More and more studies continue to find that plant-based diets may reduce the risk of chronic health conditions. A recent study collected data from over 20 years and found that vegans and vegetarians may have a lower risk of developing heart disease and cancer. Plant-based eaters may also have lower odds of developing risk factors, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol, which contribute to these health problems.
What Did The Study Examine?
Researchers examined results from over 48 reviews published over the course of two decades. These results explored the health benefits of vegan or vegetarian diets. For clarification, a vegan diet excludes all forms of meat, eggs, dairy, and all other animal products, including honey and gelatin. A vegetarian diet is the same, but allows for the consumption of dairy and eggs.
Researchers observed a lower risk of developing certain cancers and ischemic heart disease for both vegan and vegetarian diets. Ischemic heart disease occurs when the person experiences restricted blood flow because of narrowed or hardened arteries. Researchers also found that plant-based diets reduced the risk of prostate cancer and certain gastrointestinal cancers. Additionally, researchers linked vegetarian diets to a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
Don’t be mistaken, though, it is possible for vegans and vegetarians to be unhealthy. They can eat plant-based meats, French fries, and pasta with little to no fruit and vegetable intake. For the research, vegan and vegetarian diets included many plant-based foods that contributed to overall better health. Plus, people who adhere to plant-based diets tend to consume higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and other substances with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds. Because they don’t consume meat and animal-based foods, they don’t suffer the pro-oxidant and pro-inflammatory effects.
The Study Examined Strict Vegan And Vegetarian Diets Only
The reviews that researchers examined only included people who followed strict vegetarian or vegan diets. The study didn’t include people who eat plant-based just some of the time. Similarly, that’s how researchers looked at all forms of animal protein, making it difficult to determine whether avoiding specific animal-based foods, such as poultry, fish, or red meat, could have health benefits.
The purpose of the study was not to prove whether or how a vegan or vegetarian diet could improve overall health and longevity. Because each of the reviews and smaller studies included the measured health benefits of plant-based diets differently, study authors could not properly calculate how much plant-based diets could reduce the odds of developing cancer, heart disease, or risk factors that contribute to these conditions.
As we stated earlier, not all vegetarian or vegan diets are equally nutritious. Some of these diets emphasize the importance of unhealthy plant foods. Bottled, sugary fruit juices, potato chips, refined grains, and even sodas can be vegan or vegetarian and have detrimental effects on overall health.
Focus On Fiber-Rich Foods
Eating a lot of plant-based whole foods may reduce the risk of chronic diseases because many of these foods contain a lot of fiber. Animal-based foods do not contain fiber, according to health experts. By eating fiber-rich foods, you can slow digestion and prevent blood sugar spikes or crashes. Fiber also helps people feel fuller for longer, which can help people eat a little less over time, which may help prevent weight gain. Additionally, fiber works to clean out the digestive tract and higher fiber intake has been linked to lower cholesterol levels.
All of fiber’s positive effects may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. Avoiding meat is also helpful in your effort to avoid these major health conditions. The reason is because meat contains saturated fat, which increases the risk of high cholesterol and atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries that contributes to heart disease). That means that vegans and vegetarians not only reap the benefits of fiber and plant-based nutrients, but they also avoid problematic things that may worsen their health. Finally, health experts recommend that if you plan to make the plant-based switch, it is better to first eliminate red meat and processed meats (hot dogs, deli meat, etc.) from your diet due to the saturated fat and sodium content.
