We are hearing the word plant-based nutrition more and more in our society. With the launch of documentaries like Game Changers, books like Forks over knives and the emergence of athletes changing their nutrition to be plant-based, one must wonder what this is all about.
Our understanding of plant-based eating may differ from one individual to another. In the world of nutrition, plant-based eating is having a large portion of one’s nutrition coming from vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, whole grains, and also include legumes or other plants. Many reasons exist for choosing plant-based nutrition, here are 3 principal reasons:
- Improve your health: Most Americans consume double the recommended daily intake of protein which can also cause issues with digestion. By reducing your intake of animal food, you will most likely reach the recommended daily intake of protein without surpassing it. In addition, increased consumption of vegetables, grains, and beans will bring more fiber into your nutrition. Most Americans don’t consume enough fiber and that can lead to inflammation of the digestive tract, constipation and hemorrhoids.
- Succeed in weight loss and weight management: In general, individuals who are on plant-based nutrition tend to consume fewer calories than other types of nutrition. That is because most of their calories are coming from healthier options and fewer calories per weight. Some studies indicate that individuals who had plant-based nutrition with reduced sodium consumption (2300-1500 mg a day) showed a reduction in blood pressure and increased weight loss.
- Prevent or manage chronic disease: Research demonstrates that individuals on plant-based nutrition can prevent or manage chronic disease. A report published by the World Health Organization recommended that a daily intake of 400 g of fruits and vegetables would contribute to preventing chronic diseases which include diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.
While thousands of research demonstrate the health benefit of consuming vegetables as a way to prevent illness, many of us still refuse to change our nutritional habits to increase our quality of life and health. Many people believe that exercise, medication, and supplements are sufficient to maintain health. Meanwhile, experts in the field of health and wellness say that weight management is 75–80% nutrition and 20–25% exercise. The best approach remains balanced nutrition with a lot of variety and refraining from overindulging.