lower Blood-Sugar Levels and Improve Kidney Function
Your blood-sugar level refers to the quantity of sugar in your system. It’s important because high sugar levels in the body can be detrimental to your organs and lead to type 2 diabetes. Many people on Western diets suffer from type 2 diabetes that can cause a range of symptoms, including hunger, tiredness, weight loss, and kidney disease.
Type 2 diabetes is generally caused by too much sugar in the system; over time, the high blood sugar level starts to impact your organs’ mood and health. People on Western diets have a higher chance of developing this condition because of the large amounts of processed sugar.
Switching to a vegan diet effectively eliminates your chances of developing this condition. There is a very low amount of processed sugar in vegan foods, and high fiber helps to regulate your blood sugar levels. You may not think you consume much sugar, but it’s in almost everything you buy; switching to a vegan diet is the easy answer.
It can Protect you From Cancers
Cancers come in all different forms, such as breast, prostate, and colon. They are caused by an unknown increase in cell growth that results in a tumor and can be life-threatening. It is unknown what exactly causes cancer, some people speculate about modern lifestyles, but many health professionals believe diet plays a key role.
With more people living longer and not changing their diets for many years, cancer development is increasing without a cure. Of course, there are effective treatments available, but the only real way to avoid it is prevention. You can help to prevent cancer in your body by exercising and eating healthy food. A vegan diet is one of the best things you can do.
Over the long term, a vegan diet will do your body a lot of good. A recent review of 96 studies showed that those on vegan diets were 15% less likely to die of cancer than those who ate traditional Western foods. Conversely, predominantly eating animal products results in an increased risk of several types of cancer.
It can Lower Risk of Heart Disease
Too much cholesterol in your arteries can result in a restricted flow of blood to the heart. This is known as heart disease, and it can increase your chances of strokes and heart attacks. If you eat a lot of high cholesterol food such as milk, cheese, yogurt, animal fat, and butter, you increase the chances of developing heart disease.
Switching to a vegan diet reduces this cholesterol build up over time and allows your blood to flow more easily. Coupled with exercise, you can significantly reduce your chances of developing heart disease and benefit from more energy and a longer life.
It can Reduce Pain From Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition that affects the joints. It causes stiffness, pain and restricts the movement of your joints. If you suffer from this condition, you have probably explored various solutions such as movement exercises and medication from a Simple Online Pharmacy, but did you know that diet can also play a significant role in your wellbeing?
Studies show that a wholefood vegan diet is extremely useful for treating arthritis problems. One study found that those who switched to a vegan diet reported a better range of movement, less pain, and better overall functioning. It’s thought that the diversity of nutrients and vitamins in a vegan diet support the joints.
