Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, a dietitian based in Brooklyn, New York, and the author of The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook, says it’s also popular because it can reduce humans’ environmental impact, and many celebrities, including Beyoncé and Tom Brady, have embraced this way of eating. “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 to so many of us,” Feller says. Going plant-based is not so much a diet as it is a general approach to eating. There’s no need to count calories or stress about meeting certain macronutrient goals each day. In essence, it’s simply about eating more plant-based foods (and fewer animal-based ones while you’re at it). There are several different interpretations of the diet:
Vegetarian Diet Individuals who are vegetarian may eat cheese, eggs, and milk, but they do not eat meat, such as chicken, pork, and beef. Instead of meat, they lean on plant-based protein.Vegan Diet These people choose to forgo animal products altogether (including milk, cheese, and honey) and exclusively eat plants as part of a vegan lifestyle.Raw Vegan Diet Others may follow the aforementioned rules and eat only raw, plant-based foods.Flexitarian Diet Some people are more flexible. They try to simply cut down on their meat intake and eat a diet that’s primarily filled with plants but with some animal products here and there.
She says that for current meat eaters, dismissing animal foods across the board can make mealtimes stressful and make it challenging to source micronutrients that are hard to come by in plant-based foods, such as B12 and iron. “All people can benefit from the health effects of increasing the proportion of plants on their plates,” Feller says. Here’s what the research has found.
1. A Plant-Based Diet May Lower Your Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, or hypertension, can increase the risk for health issues, including heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. (2) Fortunately, the foods you eat can make a difference. Several studies have shown that sticking with a plant-based diet can reduce blood pressure, thereby reducing your risk for those conditions. A meta-analysis explored data from 39 studies and concluded that people who followed a vegetarian diet had lower blood pressure on average than those who followed omnivorous diets, meaning those including plants and meat. (3) And another study found that vegetarians had a 34 percent lower risk of developing hypertension than nonvegetarians. (4) But it’s not just about limiting meat: To help prevent cardiovascular disease, you want to consume foods that are anti-inflammatory, which happen to be mainly plant-based foods. These include green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, whole grains, walnuts, extra virgin olive oil, fatty fish, tomatoes, and fruits. Likewise, you’ll want to avoid pro-inflammatory foods, such as processed meats, processed foods, fried foods, and refined sugar.
3. A Plant-Based Diet May Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
It’s well known that there’s a link between diet and type 2 diabetes. Weight is a major risk factor since more fatty tissue makes the cells more resistant to insulin, according to the Mayo Clinic. (8) But which type of diet is best to avoid type 2 diabetes? Studies suggest that a plant-based one has benefits. A study found that eating a plant-based diet filled with high-quality plant foods reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 34 percent. (9) It’s likely because plants are lower in saturated fats than animal foods, which raises cholesterol levels and your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, notes the American Diabetes Association. (10) Another study, published in Diabetes Care, found the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 7.6 percent among nonvegetarians and only 2.9 percent for vegans. (11) Eating more plants can help you drop pounds, too. A small study found that 65 overweight adults who followed a whole-food, plant-based diet for one year lost 9.25 pounds on average. Plus, this diet was not calorie-restricted; the participants were allowed to eat what they wanted and still lost weight. (13) One reason for the weight loss is that whole grains and vegetables are relatively low on the glycemic index — which means they’re digested more slowly — and fruit contains antioxidants and fiber, which helps prolong fullness, according to research. (14) It’s incredibly important to prioritize healthy, quality plant-based foods if weight loss is your goal. “Someone can eat a very healthy plant-based diet, but they can also eat a very unhealthy plant-based diet,” Linares says.
5. Following a Plant-Based Diet Long Term May Help You Live Longer
All of the other potential benefits listed here roll into one major one: living longer. The Journal of the American Heart Association study found that a plant-based diet lowers the risk of all causes of mortality by 25 percent. (6) And beyond that, the protective levels increase if you stick with healthy plant-based foods. Another study found that eating healthy plant foods versus unhealthy ones extends that protection layer by another 5 percent. To determine healthy plant foods, researchers assigned various nonanimal products a score between 1 and 17. Less-healthy foods — like soda, cake, and white bread — though meat-free, received a low score; meanwhile, healthier plant foods— like whole grains, veggies, and fruit — received a higher score. (15)
7. A Plant-Based Diet May Improve Your Cholesterol
High cholesterol can lead to fatty deposits in the blood, which can restrict blood flow and potentially lead to heart attack, stroke, or heart disease. (18) But a healthy diet can help keep cholesterol levels in check. Specifically, moving away from a diet filled with animal products toward one that’s primarily plant based can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by between 10 and 15 percent, while those following a strict vegan diet can lower their LDL cholesterol by as much as 25 percent, according to a review of 27 studies published in The American Journal of Cardiology. (19)
9. Ramping Up Your Plant Intake May Keep Your Brain Strong
The physiological benefits of following a plant-based diet are many, but there are some possible mental ones, too. “There is some compelling research examining plant-based diets and their role in slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s,” Feller says. A review of nine studies found that eating an extra 100 grams of fruits and vegetables per day (about one-half cup) led to a 13 percent reduction in the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia. (22) The likely reason: Fruits and vegetables are rich in polyphenols, which an article published in Nutrients notes are in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains (aka, the cornerstones of a plant-based diet). Polyphenols may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and may help reverse cognitive decline, according to a review published in Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology. (23)
