7 advantages of eliminating meat from your diet
Weight loss, increased energy, less water wastage, reduced risk of heart disease, decreased number of pills to take and a guilt-free conscience are some of the many reasons to cut animal products from your diet.
People decide to choose plant-based diets for many different reasons. Whether it’s to boycott the cruelty of animals, aiding the well-being of the planet by consuming less water or reducing the risk of cancers and diseases, millions of people are cutting meat from their diets.
Studies have shown that the growing movement to vegetarianism and veganism is more than a trend, but rather a movement of mindset.
Michelle McMacken, MD, is a board-certified internal medicine physician and an assistant professor of medicine at NYU School of Medicine. She gave the following seven reasons why millions are making the transition from animal-based diets to plant-based.
1. You will reduce inflammation in your body
If you are eating meat, cheese and highly processed foods, chances are you have elevated levels of inflammation in your body. While short-term inflammation (after an injury) is normal and necessary, inflammation that lasts for months or years is not. Chronic inflammation has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, among other conditions.
In contrast, plant-based diets are naturally anti-inflammatory, because they are high in fiber, antioxidants and other phytonutrients and much lower in inflammatory triggers like saturated fat and endotoxins (toxins released from bacteria commonly found in animal foods).
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2. Your blood cholesterol levels will plummet
Elevated blood cholesterol is a key risk factor for heart disease and strokes. Saturated fat — primarily found in meat, poultry, cheese, and other animal products — is a major driver of our blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol in our food also plays a role.
Studies consistently show that when people go plant based, their blood cholesterol levels drop by up to 35 per cent . In many cases, the decrease is equal to that seen with drug therapy—with many positive side effects!
3. You will give your microbiome a makeover
The trillions of microorganisms living in our bodies are collectively called the microbiome. Increasingly, these microorganisms are recognised as crucial to our overall health: not only do they help us digest our food, but they produce critical nutrients, train our immune systems, turn genes on and off, keep our gut tissue healthy, and help protect us from cancer. Studies have also shown they play a role in obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease.
Read also: 10 easy low carb veggie snacks
Plant foods help shape a healthy intestinal microbiome. The fiber in plant foods promotes the growth of ‘friendly’ bacteria in our guts. On the other hand, fiber-poor diets (such as those that are high in dairy, eggs, and meat) can foster the growth of disease-promoting bacteria.
4. You will change how your genes work
Scientists have made the remarkable discovery that environmental and lifestyle factors can turn genes on and off. For example, the antioxidants and other nutrients we eat in whole plant foods can change gene expression to optimise how our cells repair damaged DNA.
Research has also shown that lifestyle changes, including a plant-based diet, can decrease the expression of cancer genes in men with low-risk prostate cancer.
Watch this:Â Indulge in 9 simple vegan dinnersÂ
5. You will dramatically reduce your chances of getting type 2 diabetes
Animal protein, especially red and processed meat, has been shown in study after study to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Why though? Several reasons: animal fat, animal-based (heme) iron, and nitrate preservatives in meat have been found to damage pancreatic cells, worsen inflammation, cause weight gain, and impair the way our insulin functions.
Mmmm: Spoil yourself with a dairy-free chocolate cake
You will dramatically lessen your chances of getting type 2 diabetes by leaving animal products off of your plate and eating a diet based in whole plant foods. This is especially true if you eat whole grains, which are highly protective against type 2 diabetes. You read that right: carbs actually protect you from diabetes! Also, a plant-based diet can improve or even reverse your diabetes if you’ve already been diagnosed.
6. You will get the right amount—and the right type—of protein.
The average omnivore in the US gets more than 1.5 times the optimal amount of protein, most of it from animal sources.
Contrary to popular perception, this excess protein does not make us stronger or leaner. Excess protein is stored as fat or turned into waste, and animal protein is a major cause of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, and cancer.
On the other hand, the protein found in whole plant foods protects us from many chronic diseases. There is no need to track protein intake or use protein supplements with plant-based diets; if you are meeting your daily calorie needs, you will get plenty of protein.
More deliciousness: Prepare seven dairy-free desserts
7. You will make a huge impact on the health of our planet and its inhabitants
Animal agriculture is extremely destructive to the planet. It is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and is a leading cause of land and water use, deforestation, wildlife destruction, and species extinction.
Our oceans are rapidly becoming depleted of fish; by some estimates, oceans may be fishless by 2048. The current food system, based on meat and dairy production, also contributes to world hunger—the majority of crops grown worldwide go toward feeding livestock, not feeding people.
Most importantly: What you need to know before becoming a veganÂ
Equally important, animals raised for food are sentient beings who suffer, whether raised in industrial factory farms or in farms labeled ‘humane’. Eating a plant-based diet helps us lead a more compassionate life. After all, being healthy is not just about the food we eat; it’s also about our consciousness—our awareness of how our choices affect the planet and all of those with whom we share it.
Information sourced from The Vegan Society and Happy Cow.Â
Check out these delicious veggie burger variations that can easily be made at home:
https://www.facebook.com/tastyvegetarian/videos/1956346337960580/
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