Considering switching to a plant-based diet?

Everyone has their own reasons and motivations for adopting a plant-based diet. From personal health to animal rights to environmental concerns, everyone’s journey is personal.

We aren’t here to preach, but the science and data shows us switching to a plant-based diet is one of the most powerful steps you can take towards improving your health. From boosting energy levels, to preventing chronic diseases to helping the environment, a plant-based diet has a multitude of benefits worth exploring!

Confused and puzzled where to start? We got you-you’re in the right place. We’ve got the tools, insight, and expertise to help but firstly, let’s explore a few benefits of a plant-based diet:

1. Lower your blood pressure & improve heart health

A plant-based diet has been proven to reduce the chances of adverse cardiac health through the lowering of blood pressure. Hypertension, (high blood pressure) can increase the risk of health issues, including heart disease & strokes. Several studies have shown that a plant-based diet can reduce blood pressure, consequently reducing your risk for chronic conditions. A meta-analysis published in April 2014 in JAMA Internal Medicine explored data from 39 studies and concluded that people who followed a vegetarian diet had lower blood pressure on average than those who followed omnivorous diets, meaning those including plants and meat. (1) And another study published in November 2016 in the Journal of Hypertension found that vegetarians had a 34 percent lower risk of developing hypertension than non vegetarians.

2. Reduced risk of certain cancers

Plants create an abundance of phytochemical. These powerhouse cells repair and protect the cell walls from structural damage as well as having anti-inflammatory properties. A number of long-term studies have proven that eating whole plant foods, as opposed to processed foods, may contribute to the prevention of up to a third of all cancer cases (3). Most-studied have been plant-based diets’ capacity to help protect against breast, colorectal, gastrointestinal, and prostate cancers.

3. Plants keeps You Young

Now we can’t promise the fountain of youth, but a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as well as low in sugar, salt, and processed meats may just keep the signs of ageing at bay! According to a 2018 study of women in the American Journal of Epidemiology, a plant-rich diet promoted cellular renewal and damage prevention (5). These benefits are also important for avoiding chronic health conditions that become more common as we age.

4. Protect Your Brain with plant-based diet

A meta-analysis in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (6) found a 20 percent reduction in the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in those practicing a lifestyle rich in fruit and vegetable consumption. 

Researchers say this is likely due to the antioxidants in plants that clean up cellular waste (a.k.a. free radicals) and protect cells from excessive damage.

5. Bonus Benefit! Protect the environment

Finally, you’re not only being kind to your body, but you’re also being kind to the planet too. Research published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (7) states that it takes a whopping 11 times more fossil energy and 100 times more water to produce animal protein than it does plant protein.