5 Benefits of Eating More Plant-based

What is a plant-based diet?

A plant-based diet focuses mainly on incorporating plant foods into your diet. These include fruit, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, legumes, plant-based oils, beans, and meat substitutes such as soy products. According to studies, people who mainly eat plant-based diets tend to have lower rates of heart disease, obesity and diabetes than those who eat diets high in animal products. Plant-based diets are high in fibre, complex carbohydrates, and water content from fruit and vegetables. A plant-based diet is healthier for your gut and has several benefits. Here are some of the top five reasons why plant-based foods are good for you:

1. It Can Keep Your Heart Healthy

Plant-based foods are often nutritious and promote a healthy heart. Heart-healthy foods typically include ingredients containing low amounts of saturated fats and are packed with fibre. Processed foods such as cheese and white bread often lack nutritional value and can be high in saturated fats and low in fibre. If you have a family history of heart disease, you are sure to benefit from eating a plant-based diet. Try to include plant-based alternatives in your daily diet like Flora Plant BUTTER™.

2. It Can Lower Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can be caused by genetics, lack of exercise, smoking, stress, thyroid disorders, obesity, and eating processed foods. Processed foods include microwave meals, fried food, bacon, sausages, cakes, savoury snacks and sugary cereals.

3. Lowers Your Diabetes Risk

Plant-based meals are generally low in fat which benefits the body by allowing insulin to function correctly. A study found that people had a 23% reduced risk of diabetes when they mostly ate a plant-based diet. Although there is no cure for patients with autoimmune diabetes, eating certain foods can make managing diabetes easier. It has been reported that replacing animal products with plant foods can reduce type 2 diabetes.

4. Plants are High in Fibre

Unprocessed plant foods are rich in fibre, as this makes up the plant’s structure. It also lowers cholesterol and stabilises your blood sugar, promoting a healthy bowel movement. Fibre-rich foods are commonly known to lower cholesterol and stabilise blood sugar. If you manage existing diabetes, the high fibre content and antioxidant-rich ingredients in plant-based diets are also healthier and beneficial.

5. Improves Your Gut Health

A plant-based diet improves the health of your gut. This makes it better for your body to absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. A healthy gut promotes a robust immune system, allowing the body to better absorb the nutrients from the food that support your immune system. It also encourages a healthy bowel movement.

There are several health benefits to incorporating plant-based foods into your diet. For more healthy living information such as learning about the difference between margarine vs butter, visit the Flora website.