One of the best things you can do for your body is to feed it well. For some people, this means cutting out fast food and limiting sugar intake. For others, it means throwing out everything they’ve ever known and going vegan. There’s something refreshing about eating foods that are fresh, cruelty free, and nutritious. When it comes to understanding the many health benefits of a vegan diet and veganism in general, here’s what you need to know.
The Vegan Diet: Explained
Before we dive into the health benefits of eating vegan meals, we should first explore what it means to be vegan. Adopting a vegan lifestyle means using products and ingesting foods that avoid animal cruelty and exploitation. This means wearing animal-free apparel, using skin-care products that weren’t tested on animals, and eating livestock-free foods. Vegan diets do not incorporate meat, dairy, eggs, and sometimes honey.
Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet
Improved Heart Health
Plant-based diets do wonders for reducing a person’s risk of developing heart disease and, should a person already have heart disease, minimize their risk of death as a result. This is because animal products are huge sources of unhealthy saturated fats, which raise cholesterol levels. Without these animal products in their diets, people enjoy lower cholesterol and lower risks of heart disease and stroke. Plant-based diets also tend to be high in fiber, which is also linked to improved heart health.
Reduced Cancer Risk
Plant-based diets are rich in fiber, vitamins, and phytochemicals. These nutrients—especially the latter—play a major role in guarding the body from cancer. In addition, vegan diets eliminate red and processed meats, which are possible carcinogenics.
Aids in Weight Loss
Another health benefit of vegan diets is weight loss. Plant-based meals cause people to ingest less calories than meals rich in animal products do, which contributes to a lower body mass index (BMI). The only factor vegans must watch out for is processed plant-based foods or foods high in fat, as these can contribute to weight gain.
Improved Complexion
Yes, it’s true: a vegan diet can contribute to a healthy, glowing complexion. Plant-based diets void of animal products (including dairy) tend to soothe a variety of skin concerns, including acne. In addition, the skin gets more antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients it needs to glow from fruits, vegetables, and lots of water. Using vegan skin-care products will doubly improve your complexion, as these products aren’t just cruelty-free—they’re often free of harmful chemicals as well.
