“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

Meh.

Who came up with that one?

I guess, it’s on the right track. If you eat an apple plus other vegan plant-based whole foods, you really will keep the doctor away.

But, apples are SO 2010.

More on apples later.

Maybe today millennials would say “An avocado toast a day keeps the doctor away.”

Anyways.

The healthiest diet a human can consume is a well balanced whole foods plant-based diet.

I read so. many. studies. They ALL said the SAME thing.

When looking at health and well-being, scientific studies have proven this time and time again.

Eating a plant-based whole foods diet, you’ll be much less susceptible to chronic diseases and feel stronger, healthier and happier for it.

When eating a plant-based diet, it’s important to do it properly and in an informed way.

There are healthy meat-eaters and there are unhealthy meat eaters.

The same can be said for there are healthy vegans and there are unhealthy vegans.

It’s ESSENTIAL to make sure you’re getting all of the right vitamins and nutrients you need and maintain macronutrients at the right levels too.

To see what foods are the RIGHT foods you can check out the info in Going Vegan In 2020, The Ultimate Guide For Beginners.

Here are some of the health benefits scientifically proven to be linked to eating a plant-based diet.

1. Heart Disease And Diabetes – Prevention Rather Than Cure Folks – Vegan Health Benefit

Eating a whole foods plant-based diet cuts the odds significantly of suffering from chronic disease.

This includes heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes.

Heart Problems

The Harvard School of Public Health suggests a diet packed with plants (fruits and vegetables) can lower your blood pressure.

The Harvard research bunch also tracked eating and health lifestyles of around 110,000 people for 14 years.

Their findings were that the higher the intake of fruits and vegetables, the lower the chances the participants would develop heart disease. They noted that the star participants who ate 8 or more servings of fruit and veg per day were 30% less likely to have a heart attack vs those who ate just 1.5 portions per day… I admit 8 portions seems excessive, but actually it’s pretty easy if plants are the main food group in your diet.

The American College of Cardiology also recommends:

‘At least one plant-based main dish for patients is to be on offer for every meal time. The dish must be low in fat, sodium. A minimum of three fruits or vegetables to be offered for every meal.’

The British Heart Foundation advises to eat more fruit, vegetables, pulses, whole grains and reduce consumption of meat and diary. They also make a good point it’s still important to keep saturated fat and sugars low, as well as reading labels and understanding what you’re eating.

These official go-to sources of information are recommending a plant-based diet as a means to ward off chronic diseases and lower rates of mortality. The proof is in the vegan pudding.

Diabetes

Roughly 463 million adults in the world currently have diabetes, according to The International Diabetes Federation.

That number is expected to rise to over 700 million by 2045!

F*ck balls that number is seriously scary high!!!

The experts at The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, as well as the American Diabetes Association (ADA) now both recommend a well-planned, plant-based (vegetarian and vegan) nutritional diet for people who have been diagnosed with diabetes.

2. The BIG C – You’re Statistically Less Likely To Suffer From Cancer – Vegan Health Benefit

I want to be upfront with you.

Because cancer is one of the most common causes of death, I did A LOT of research and read A LOT of studies. I’ve included them as I think they are important. BUT it is the longest section of the article. In short, many have proven links between cancer and diet, then recommend eating a plant-based diet to prevent it. You can read all about these studies or if the section is too long for you please feel free to skip to number 3 on gut microbiomes.

From a scientific research point of view with diet and cancer, there’s still A LOT of research to do and still so much that we simply just do not know yet.

However.

The proven link between nutrition and cancer is not new, it’s just one that is not listened to enough.

EPIC STUDY

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition in one of the largest studies into diet and nutrition ever undertaken.

The study recruited over 520,000 people across ten European countries.

The findings concluded ‘Plant foods (or their components) have long been thought to protect against cancer. Most prominent among the hypotheses is that fruit and vegetables or their components may protect against cancer.

Fiber, which is found in high amounts in fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, is also hypothesized to protect against some cancers.’

US National Library of Medicine

Did you know that lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death?

Me neither.

