Health Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

Health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Related research

Joint study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the UK’s Food Climate Research Network

A joint study by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the UK’s Food Climate Research Network on measures to address health problems caused by dietary habits, hunger, the climate crisis, etc., was published in 2016. The purpose of the study was to examine the adequacy of dietary guidelines in various countries around the world and propose improvements.¹

Poor dietary habits, rich in meat, sugar, and fat and low in whole grains, fruit, and vegetables, are closely linked to various kinds of noncommunicable diseases. These diseases are the leading cause of premature death. This is true in both high-income countries and developing countries. Such diets are not only unhealthy but also environmentally unsustainable. Lead author Carlos Gonzales-Fischer from FCRN says this: “Growing numbers of people now understand that diets rich in whole-grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables – with reduced consumption of meat and smaller quantities of high-fat and high-sugar foods – are good for our bodies. There is also ample evidence showing that such diets have much lower environmental impacts than the unhealthy and unsustainable eating patterns that are increasingly prevalent today.”

Poor dietary habits, rich in meat and foods that are high in sugar and fat and low in whole grains, fruits and vegetables have been closely linked to noncommunicable diseases —a leading cause of premature death, not only in high-income countries but also many parts of the developing world. These diets are typically not only unhealthy, but environmentally unsustainable. “Growing numbers of people now understand that diets rich in whole-grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables – with reduced consumption of meat and smaller quantities of high-fat and high-sugar foods – are good for our bodies. There is also ample evidence showing that such diets have much lower environmental impacts than the unhealthy and unsustainable eating patterns that are increasingly prevalent today,” explains lead author Carlos Gonzales-Fischer of FCRN.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

On MedlinePlus, a medical encyclopedia website operated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the advantages of a vegetarian diet are introduced like this:²

A well-planned vegetarian diet can meet all nutritional requirements. Reducing meat consumption can improve health. A vegetarian diet may have these benefits: lowering the risk of obesity, lowering the risk of heart disease, lowering blood pressure, and lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes.

A well-planned vegetarian diet can meet your nutrition needs. Reducing the amount of meat in your diet may improve your health. Eating a vegetarian diet may help you: Reduce your chance of obesity, reduce your risk for heart disease, lower your blood pressure, lower your risk for type 2 diabetes.

American Dietetic Association

In 2009, the American Dietetic Association published its position on the vegetarian diet, Position of the American Dietetic Association: vegetarian diets. It does, however, note that one should pay attention to intake of vitamin B12.³

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets (including total vegetarian and vegan diets) are good for health, nutritionally adequate, and effective in the prevention and improvement of various diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for all individuals throughout the entire life cycle, including pregnant women, breastfeeding children, infants, children, adolescents, and athletes.

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.

American Heart Association

The American Heart Association published an article in 2017 titled Vegetarian, Vegan and Meals Without Meat:⁴

It seems not eating meat is good for you. If you do not eat meat, you can lower your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. Best of all, you do not have to completely give up meat-eating, as in a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian diet. It’s fine to eat meat. Just eat less than you do now.

Well, it seems that leaving out the meat is good for you. In fact, it could help lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease. Best of all, a semi-vegetarian or flexitarian eating style doesn’t require you to completely give up your carnivorous ways. You can totally eat lean meat – just less of it!

A more recent article published in paper form(2019):⁵

Conclusion: Diets that increase plant-based foods and reduce meat consumption were found to be associated with lower cardiovascular disease and mortality in all groups.

Conclusions: Diets higher in plant foods and lower in animal foods were associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in a general population.

American Institute for Cancer Research

The American Institute for Cancer Research runs a “Food Facts” page that tells you which foods are good and bad for preventing cancer.⁶

All foods good for cancer prevention are vegan:

Apples, asparagus, blueberries, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, coffee, cranberries, flaxseed, garlic, grapefruit, grapes, kale, nuts, raspberries, soy, spinach, pumpkin, strawberries, tea, tomatoes, walnuts, whole grains

The following are foods that are better to reduce as much as possible:

Alcohol, processed meat (sausages, ham, bacon, hot dogs, salami), red meat (beef, pork, lamb), sugary drinks

Plant-based animal product alternatives are healthier and more environmentally sustainable than animal products

Research showing that plant-based meat alternatives are healthier than meat and also better for the environment. This is the result of selecting and analyzing 43 studies published since 2000 that went through peer review.⁷

In environmental terms:

They emit less greenhouse gas, and use less land, water, and energy.
A specific case comparing a beef burger and Beyond Meat: 98% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, 92% reduction in land area, and 97% reduction in water eutrophication.

In health terms:

Basically superior to animal products in many respects. Richer in dietary fiber and lower in fat, saturated fat, trans fat, and calories. Therefore advantageous for weight loss, muscle growth, and improving gut health.
However, some plant-based alternative foods may be high in sugar and salt, so caution is needed.
If meat consumption is reduced, more attention needs to be paid to intake of iron and protein. If vitamins and minerals are added and the protein composition is optimized, the advantages can be maximized even further.

Microbiome

The key to Microbiota-accessible carbohydrates is to eat unrefined, low-starch vegetables, mushrooms, etc. with the skin left on.⁸

Grains: unprocessed grains such as wheat, rye, and barley
Legumes, nuts: beans, pistachios, soft tofu, etc.
Fruits: fruits eaten with the skin on. apples, cherries, plums, avocados, etc.
Vegetables: vegetables with low starch content. onions, garlic, broccoli, lotus root, beets, carrots, mushrooms, etc.
Seaweed: gim, miyeok, dasima
Leafy vegetables: cabbage, chicory, kale, etc.

Various other studies

2024-06-21 - Ancient Humans Show Evidence Of Plant-Heavy Diets
- “Although human diets likely differ depending on the region and time period being studied, it’s important not to make blanket assumptions that all hunter-gatherers, from all prehistoric time periods, followed a single (meat-heavy) diet.”
Plant-based diets and long-term health
Healthful and unhealthful plant-based diets and the risk of coronary heart disease in U.S. adults
Cardiometabolic effects of omnivorous vs vegan diets in identical twins
Plant-based animal product alternatives are healthier and more environmentally sustainable than animal products

External links

sentientmedia.org/vegan-nutrition/