The thing about a plant-based diet…
It focuses primarily on foods that are derived from plants. The common misconception about plant-based diet is that it exclusively focuses on fruits and vegetables only. However, a plant-based diet also includes nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, and whole grains.
Another common misconception associated with people who eat a plant-based diet is that they are vegetarians or vegans or do not eat meat or dairy products. However, this is not entirely true. People who choose a plant-based diet are essentially choosing to eat more plant-based foods. In other words: In addition to vegans and vegetarians, people on a normal diet can also include more plant-based foods in their diets.
There is also an area in the plant-based community where adherents are opting for more whole foods as opposed to processed foods in their daily lives. By and large, the term “plant-based diet” is interpreted and applied differently by different people.
Go green or go home
Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular around the world, and there’s a good reason for that. People consider it a healthier form of diet as compared to their normal daily diet. If you’re looking to make the switch or are still on the fence about going plant-based, you’ve come to the right place! We hear you and we want to help!
With that in mind, here are some pros and cons of a plant-based diet.
Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular around the world, and there’s a good reason for that. People consider it a healthier form of diet as compared to their normal daily diet.
The good stuff
Plant-based diet may make you feel full longer
Since plant-based food is mostly derived from vegetables, it’s also high in fiber and complex carbohydrates. This can help your tummy feel good. If you’re keen on incorporating more fresh vegetables and fruits in your diet, the water content from them can help you feel a little longer.
Here’s a pro tip! When including vegetables in your meal, choose a variety of vegetables that come in different colours. This tempts your sight as well as your palate!
Plant-based diets are often rich in phytonutrients
The natural chemicals or substances that plants produce are known as phytonutrients. This naturally occurring compound helps protect plants from insects and the sun. Phytonutrients are not only beneficial for plants, but it also benefits overall human health.
Phytonutrients are found to contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can aid in good health management. Antioxidants are important to reduce oxidative stress in the body. Whereas, anti-inflammatory properties help with blocking certain body chemicals that may cause inflammation.
Phytonutrients can be found in:
Fruits
Vegetables
Beans
Nuts
Plant-based diets come in various shapes and sizes
Opting for a plant-based diet gives you the liberty to decide the extent of how much plant-based food you’re going to include in your diet. You have the freedom to choose what works best for you. You can even supplement your plant-based meal with a small serving of meat protein if you wish.
However, to take full advantage of the uniqueness of the plant-based diet, choose proportionally more plant-based foods. Think plant-based!
The flip side
Plant-based products can be expensive
This is especially true for the category of mock meat. A good example in this context would be a price comparison between a plant-based burger patty and a meat or chicken burger patty. The price difference between these two products is significant, with the plant-based patty being more expensive.
From an economic point of view, this happens because meatless alternatives are made at a much smaller scale as compared to the mass production of meat-based patties.
You may not be meeting adequate needs for proteins and other nutrients
Protein is important to help maintain muscle mass, bone strength, and skin health. Most of the time, we tend to get these important proteins and other nutrients from meat or meat-based products.
Some people who follow a plant-based diet tend to skip animal-derived products altogether and these include milk, cheese, and butter. Milk has important elements such as calcium, protein, fat, and other essential nutrients.
To avoid potential nutrition deficiency, it’s important for you to plan out your plant-based diet. The good thing is, proteins and other important nutrients can also be found in meatless alternatives such as soy products, beans, lentils, plant-based milk, and more!
You’ve reached the end of the article. Are you still on the fence about a plant-based diet?
Source: Healthline, WebMD, Harvard Health, Medical News Today, Cleveland Clinic