Part of the World Cancer Research International Continuous Update Project, they looked at whether fruits and vegetables have the likelihood to decrease cancer risk.

Their findings were that eliminating tobacco is the best strategy for eliminating lung cancer, however by eating an increased amount of fruits and vegetables they act as a protective role against lung cancer.

The China Study

The China Study, is a book co-authored by T. Colin Campbell (Phd) and his son Thomas M. Campbell II (MD). It was first published is 2005. It’s a best-seller in nutrition.

The study examined the link between the consumption of animal products (including diary) and chronic diseases.

The study concludes that people who eat a predominantly whole-food, plant-based diet—avoiding animal products as a main source of nutrition, including beef, pork, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, and milk, and reducing their intake of processed foods and refined carbohydrates—will escape, reduce, or reverse the development of cancer and other numerous diseases.

AICR and World Cancer Research Fund

The American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) also did a study.

‘A plant-based diet – whether or not it’s vegan or vegetarian – is at the heart of nutrition recommendations to promote overall health and reduce cancer risk.’

The AICR and the World Cancer Research Fund together reviewed 99 scientific studies from around the globe, which together comprised of more than 29 million people.

The studies reviewed diet, weight and lifestyle.

They analysed the correlation between diet and colorectal bowel cancer, they concluded that eating whole grains and dietary fiber significantly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.

Whereas, regularly consuming red meat or processed meat increased the risk.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the forth most common cause of death from cancer in the United States.

Drilling down into the numbers, the study found that if you eat more than 500 grams of read meat per week (pork, beef, lamb), this raises the risk of 12% for every 100g consumed. Whereas eating 90 grams of whole grains lowers the risk of colorectal cancer by 17%.

Director of Nutrition Programs at (AICR), Alice Bender, recommends “Replacing some of your refined grains with whole grains and eating mostly plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and beans, will give you a diet packed with cancer-protective compounds and help you manage your weight, which is so important to lower risk.”

Colorectal is just one example where the scientific links have been made, there are many others such as breast, lung, liver, mouth, stomach, throat cancer. The colorectal cancer is one of the top studies, hence its inclusion in this article over the others.

The AICR also recommends that the more colourful your diet is, the better it is for you so try to eat all of the colours of the rainbow!

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK states on their website ‘Research has suggested that eating fruit and vegetables could reduce the risk of mouth, upper throat, larynx and lung cancers.’

The other angle is that if you suffer from obesity your risk of cancer is also higher.

Those eating a plant-based diet have a lower propensity to suffer from obesity, therefore lowering the risk of cancer.

Overall, looking at populations who eat meat and diary vs those who stick to a plant-based diets, the likelihood of catching cancer is reduced significantly for those on a plant-based diet.

3. Gut Health – Are Your Microbes Happy? – Vegan Health Benefit

We have trillions of microbes that live in the gut.

Cultivating beneficial gut bacteria in the digestive tract is critically important for all aspects of health and well-being.

Our bodies are much more than organs and arteries, we ARE OUR MICROBES. We are in fact a walking, talking bacteria or ‘microbiome.’

A microbiome is microorganisms in a particular environment, such as the human body.

We need them to stay alive and they protect us against germs, break down our food into energy and produce vitamins.

It’s a collection of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses.

Gut bacteria can be linked to inflammation and many modern diseases and disorders.

Fiber is abundant in a balanced plant-based diet.

Fiber feeds good bacteria.

It keeps us ‘regular’ (yes, poop chat) and acts as a prebiotic, generating the perfect spawning ground for beneficial microbiota.

Back to apples, you’ll remember apples from earlier.

According to Dr Megan Rossi, a nutritionist and dietician from King’s College London (she has a PhD in gut and kidney health), “we should be eating 30 different plant-based foods per week for an optimum healthy gut.”

So, in short, you need to eat an apple a week plus 29 other plant-based foods.

By doing this and trying to eat different colors of the rainbow you’ll easily be consuming a nutrient dense diet.

Harvard

According the journal ’Nature,’ a diet full of meat and diary products alters the gut microbiome significantly and immediately.

