Honestly, you’ve probably been hearing it everywhere by now. Plants are in – and not just for the aesthetic of your apartment. Plant-based diets are becoming more and more popular every day because of the profound impact they can have on your gut, and not to mention, research is showing that plant-based diets are extremely favorable to a sustainable and healthy environment. Need I say more??
A plant-based diet is not a diet, let’s clear that up first. The term ‘diet’ is simply used to describe your general eating habits. By no means does eating whole, nutritious foods need to be restrictive or troublesome. If you eat in a plant-based style for 3 out of the 7 days of the week, that’s great – you’ll still feel a difference and be doing good things for the environment. If you’ve considered starting to eat plant-based and are not aware of all that is has to offer, I’ve got the most important news you should know before you start!
The Health Benefits
Healthier Heart: This might not be the first reason you think of when you’re considering going plant-based, but it should be! A plant-based eating style consists mainly of diverse, whole foods that are filled with different nutrients that your body needs. These nutrients will help reduce inflammation in your body and promote better cardiovascular health. If you decide to eat plant-based 70% of the time, take a second to notice how you feel when you go for a run or do a HIIT workout. You might notice that you have more energy than usual or that you’re not running out of breath as easily.
Weight Loss: There is much more to this lifestyle than weight-loss, but if it’s one of your goals you might as well do good things for your body and the environment! Nutritionists and dieticians have linked plant-based eating to weight loss because of the vast amount of vegetables that are consumed! Vegetables are calorie dense foods, so you should feel full more quickly as opposed to relying on large amount of carbs or proteins. If you’re looking for a healthy way to shed some fat, plant-based eating is a very simple and friendly way to begin!
Clearer Skin: This goes along with the reasons behind my previous points, but your skin will love you for feeding it the colors of the rainbow! Putting healthy foods into your gut will not only improve how you feel, but also how you look. Have you ever heard the saying you glow from the inside out? Plant-based eating definitely aligns with this! Through taking care of the inside of your body and fueling it with nutritious foods, you’re taking great care of your skin, hair, and nails.
The Environmental Benefits
Less Energy Usage: Until I began learning more about plant-based lifestyles, I never knew how large of impact the animal-product industry had on the environment. Producing animal products releases greenhouse gases and drastically lessens global water supply. With the global population continuing to rise, the threats that animal-product production poses are extremely threatening to the wellbeing of humans, animals, and the entirety of the environment. If people began eating a plant-based diet, greenhouse gas emission levels would drop and water supply would be preserved to a considerable extent.
Less Water Usage: Meat-production makes a significant dent in the global water supply. With the shocking level of water scarcity and the increasing global population count, transitioning to a plant-based diet would make a considerable impact on this issue. Not only is the water being excessively used, but animal products also taint water quality as a result of chemical emissions from animal manure.
Tips to Start Eating a Plant-Based Diet
Have veggies at breakfast: This might sound unappetizing in the morning, but it can be as easy as adding some spinach to your smoothie or peppers to your scrambled eggs. This will make you more motivated to eat
Have a vegetarian dinner once a week: This makes the transition to plant-based eating much less of a shock to your body. Slowly try to collect some vegetarian meals/recipes that you like and sprinkle them throughout your week! Making the decision to eat plant-based should not be restrictive or overwhelming. Find what works for you!
Fruits = Dessert: You’ll be surprised at how well fruit can curb your sweet tooth! This is such an easy way to not only eat plant-based, but eat better in general. Your body won’t experience the intense sugar crash like it would after eating a whole row of oreos.
Many nutritionists claim that plant-based eating is the future of healthy eating. With more knowledge and research released to the public, it’s likely that people will make the transition to this holistic and nutritious lifestyle. It’s important that we look to multiple aspects of our lives to not only questions how we can make ourselves better, but how we can make the world we live in better as well.