Why plants are so good for us

Want to try a plant based diet but not sure where to start?

The benefits of a whole food diet based on plants are many and varied!

Most of these come from including as big a variety of WHOLE plant foods as possible, rather than necessarily excluding all animal products. Vegetarian and pescetarian diets are also very healthy, and research shows for most things they have similar benefits for health

Plants are naturally high in fibre, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory polyphenols, as well as being low in saturated fat - all of which are linked to improved health. But whole foods are the key -as a vegan diet based on ultra processed foods can be just as unhealthy as a meat based one!!

The health benefits of plant based diets include a lower risk of:

✔️heart attacks and strokes

✔️type 2 diabetes

✔️high blood pressure

✔️high cholesterol

✔️dementia

✔️unwanted weight gain

✔️allergies and autoimmune disease

✔️some cancers

✔️mental illness

✔️gynaecology problems such as endometrosis, painful periods, and unexplained infertility

Plant based diets can also be powerful in reducing chronic inflammation, helping joint issues, optimising gut health, and even helping us live longer!

✔️People often worry about protein, yet its fairly easy to meet protein needs - you need around 0.9g/kg bodyweight per day (slightly higher for athletes and people over 65). Try to get whole protein from as many different plant sources as possible - foods such as legumes, quinoa, peanuts, tofu, Edamame beans, tempeh, and soy milk are all great protein sources, as are many nuts and seeds. Whole grains also contain more protein than you think!

✔️B12 is important, and on a fully vegan diet must be supplemented, either with fortified foods or a vitamin. For adults a 25mcg/day supplement is usually plenty, but it's a good idea to get b12 levels checked a few months