Vegan Diet: What Advantages Does It Offer For Your Health?

A vegan diet calls for an eating plan in which an individual says no to animal-based products. It means acquiring the whole body’s nutrition from plant products such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. 

Read more: Exploring the Vegetarian World: Why Do People Choose It? 

There is a misperception around the world that only meat can satisfy the nutritional requirements of our bodies. Thus, many people conclude that a vegan diet lacks nutritive agents essential for the body’s and mind’s proper functioning. 

Is it true? 

Give this article a read to find out whether a plant-based diet has some health benefits or not. 

1. A Vegan Diet Improves Heart Health

Cardiovascular disease is outweighing other diseases in terms of mortality rate these days. A recent study in the USA reveals that around 50% of adults suffer from heart disease. Thus, people are looking for ways to save their lives from these deadly diseases. 

Is the vegan diet one of them? 

Research shows that red meat triples the risk of heart disease compared to people fed on plant-based diets and white meat. Moreover, a vegan diet includes fewer calories and saturated fat, thus lowering cholesterol and LDL levels in the body. Lower LDL levels indicate a lower risk of artery blockage. Thus, there is less chance of strokes and heart attacks due to hyperlipidemia. 

Moreover, a vegan diet is rich in foods that play roles in strengthening the heart. Also, the polyphenols present in plant products lower inflammation, which leads to heart disease. Natural and low-processed food becomes a source of minerals like calcium, potassium, and magnesium and lowers sodium levels, thus regulating blood pressure. 

2. A Vegan Diet Lowers Blood Sugar Levels

Studies reveal that a vegetarian diet also accounts for lower blood sugar levels, so it plays a role in treating those suffering from diabetes type 2 and those who are at risk. Well, to see what a plant-based diet is capable of, let’s have a look at the causes: 

• Low Glycemic Index Foods: a plant-based diet has a lower glycemic index. How is it beneficial? Foods with a low glycemic index cause a slower but gradual rise in blood sugar levels. Thus, it promotes better glucose control. 
• High-fiber foods: vegan diets contain vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds that are rich in fiber. It allows slow absorption and digestion of carbohydrates, which leads to controlled glucose release in the bloodstream. 
• Reduced Refined Carbohydrates: Vegan diets do not contain foods like white bread, white rice, and sugary snacks that are rich in carbohydrates. 
• Healthier Fats: Healthy fats from avocados, nuts, and seeds increase insulin sensitivity, which means a more refined use of insulin to control blood glucose. 
• Increased Antioxidants: antioxidants reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which account for increased glucose resistance in the body. 
• Healthy Gut Microbiome: A healthy gut microbiome means more glucose digestion and absorption at a controlled rate. 

3. Vegan Diet And Weight Management   

Obesity is the mother of all diseases, and this sentence reveals all the reasons why being overweight is a bad omen for life. Being overweight means you are more prone to heart attacks, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, strokes, etc. 

Many people believe that a vegan diet helps with weight management and removing excess fat from their bodies (weight loss). 

No, how does it do so? Let’s find out: 

• Lower Caloric content: A vegan diet, originating from fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains, has a lower caloric density and a higher fiber and water content. The fiber and water portions in the Plany Diet help you feel full even with a small amount of food. 
• High Fibre Intake: Fibre content in plant diets slows digestion and absorption rates, thus managing hunger more effectively. 
• Reduced Intake of Saturated Fats: Saturated fats from meat and dairy are rich in calories and thus contribute to weight gain. 
• Lower in Added Sugars and Processed Foods: A vegan diet that promotes unprocessed food limits the intake of added sugar and refined carbohydrates, allowing effective weight management. 

4. Vegan Diet And Cancer Prevention   

Cancer prevalence is increasing around the globe, with unknown causes of occurrence. According to the American Cancer Society, around 1.9 million cases of cancer were diagnosed in the USA. Whether it is breast cancer or prostate cancer, the healing rate and mortality rate vary for every person. Thus, instead of treatment, one must look out for prevention from cancer. 

You may be amazed, but the choices you make while grocery shopping have a huge impact on cancer incidence. A plant-based diet lowers cancer incidence because of the beneficial ingredients present in it. 

A vegan diet is rich in antioxidants; these radical scavengers fight free radicals that contribute to cell damage and cancer development. Along with that, fiber-rich foods also help in the removal of toxins from the body. Phytochemicals, one of the major constituents of plants, have anti-cancer properties and thus protect from cancer-related cell damage and inflammation. 

Animal feed during agriculture also determines the onset of cancer in individuals who feed upon it. Vegan people protect themselves from exposure to these harmful hormones and antibiotics in animal feed. As a result, lower risk in plant-based diets is reported. 

5. Vegan Diet And Reducing Kidney Stones   

Kidney stones, if left untreated, have the potential to damage the whole kidney, leading to kidney failure. After kidney failure, people tend to undergo dialysis and kidney replacement procedures to save their lives. 

Isn’t it more beneficial to protect what you have rather than replace it due to damage later on? 

Vegan diets account for kidney protection and possible stone formation. Here are the following reasons that contribute to kindness protection: 

• Increased Fluid Intake: Fruits and vegetables are rich in water content. Increased hydration means dilute urine and decrease mineral concentration in the body. Higher mineral concentrations have the potential to cause kidney stones. 
• Lower Animal Protein Intake: animal source protein has been associated with uric acid and calcium oxalates stones in the kidney. Thus, by avoiding them, your chance of survival increases. 
• Lower Oxalate Intake: Oxalates are the main source of calcium oxalate stone formation in the kidney. A vegan diet, if properly planned, will account for less oxalate content in our diet. 
• Reduced Sodium Intake: Higher sodium intake may increase calcium excretion, which may contribute to stone formation. A well-planned vegan diet rules out the phenomenon of higher salt intake. 
• Alkalinizing Effect: Most plant constituents have an alkalizing effect on BD. Alkaline environments help prevent certain cancers, like uric acid cancer. 

Conclusion   

Though a vegetarian diet has many healthful impacts on our bodies, it still depends on your choice of food. If your calorie intake is high with more carbs on your plate, you are still at risk of many diseases. Thus, you should be mindful of what you eat and its quantity to ensure all the good benefits of a vegetarian diet. 

Read more: Benefits of the Ketogenic Diet: Why Is It Good For You?