Bilophila bacterium is a bad bacteria and flourishes in bile, which is produced when we consume meat products and digest animal fats.

This causes inflammation which is the route of many illnesses.

Ideally, we do not want to be cultivating bacteria that causes us inflammation.

American Gut Project

In 2012, Rob Knight (PhD) from The University of California and Jeff Leach (PhD), the founder of The Human Food Project and Jack Gilbert (PhD), the faculty director of the Microbiome Center at the University of Chicago in Illinois, founded the American Gut Project.

They wanted to learn more about the human microbiome and how our diet and lifestyle affect the composition of our microbes.

Their findings were that a diverse plant-based diet, with 30 or more different types of plant each week produces a much more diverse set of microbiomes than those who consumed only 10 or fewer types of plant per week.

Healthy gut, healthy body.

One of the most beneficial things you can do to support your microbiome is eat to whole foods plant-based foods.

They all hugely support one’s microbiome.

By increasing your fiber and lowering bad bacteria produced from meat, this will consequently reduce gut inflammation and improve the health qualities of your microbes.

4. Glowing Skin – Be A Vision Of Radiance With Vegan Nutrition

In eating plants you are getting a very nutrient dense profile.

It can provide you with more vitamin A, vitamin C, omega 3, Zinc, antioxidants and vitamin E – all the lovely things your skin, hair and nails need to flourish.

These nutrients will be involved in the formation of skin fibres, structure and protection of this sophisticated organ.

Some of the best foods you can eat for healthy skin include:

• Avocados
• Tomatoes
• Strawberries
• Sweet potato
• Almonds
• Chia seeds
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Dark chocolate
• Berries
• Spinach
• Kale
• Almonds
• Sunflower seeds
• Nutritional yeast

Get glowing

The University of St Andrews in Scotland found that by cutting out animal saturated fats, you’ll free up long poor long-suffering pores.

Many vitamins, pigments and phytochemicals in plants contribute to healthy skin, found that after just six weeks of increasing their daily servings of fruits and veggies, their skin had a healthy radiance.

Improving acne-prone skin

As reported on the US National Library of Medicine, a study in 2011 by F. William (Bill) Danby found that eating diary is a common cause of inflammation in the body, specifically looking at acne.

Moderate to high levels of dairy triggered hormones and an increased level insulin which activate oil-producing tissues, stimulating the sebaceous glands, causing acne.

Life’s modern scientists, the online influencers, have also healed their acne issues with plant based diets, including The Raw Boy.

Anti-aging

Some say that a plant-based diet slows the formation of wrinkles.

The anti-oxidants in plants reduce inflammation and this helps collagen generation and improves elasticity.

5. Fitness – Feel Strong And Lean On A Vegan Plant Based Diet

Did you know that gorillas, rhinos, elephants, hippos, bisons, wildebeests and horses are all vegans?

The ten biggest and strongest land animals are all living on a plant-based diet.

There is a plethora of plant-based protein sources:

• Oats
• Leafy greens
• Peas
• NutsSeeds
• Beans
• Chickpeas
• Quinoa

There’s a misconception that you need to eat meat to get bulky.

Animal products are not necessary to build muscle.

If you’re still unsure type into google ‘vegan bodybuilders’.

If you’re still unsure after that, consider that Tom Brady, Nate Diaz, Mike Tyson, CC Sabathia, Venus Williams and many more famous elite athletes are also vegan.

Like any fitness journey to work towards your goals, a considered approach is more effective.

You just need to have a plan and consider your calorie intake, macronutrients and stick to a meal and nutrition plan consistently.

Your energy levels will feel much more steady and tickety boo.

Dr. Neal Bernard states that ‘a plant-based diet slows down blood sugar and allows insulin to do its job within the cells.’

A plant-based diet cuts out eating white refined carbohydrates and/or refined sugar.

Refined sugars/carbs are the worst offenders for giving you fluctuating energy levels!

After meals, you’ll lose the ‘I just need a little nap right now feeling’ that likes to take over your body after a meaty meal.

It does that because your energy is being directed into your digestion to break down dense meaty foods, as animal foods are very hard to digest.

