Plant-Based Diets

Plant-based diets are now commonly recognized for their role in maintaining overall health and for reducing risk for a large number of diseases such as heat attack, stroke, diabetes and some types of cancer. A plant-based diet is not necessarily the same as a vegetarian diet (which completely excludes red meat, poultry and fish) or a vegan diet (which additionally excludes dairy, eggs and honey). A plant-based diet may include small portions or infrequent consumption of meat and dairy--as long as the diet derives a significant majority of its calories from plant-based foods.

Benefits

Plant-based diets tend to be low in saturated fat and high in nutrients, fiber and unsaturated fat--the diet combination most often recommended for good health. High intake of saturated fat (found mostly in fatty meat, butter, dairy products and eggs) has been linked to increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Unsaturated fats, however, have been shown to provide health benefits for the heart and brain. Plants provide these "good fats" in the form of avocados, nuts, seeds, olives (including olive oil) and soybeans. To get more of these foods into your diet, replace meat-based sandwiches with sandwiches made from avocado, peanut butter, tofu, hummus (which contains sesame seed paste and olive oil), and tempeh (a meaty, fermented soybean product). You can also add avocado to salads or use it in sushi rolls. Get beyond peanut butter by tasting the variety of nut butters now on the market: cashew, walnut, almond, pecan and hemp-seed butters. Nuts and nut butter also make a quick and satisfying snack, especially when paired with a piece of fruit. Meats that contain good fats include cold water fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna.

Fiber

Plant-based diets tend to be significantly higher in fiber than meat- and dairy- heavy diets. Fiber has been associated with many health benefits. It normalizes bowel movements, reduces incidence of hemorrhoids and may reduce risk of colon cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic website. It also protects heart health by helping to lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol and by reducing inflammation. Because fiber is bulky and filling without being high in calories, it may aid weight loss, a health benefit in itself since excess weight has been linked to a number of health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes. Good sources of fiber include beans, tempeh, flax meal, whole grains, whole grain cereals, fruits and vegetables. Meat and dairy products do not provide a significant amount of fiber.

Antioxidants

A varied, plant-based diet is the best way to obtain health-protective antioxidants such as flavonoids and vitamins A, C, E. Antioxidants promote good health by improving circulation and by protecting cells from the damage of free-radicals we are exposed to daily. WebMD reports that eating whole foods that contain these nutrients may provide greater benefit than popping a vitamin pill. This appears to be due to the way foods and nutrients interact during digestion. No single nutrient appears responsible for the benefit, but a varied, plant-based diet rich in many nutrients appears to be the best approach. Choose a wide variety of darkly pigmented fruits and vegetables, such as beets, blueberries, broccoli, bell peppers, leafy greens, watermelon and pomegranate to help protect yourself against dementia, Alzheimer's, heart disease, inflammation, stroke and some types of cancer.