Scientific Facts Behind Eating A Vegan Diet

We all know about the environmental benefits of eating vegan. From reducing your carbon footprint to cutting back on methane emissions and countering deforestation, the environmental benefits of a vegan diet are becoming more and more apparent. 

But. Do you want to hear the good news? That’s only the start of it. When it comes to your health, there is so much that a vegan diet can give you. It’s extraordinary what healthy vegan food can do. 

Whether you’re interested in weight loss, heart health, or managing your mood, there is so much that may be gained from keeping a plant-based diet. So. Here are a few of the main potential health benefits of eating vegan. 

Vegan diets may aid in weight loss

Vegan diets have been proven to aid in weight loss. And with obesity posing a real threat to American health, a vegan diet could potentially be the answer. 

So how does it work? Well, the short answer: in lots of different ways. 

First up, plant-based diets exclude so many of the main offenders when it comes to weight gain. All that processed meat. All that animal-based fast food. Heavy dairy products. Much of these food sources have high levels of saturated fats. 

Instead of getting your fats from unhealthy sources, plant-based food gives you a healthier route. 

Vegans tend to snack on things like seeds, nuts, or nut butters. These are all great sources of unsaturated fats.

It is little surprise, therefore, that studies have shown vegans find it easier to lose weight than those with vegetarian or omnivorous diets. Weight loss is a big benefit of eating vegan. So when you keep it plant-based you’re not just helping the turtles, you’re helping yourself too. 

Vegan diets can help lower the risk of heart disease 

One of the major benefits of eating vegan is all about heart health. Studies have shown that eating vegan reduces your risk of heart disease. 

Again, unsaturated fats are important here. Plants contain far fewer saturated fats than animal products. Saturated fats increase your cholesterol levels which in turn heightens your risk of heart disease. 

And on top of that, vegan diets tend to have high levels of fiber in them. Pulses and grains like chickpeas and lentils are fantastic sources of fiber. Fiber has been proven to lower cholesterol in the body, which… You guessed it, reduces the risk of heart disease. 

Plants are also a great source of Omega-3. And Omega-3 can reduce your risk of heart disease. When it comes to heart health, whichever way you look there are huge benefits to eating healthy vegan food. 

Vegan diets may lower your chances of certain cancers

On the topic of cancers and your diet, there is so much information out there. And so much of it isn’t backed up by science. A quick Google will lead you to some pretty extravagant claims. So when exploring this topic, you have to be careful. 

The most annoying thing about all this misinformation is that it gets in the way of the fact that there are heaps of benefits of eating vegan when it comes to cancer prevention. 

There is certainly a link between a vegan diet and a reduced risk of certain cancers. For starters, studies have shown that taking meat out of your diet reduces your risk of developing cancer. 

Vegans are free from so many of the main offenders when it comes to cancers. Processed meats have been proven to be highly carcinogenic. And in contrast, studies have suggested that plants help activate the enzymes crucial to preventing cancers in the body. 

So although a vegan diet is no replacement for cancer treatment, the more we are learning about the relationship between cancer and diet, the more healthy vegan food seems like a great idea. 

Vegans typically have a high nutrient diet 

You know how that conversation with a non-vegan friend can go. “I’d love to be vegan, but you just don’t get the nutrients you need from a plant-based diet.” 

Well, that’s simply not true. In fact, quite the opposite. A plant-based diet involves so many of the nutrient-filled foods that we need for a healthy diet. 

Whether it’s protein from your tofu, calcium from your plant-based milk, iodine from your seaweed, or iron from your broccoli, it is more than possible for your plant-based diet to deliver the nutrients you need. Let’s not forget the plethora of healthy fats from nuts and seeds and protein from beans and pulses.

Vegan diets can help manage your blood sugar levels 

Some fascinating scientific discoveries are being made about the link between blood sugar levels and veganism. Another of the mounting benefits of eating vegan. 

A recent study in Korea has shown that plant-based diets are better suited to stabilizing blood sugar levels. For this reason, many diabetics, for whom blood sugar levels are of great importance, are turning to healthy vegan food. 

And that’s a wrap 

So there you have it. A whole lot of science that backs up the fact eating vegan is good for your health. And the best thing? The science just keeps growing. As more and more people are learning about the vegan way of life, more and more information becomes available to us. 

And if you’d like to know more, why not check out our YouTube series ‘Medically Speaking’, where we give you the low-down on all things vegan health. 

It really is extraordinary when you think about it. All these plants that we’ve been surrounded by all this time are bundles of health waiting to be enjoyed. And it makes sense! We evolved around each other. The relationship between humans and plants is as old as we are. Our bodies have been - quite literally! - made by them. 

For all of the extraordinary science around modern healthcare, there is one ancient technique that we should all hold onto… The power of the plants!