A new study found that 9.6 million Americans are now vegan! That’s a 300% increase over the past 15 years and the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
So what’s the reason for this fast catching trend? Well, while there might not be one singular thing convincing people to go vegan, there are some very convincing vegan facts that point to a healthier lifestyle.
Are you looking for a diet that is scientifically proven to be healthy in more ways than one? Check out this article for 5 scientifically-backed vegan facts.
Let’s go!
1. Good For the Heart
Your heart is the workhorse of the body. It fervently pumps blood and nutrients day and night to keep you healthy and alive. So we should do our best to take care of it, right?
Well, according to clinical studies, evidence shows that one of the best ways to prevent heart disease is to maintain a plant-based diet. The study showed that people who had diets heavy in animal products, especially processed meats, were 32% more likely to die from heart disease.
And if that wasn’t enough to convince most people to eat a plant-based diet, there’s more. People who refuse to eat plant-based meals are 16% more likely to experience heart failure or a non-fatal heart attack than those who eat a lot of plants in their diet.
What’s the consensus? Eat more vegetables and fruits for a healthy heart!
2. More Energy and Better Sleep
If you’ve ever eaten a big sirloin steak you know the inevitable lethargic feeling that follows. Have you ever wondered why that is?
The reason you don’t feel like doing anything but laying around after eating animal meat is due to its high protein and fat content. Your body simply takes a longer time to digest protein and fat.
In fact, protein and fat (from both plants and animals) stay in the stomach for about 12 hours before passing on to the intestines. Fat doesn’t even start breaking down until it reaches the small intestines. Consider foods that are high in carbs, like fruits and vegetables, only take 3 to 5 hours.
You can get healthy plant-based proteins from foods like nuts, legumes, quinoa, spirulina, and whole grains. It’s important to source your proteins from a variety of plants in order to get all the amino acids your body needs.
3. Vegans Are Thinner
If weight loss is your aim, you’ll be happy to know that vegans are typically less likely to suffer from obesity. Data from the Adventist Health Study 2 show’s that only 9.4% of vegans were over-weight. On the other hand, 33.3% of meat-eaters were classified as being over-weight.
What’s so interesting about this study is that the calorie intake among both groups was about the same. The higher rate of obesity in meat-eaters is most likely linked to eating more processed foods higher in unhealthy fats.
4. Reduces Inflammation in the Body
Not all inflammation is bad. In fact, your body handles injuries by inflaming the affected area.
This is why when you jam your finger it swells up. Blood, antioxidants, oxygen, and nutrients get sent to work their magic and heal your injury.
However, when your body experiences chronic inflammation, all sorts of problems can arise. Chronic inflammation eventually leads to the damaging of healthy cells in the body. Over time, this damaging of DNA and tissue can cause disease and cancer.
So how can a vegan diet help? Many plants like nuts, tomatoes, olive oil, and leafy vegetables are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Fruits like apples and blueberries are also high in antioxidants and polyphenols, which help fight inflammation in the body.
Like drinking coffee? You’re in luck! Coffee is also known to contain polyphenols and anti-inflammatory compounds that protect against inflammation.
5. Animal Lives Are Saved!
People who choose to live a vegan lifestyle typically do so because of a moral obligation. Most believe that eating animal products is cruel and humane as well as detrimental to the environment.
Statistics show that each vegan person spares 30 animal lives per year. If you consider that a majority of animals raised for slaughter spend their whole lives confined in factory farms, then a vegan diet can feel pretty good.
In fact, 150 million farmed animals are slaughtered each day for food. So if you love animals, a vegan diet may be the answer.
However, food isn’t the only thing animals are raised and killed for. Leather from animals has been used since the beginning of civilization. But what if there was another option for leather clothing?
Well, some might say there is. In fact, some vegan clothing companies are starting to produce durable vegan leather made from plants.
Companies are making vegan leather from things like apple skins, pineapple leaves, mushrooms, and cactus. All these sources are a sustainable and humane alternative to animal leather.
Although not as durable as animal leather, it looks like it’s still a very good option for vegans who enjoy wearing leather. All sorts of clothes and accessories are now being made with plant leather.
Healthy Diet Vegan Facts
While going from a meat-eater diet to a vegan one may take time and careful planning, the evidence is clear that doing so will help create a healthier lifestyle. People who eat a vegan diet are shown to have healthier hearts, are less obese, have more energy, and less inflammation in the body.
Besides being healthier, going vegan saves the lives of precious animals! And if you’re an animal lover who hates the idea of farming or killing one simply for its food source, then a vegan diet can clear your conscience.
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