There is so much hype these days about plant based / vegetarian / vegan foods these days, but what is the fuss really all about? Surely it’s just another trend that will phase out within the next year or so? Looking closely at the statistics the rise in health food bars, restaurants and cafes are increasing steadily. Words such as super foods, ayurvedic and paleo have popped up left, right and center. What is happening? Are plant based foods really the turning point to better health and positive impact on the environment?

Let’s have a look at the top 4 benefits of consuming wholesome plant based foods and the various impacts that it has on our daily lives.

1. Increase in energy

Plant based foods includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. Fruits contain natural sugars that give you energy throughout the day without giving you a spike like processed sugar can. Keep some fresh in your kitchen or work desk so that whenever you’re feeling peckish, you can easily grab a healthy snack.

Vegetables that contain complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, broccoli, asparagus and spinach will give you longer lasting energy also. When consuming grains opt for foods such as brown rice, buckwheat, oats and quinoa. If you’ve never heard of quinoa, you are missing out! Quinoa is a gluten-free complete protein, containing all of the 9 essential amino acids. This makes it one of the most popular super foods around. One cup of quinoa contains 8g of protein, 5g of fiber, 15% DV (daily value) iron, 30% DV magnesium, 19% DV folate and omega 3 fatty acids.

2. Improvements on health

We believe that our health is our wealth. A diet made up of plant based foods, especially on wholesome foods, will dramatically improve your health in the long term.  

A wholesome plant based diet may prevent or reverse chronic illnesses such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes and obesity. As our bodies are one big ecosystem in itself, when one system improves, so do the others.

Numerous studies have linked high consumption of red and processed meats with greater risk for colorectal cancer, or bowel cancer, with associations being so strong that they have influenced public health recommendations.

3. Environmental benefits

Did you know that raising animals for food produces more greenhouse gas emissions than all of the cars, planes, and other forms of transportation combined? It takes 13 times as much fossil fuel and 15 times the amount of water to produce animal protein versus one pound of soy protein.

Climate change is predominantly caused by carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions, in addition to water vapor, and raising animals for food is one of the most significant sources of these emissions. A 2013 Loma Linda University study found that vegans have a greenhouse-gas footprint that is 41.7 percent smaller than meat-eaters’ footprint and 13.9 percent smaller than vegetarians’ footprint.

With these alarming statistics if we were to continue with a meat-eating diet, there will be no future for the environment that we co-habitate.

4. Encourage compassion & reduce cruelty

By consuming plant based foods, you are taking a stance on preserving animal life and setting an example by only placing cruelty-free foods on your plate.

The benefits of eating a wholesome plant based meal not only provides a positive impact to your health but to other facets of life holistically. We encourage you to do your own research, you will be amazed and intrigued by what you discover. Through various experimentation you will discover which diet and lifestyle is best for you.

References

• Vegetarian Times,. “Nutrition IQ: Foods To Boost Energy”. N.p., 2016. Web. 25 Feb. 2016.
• Ancient Harvest,. “What Is Quinoa? | Organic Plant-Based Protein | Ancient Harvest”. N.p., 2015. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
• Michael Greger, M.D. “Which Dietary Factors Affect Breast Cancer Most? | Nutritionfacts.Org”. Nutritionfacts.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
• Bouvard, Véronique et al. “Carcinogenicity Of Consumption Of Red And Processed Meat”.The Lancet Oncology 16.16 (2015): 1599-1600. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
• ChooseVeg.com,. “Get Ready To Save The World”. N.p., 2016. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
• PETA,. “Fight Climate Change By Going Vegan”. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.