Have you ever heard of Plant Based Diets? Since few years ago we have been overwhelmed with different kind of lose weight diets that are not proven to be healthy at all. I´m sure you all heard about it, paleo, keto, fasting and I could go on with a few more. Now we are talking about a revolutionary but not new way of losing weight called Plant Based Diets. Let´s talk about the benefits of this mainstream Diet and How to lose weight with it.
To begin with, Plant Based means a diet that focus on, as it names says, getting most of you food from plants. It does not mean that you must turn vegetarian, vegan or that you need to eat salad every single day, but that you main food income comes not only from plants but also from fruits, nuts, beans, seeds and legumes. This means your main source of food and protein comes from plants.
Research has shown that Plant based diets are proven to be healthier as after a few studies and trials it was shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. The Plant Based Diets are also helpful in cases of depression and they improve mental health and physical function. Other well-known consequences of carrying a plant-based diet are lowering the risk of developing coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Plant based diets are also link to longevity and healthy weight loss.
A well-carried plant based diet would be rich mainly in vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and they can also be high in fiber and phytonutrients (a natural compound found in vegetables and fruits). This is a non excluding diet that can get you all the nutrients that you need just from plants.
It is thought that our instinct to eat plant based comes from our ancestors: the herbivorous. Four legged animals whose main food income was from plants. This diet mutated between different species of animals to carnivorous. Evidence shows that some herbivorous animals would eat meat as well if the environment provide it but their mainly diets would be plant based. And this is one of the concepts of nowadays plant based diets: include larger amount of plant based food in your diet while considerably reducing the amount of animal source food. This will be healthier for your body and for the environment as well.
Absolutely. By changing your regular diet to a Plant based one you might be able to experience its weight lose benefits. Just keep in mind that one of the main reasons why plant based diets have gone mainstream this past years is because it is not a diet-thought way of eating but a change to the approach of eating itself. Counting calories? Forget about it, lose weight with a plant based diet has nothing to do with it. It is a radical change to the concept of eating. Plant based diet is just not good for your health but it is also relevant for the environment and animal friendly.
Maya Feller, a recognized NY based dietitian says:
“Whether you are an animal lover, an environmental advocate, or want to live your healthiest life, being plant based is the one underlying thread that seems to be compelling so many of us”
Maya Feller
Vegetarian diet: you might eat dairy and eggs along with this diet.
Find some ideas here: Know the Best Recipes for Vegan Food and its Multiple Benefits
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Everyone can enjoy the benefits of a plant based diet that goes further than just weight loss and this ones below are the most common ones:
Cholesterol is fat that will eventually cloth your veins and would potentially increase your risks of having a heart attack, a stroke or a heart disease. Animal products are full of “bad” fat and changing to a plant base diet will lower this kind of cholesterol called LDL between to per cent.
Hypertension or high blood pressure is the main cause of heart diseases and strokes. Keeping a clean plant base diet can reduce your blood pressure. Studies showed that people who were keeping a vegetarian o plant base diet had lower pressure than those ones who would eat meat or animal products.
You can have less risk of developing type 2 of diabetes by having a plant based diet because plants have less saturated fat than animal products. Studies have shown that the percentage of people suffering from diabetes type 2 among vegans in only 2%. That´s relevant!
Animal products contains a lot of saturated fat again which is known to affect the human heart. By following a plant based diet you are less likely to develop heart disease by 16 per cent.
A diet rich in vegetables and fruit might be the key to prevent cancer. You can get all the protective nutrients for your body from a plant based diet.
Not only you would be getting all the nutrients that you need but also you will be avoiding all the fat that makes you gain weight by following a plant based diet.
In general, Plant Based Diets are a healthy way of taking care of your body by avoiding all the super processed food and fat presented in animal products. You can prevent chronic diseases, boost and raise up your energy levels (as vegetables have lots of minerals) then improve your overall health. Many athletes have reported bigger fitness outcomes and faster recovery after training while going through a plant based diet. And there is no need to say, just kidding there is: a plant based diet places much less stress on the environment, you can reduce your environmental footprint by going plant based.
Losing weight by keeping a Plant Based diet is an excellent way of doing it by not restricting the amount of food that you ingest daily. Plant based diets reduce the consumption of added sugar, oils and processed foods which are known for causing obesity and eating disorders (sugar addiction for example). This diet leaves out then most of the causes of overweight and get in only all the nutrients that you need for your everyday life. Everything that you eat while having a plant base diet is nutrients and a maximization of its intake and drop off all the foods that have poor health outcomes.
If your main goal by switching your diet to plant based is to lose weight you need to make sure that you replace all the proteins and nutrients properly, so you keep healthy. Always refer to a nutritionist or doctor to have a full check before changing anything and exercise regularly. You can start by replacing one product at the time. For example on your first week you could change all your dairy products with either soy, almond, rice or hemp alternatives. You can also add coconut based product like coconut yogurt or coconut milk to cream your coffee.
The following week you could start replacing proteins like meat, chicken and fish with plant based alternatives like beans and legumes. This days is really easy to find this alternatives in any market. You can find fishless fillets, non-chicken nuggets and plant based burgers. Plant proteins will become your best friends, so make sure you have a nice stock of beans, nuts and seeds. You will also find tofu, tempeh and seitan a good companion.
You can check our article Plant-based Food. What are its benefits and what recipes can I cook? To get some ideas for a kickstart. Starting to change your regular habits might seem a challenge but I can assure you once you have started changing your ingredients, you will love Plant Based Diets.
Many athletes have gone plant based and they are the perfect example that a plant based diet plus a good amount of exercise a week can lead to great results.
And remember, the key to lose weight is having a healthy mindful life, plant based diets are balanced not only on the little amount of rubbish food that you will eat but also with the environment. Be conscious with your body and with the environment around it.
You may be interested at: Plant Based Athletes: All you need to know for a healthy workout
