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Your Registered Dietitian Nutritionist & Nutritionist Team

hey! We're Ashley & Katie

7 Incredible Health Benefits of Eating Plant-Based

Did you know that once you start eating plant-based there are so many potential benefits for both your physical and mental health? A plant-based diet can be beneficial for your heart, your blood, your energy and your metabolism. So, if you are still looking for a reason to eat those plants, look no further!

Mindful eating

The first overall benefit of reflecting and subsequently changing your diet is introducing more mindfulness into your life. Many people around the globe never think about the way they eat – let alone change it – so the fact that you’re here is already a huge step! Mindful eating, such as learning to listen to your body and the food that goes into it, can have a positive impact on your mental health because good food nourished not only the body, but also the soul.

However, the mental benefits of plant-based eating are a little harder to track than physical ones. So, let’s get physical, shall we? When I went plant-based, I’ve experienced these major changes in my health, that have been a life-long struggle for me in the past:

Better bowel-movements
- Thank you, fiber! As you can read here, the toilet has not been my favorite place for quite some time. So, emptying my bowels more regularly and with ease has probably been my most favorite change when becoming plant-based.
Increased energy
- An increase in energy can have multiple reasons. It might be due to eating nutrient-richer foods that are lower in calorie-density. It might have been my increased fiber intake and clearing my bowels more regularly. Either way, I am not complaining!
Improved recovery
- A reason for this might be a lower intake of inflammatory foods and a higher intake of anti-inflammatory plants. Read more below on why that is the case for a plant-based diet.

Physical benefits

If we look at the research out there, the changes I’ve experienced are common improvements for people on a vegan diet experience. However, there are many more benefits when going plant-based. Please note, however, that while all of these that are mentioned below are evidence-based and scientifically proven benefits, this does not mean that they are true for every single individual – but for a greater majority.

1. Reduced risk of heart disease

Studies have shown that patients with diagnosed heart disease on a plant-based diet experienced some level of improvement for their condition. This can be linked to certain qualities of plant foods, such as a low quantity of saturated fats, high fiber content as well as high-quality unsaturated fats. Research has shown that a plant-based diet could even reverse some of the symptoms of heart disease.

2. Reduced risk of certain cancers

A plant-based diet has been linked to a lower risk of certain cancers, such as breast cancer. In the continent of Asia, women are eating a high level of soy products compared to other continents. Soybeans contain a high source of plant-based estrogen, and evidence has shown that a soy-rich diet, especially during childhood and teen years, might be the reason for this.

Most vegans consume a higher amount of fiber than those on an omnivore diet. A high level of fiber has been linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer, because fiber allows for our digested food to proceed through our intestines in an adequate amount of time, leaving less contact time for potentially harmful bacteria.

3. Reduced inflammation

Scientific evidence suggests that plant-based eaters show a lower risk of inflammation. Reasons for this might be both a higher intake of so-called phytochemicals that only exist in plants as well as not eating animal products. Certain phytochemicals contain anti-inflammatory substances – animal products, on the other hand, can themselves encourage inflammation in the body.

4. Reduced incidence of high blood pressure

When looking at both exercise and diet for heart health, a plant-based diet might even be more effective in combating high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, compared to exercise. Not only does there seem to be a link between the consumption of animal products and blood pressure as well as heart disease, but a plant-based diet containing healthy fats and is low in saturated fat and salt seems to be beneficial for reducing high blood pressure.

5. Reduced incidence of high cholesterol

Cholesterol is a substance found in animal products. As we are human animals, our body also produces cholesterol, and it is a substance that our body needs. On a plant-based diet, we consume zero to little amounts of dietary cholesterol, which can be the reason for higher levels of blood cholesterol. Additionally, a high fiber intake can also benefit lower cholesterol levels.

Please note, however, that high cholesterol levels can also be linked to your genetics, without being affected by your eating habits.

6. Reduced incidence of type 2 diabetes

Research suggests that a plant-based diet can more than half the risk of getting type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is a metabolic condition, often linked to other diseases such as heart disease or high cholesterol. By reducing these risks, you might also lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes. The benefits of a plant-based diet for people with diabetes are consuming foods that have a low GI, eating more whole grains as well as higher fiber consumption, which helps reduce spikes in blood sugar, and no to little animal products.

7. Increased quality of life

The good news is that research suggests that a plant-based diet can not only help prevent the previously mentioned conditions, but it might also be able to reverse some of the symptoms and therefore grant you a higher quality of life. Knowing that some conditions are reversible, it is never too late to change and improve your health and start your plant-based journey. Because, contrary to some popular opinions, plants have so many great qualities for your health.

In terms of diet, most of these benefits are linked to eating more plants and less to no animal products. However, other factors such as a more active lifestyle are important to factor in, too. Because those that change their diet, usually change their lifestyle in a way, too. On the other side, genetics factor into all of this, too. You might have a genetically high level of cholesterol and this doesn’t mean that you “failed” or are living an unhealthy lifestyle.