15 Most Important Benefits of Vegan Diet
In this article we present the 15 most important benefits of vegan diet. Although 15 points might sound to many for a single read, rest assure that we took care of it. These 15 benefits of vegan diet are written in short paragraphs that will allow you to ”consume” them in an instance.
15 Benefits of Vegan Diet
Many believe that a strict vegan diet deprives from its devotees basic nutrients. But is it? These fifteen reasons below, will make you reconsider your thinking about veganism.
1. Combat Diseases
A vegan diet reduces the risk of developing chronic conditions, such as obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes, thanks to lower intake of saturated fats. The main source of the latter are fatty meats and poultry, as well as dairy products.
2. Healthier Hearts
Vegans do not consume animal fat, making them less likely to become sick with cardiovascular disease.
The vegan diet, appears to reduce the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in African Americans, according to early research recently presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions and published in Circulation.
The researchers studied the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in volunteers who for five weeks followed a low-sodium vegan diet. All meals were given to participants at home and according to the results, those who completed the procedure experienced a nearly 20% reduction in the risk of heart attack over a decade.
3. Shields against cancer
The vegetarian diet is considered to be a shield against cancer. Specifically, it helps fight cancers such as bowel, breast, prostate, lung and esophagus.
A research that lasted 12 years and was carried out on 60,000 Britons, half of whom were vegetarians, shows that vegetarians are less likely to develop cancer than meat eaters. The research was carried out by Dr. Naomi Allen, an epidemiologist at Oxford University, along with her colleagues from the UK and New Zealand, and published on 16 June in the British Journal of Cancer.
4. Keeps You in Shape
If your goal is to be fit then you can lose weight without counting calories or amounts of carbohydrates, without counting your portions or feeling hungry.
RELATED: This Vegan Food Contains 3X More Calcium Than Milk
5. Prevents Diseases Linked With Nutrition
According to the CDC, about 76 million recorded cases of diseases a year are due to poor nutrition. Particularly vulnerable are children whose immune systems may not be developed enough to combat the side effects of intake of contaminated food and meat. Veganism can prevent diseases such as salmonella and listeriosis.
6. Increase in Life Expectancy
According to a 30-year study in Japan, the secret to longevity is a low-calorie diet rich in fiber, fruit and soy. No meat and dairy are consumed. Many studies in recent years have found that vegetarians are healthier and live longer than those who consume meat and animal derivatives.
RELATED: 10+1 Longevity Secrets from Around the World
7. Contribute to lesser environmental damage
People who follow a vegan diet have lower problems of constipation, hemorrhoids and bowel diseases, while also protecting the environment.
8. Control Toxin intake
The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 95% of insecticides found in food come from meat, fish and dairy products (source). If you become vegan you can better control the harmful toxins in your body.
9. Strengthens The Immune System
A vegan diet is rich in foods that boost the immune system, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and soy products.
10. More phytochemicals and Antioxidants
Fruits and vegetables contain phytochemicals and antioxidants, which generally have an anticancer effect.
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association), the largest organization of nutrition professionals in the U.S., states on its website: “Vegetarian diets offer various nutritional benefits, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol and animal protein as well as higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants such as vitamin C and E and phytochemicals.”
11. Prevents diseases of Nervous System
Blueberries, herbs, vegetables and spices are a rich source of antioxidants. Eating such products helps fight diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer‘s.
12. Detoxifies your body
Strict vegan diets contain less saturated fats and more fiber, which contributes to the body’s natural detoxification.
13. Reduces Allergies
Eliminate dairy, meat and eggs from your diet may reduce your allergies.
Seasonal allergies, called also allergic rhinitis, occur only at certain times of the year, especially in spring and summer. These allergies develop when the immune system overreacts to allergens, such as plant pollen, resulting in congestion, sneezing and itching.
By eliminating dairy, meat and eggs from your diet and replacing them with herbs, vegetables and fruits you can reduce or even reverse your allergies.
14. More Energy
Those who follow a strict vegan diet consume more fruits and vegetables, thus enhancing their vitality and having more energy than those who consume meat.
15. Reduces premenstrual syndrome
Reducing dairy consumption is thought to help women with premenstrual syndrome. Symptoms, as some women report, may decrease or disappear completely with a strict vegetarian diet.
Changes in estrogen concentrations in plasma are closely associated with migraine (source). Dietary estrogens are taken from eating animals such as dairy. The change in a vegan diet, particularly low in fat, high in fiber seems to reduce estrogen activity, intensity and duration of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (source).
We hope you enjoyed our article on the 15 most important benefits of vegan diet. If yes, feel free to share it with your friends and family and spread the world on veganism.
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