Every year, there are a growing number of people switching to a vegan lifestyle, and for good reason! It has been proven that veganism is more than just a fad. It has plenty of benefits to offer not just for your health, but in various aspects of your life as well. Whatever your reason may be to want to switch to a vegan diet, it is a big lifestyle change that you are about to embrace. There will be challenges along the way, but the benefits you reap will be worth it.
- A vegan diet is great for weight loss
What are the benefits of a vegan lifestyle? (Image source: SELF)
Switching to a vegan diet means that you will be consuming mostly plant-based food items. The lack of meat and other types of protein sources can lead to weight loss. While weight loss is not the primary reason why most people choose to go vegan, it is a benefit that largely comes with this type of diet. And since keeping your weight in check offers many health benefits, you’ll be glad you switched to a vegan lifestyle.
In general, vegans are slimmer and have lower body mass indexes (versus non-vegans). There are more studies that support vegans lose more weight than those who pursue a calorie-restricted diet. This weight loss comes as a result of reduced caloric intake due to your food choices. This is a more effective approach to weight loss compared to focusing solely on cutting your calorie intake.
- A vegan diet can reduce blood sugar levels
Maintaining your blood sugar level is an important step to keeping your overall health in check. The great thing about adopting a vegan diet is that it helps in lowering these levels. In particular, this type of diet is beneficial for those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. By switching to veganism, you can lower your risk for diabetes by up to 78%!
One of the benefits that you can enjoy with a reduced blood sugar level is improved kidney function. This explains why people who have diabetes can often have trouble with their kidneys. By opting for a vegan diet, you are able to prevent diabetes and can normalize your kidney function, as well.
- A vegan diet can reduce cancer risks
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most types of cancers can be prevented if you control your diet. Choosing the right food items is, therefore, a crucial step to prevent cancer.
A good example of this is that legumes can help reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by as much as 18%. There are also studies that support the fact that fresh fruits and vegetables can prevent any type of cancer by 15%. Any diet that lacks certain animal products can also reduce the risk for cancers of the colon, breast, and prostate.
Since vegans consume a lot of vegetables and legumes as part of their daily diet, this could mean that they have a lesser risk of having cancer. While there are several other lifestyle factors that can come into play, this is one aspect that you can use to your advantage. As more studies are being conducted about cancer, it is important to note that this kind of diet can guarantee a cancer-free life. Instead, it aims to look at the reduced possibility of acquiring these types of cancers.
There are many criticisms about a vegan diet resulting in a variety of nutritional deficiencies. If you want to supplement your diet, you might want to consider these vegan protein powders: https://veganliftz.com/cheapest-vegan-protein-powders/.
Top benefits you can get from becoming a vegan. (Image Source: Brit+Co)
- A vegan diet helps to lower heart disease
This is one of the most commonly known facts about switching to a vegan diet. When you eliminate meat and animal products from your meals, you can lower your risk of contracting heart diseases. Consuming plenty of vegetables, fruits, and fiber is beneficial for your overall heart health.
Food sources for a vegan diet are known to lower your risk for high blood pressure by up to 75%. On the other hand, vegans can also reduce LDL cholesterol and blood sugar levels in their system. These are factors that can contribute to lowering your risk for heart disease. Aside from eliminating meat and animal products in your diet, the consumption of whole grains and nuts are beneficial to your heart.
- A vegan diet can prevent arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition that people of all ages can suffer from. The good thing is that you can reduce pain associated with arthritis when you adapt a vegan diet. This is true for several types of arthritis. In as little as six weeks of adapting a plant-based diet, people suffering from arthritis can experience some relief from the symptoms.
Other benefits that you can get from a vegan diet include reduced swelling or improvements in motion stiffness in affected areas. Focus on consuming probiotic-rich foods if you want to alleviate the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis.
- Efficient use of natural resources
Switching to a vegan lifestyle offers benefits beyond your diet and health. The UN issued a statement in 2010 addressing the global concern regarding the impact that agriculture has on the environment. In doing so, they are encouraging people to move away from the consumption of animal products. Making a switch in your diet from animal products to a plant-based diet can have a substantial impact on the environment.
The process of breeding, raising, and feeding animals that will be later on processed for food or meat products can use up a lot of natural resources. In fact, a huge percentage of the world’s crops are dedicated to the feeding of animals raised for food production. About 60% of deforestation is for the purpose of converting land for agricultural space. From grazing cattle to poultry farms, a lot of the world’s natural resources are being used inefficiently. Promoting a vegan diet is, therefore, a great way to stop contributing to this problem and to preserve the environment.
- Promote animal welfare
For a lot of vegans, the decision to make this change is in part their way of supporting the end violence against animals. This is a moral choice for a lot of people but does not necessarily apply to all vegans. However, the need to promote animal welfare is a huge part of the vegan movement. Factory farming is a good example of how animals are being mistreated for the sake of food production. So, if you want to support the movement towards stopping animal cruelty and inhumane farming practices, switching to a vegan diet is a good option.