Cut meat out and you’ll feel lighter and more alert post-meal time from your plant-based delights.

Plant foods rich in vitamin B6 such as sweet potatoes, squash, kale, avocados and peanut butter – all regulate the nervous system activity, meaning it’s easier to rest and relax and get a good night’s sleep.

6. Lose Weight – Vegan Health Benefit

Weight-loss naturally occurs when you eat more foods rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals rather than animal fats and dairy.

It’s common after the first two weeks on a plant-based diet to drop 5 pounds, without feeling hungry.

There are also many reports of losing 10 pounds or more over six weeks or more.

Obesity is one of the most pressing health problems of the moment.

800 million people across the globe are clinically obese.

It is trending to soon become the United State’s leading cause of preventable death.

However, there is hope with plant-based eating.

According to PETA ‘adult vegans are, on average, 10 to 20 pounds lighter than adult meat-eaters.’

Many plant-based foods are low in calories, so it’s possible to feel like you’re eating a higher-volume of food, but actually you’re consuming fewer calories.

Win, win!

According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, analyzing a study of 38,000 healthy adults in 1999, ‘vegan BMI’s are on average 2 points lower than meat-eaters.’

They also identified that the more fiber people ate, the lower their BMI number. Meat eaters tend to have a much lower fibre intake than vegans as there is no fibre in meat and an abundance of fiber in plant-based foods.

While it’s entirely possible to overeat on high-calorie foods, it’s harder to do whilst eating a plant-based diet.

There is so much conflicting information out there for weight loss, but a well-balanced and colourful diet of plants can be one of the easiest and most effective ways for you to drop the pounds!

Check out the article 15 Tips On How To Lose Weight On A Plant-Based Vegan Diet ….And Then Keep It Off! for more info.

7. Live Longer – Vegan Health Benefit

Looking at averages, vegans and vegetarians do live longer than meat eaters.

They have significantly longer life expectancies and with much fewer health issues.

The combination of fewer sufferers from chronic disease and cancer, plus healthier gut profiles contribute towards a longer life expectancy overall.

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) completed a study in 2016, with Harvard, looking at the correlation between diet, disease and death.

They claim they have determined what is the relative risk of dying, i.e. mortality, from following a plant-based diet vs. a diet with consumption of animal food.

Their findings concluded ‘higher animal protein intake was positively, whereas plant protein was inversely, associated with mortality, especially among individuals with at least one lifestyle risk factors.

Substitution of plant protein for animal protein, especially from processed red meat, was associated with lower mortality, suggesting the importance of protein source.’

The Adventist Health Study has taken place over the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and again since 2002 from the Loma Lima University in California.

The study is midway to completion, with 96,000 participants from the United States and Canada.

They found ‘vegetarian and vegan Adventist men live to 9.5 years longer and women live 6.1 years longer.’

8. Feel Happier! – Vegan Health Benefit

Eating a plant-based diet does not only improve your physical health, but it can be great for your mental health too!

Published in the Nutrition Journal, “the elimination of long chain fatty acids, predominantly arachidonic acid which is present in meat and is associated with symptoms of depression, means you are less at risk of suffering from it.”

Its findings include that you are more likely to have a happier score on a depression or mood test when not eating meat.

Your improved overall health could equal better mood for you.

You’ll feel positive in yourself for eating in a more compassionate way for animals and for reducing your impact to the environment.

Many have said that ‘going vegan was the BEST decision that they have ever made’ and their only regret is ‘not doing it sooner.’

The Bottom Line

Many food trends come and go, but eating more plant-based foods will be one which doesn’t go anywhere, if only for its ridiculously powerful health benefits.

If you are looking to be the healthiest version of you, meaning diseases resistant and feeling great inside and out, you can't escape the necessity of eating nutrient-rich healthy food.

This comes in the form of plant-based whole foods void of any animal products.

If you're looking to read on benefits for the environment and animal welfare, as well as eating plant-based tips, then check out Going Vegan In 2020, The Ultimate Guide. You can also read up on Where Plant Based Vegans Get Their Protein.

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