Happy 2019! What are your new year intentions? I have several — writing more, spending quality time with family and friends, improving my time management and continuing to fuel my body with plants so my mind is clear and body is energized. The research that stands behind eating plants for health and the environment grows every year. Here are 53 of reasons to eat plant-based. Can you think of more? Let me know in the comments!
Plant-based for health
Decrease risk or reverse type 2 diabetes.
Decrease risk or reverse heart disease.
Lower blood pressure.
Lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and total cholesterol.
Decrease risk of certain types of cancer (breast, prostate, lung, colon).
Minimize autoimmune symptoms and disorders like Chronic Fatigue and Multiple Sclerosis.
Minimize symptoms associated with arthritis.
Optimize digestion.
Strengthen bones.
Decrease risk of Alzheimer's.
Improve recovery time for endurance sports.
Improve focus, memory and cognition.
Improve sleep.
Increase vitality.
Lose weight.
Get glowing skin.
Fight depression and anxiety.
Improve eye health.
Boost your mood.
Plant-based for the environment
Conserve water when you eat more plants.
Lessen water pollution. Read more about ocean dead zones.
Lessen carbon footprint. Read about UCLA's position on diet's effect on carbon footprint here.
Decrease methane gases. Cow farts are a real thing. See how they're harming the environment.
Improve drinking water by minimizing animal agriculture's effect on water systems.
Save the rainforests. Rainforests are being destroyed so that more land is available for animal agriculture.
Reduce amount of antibiotics being used.
Help to save species from extinction (ie, orangutans, elephants, tigers and more). Read how eating meat is spreading worldwide species extinction.
Plant-based for the animals
Animals, including fish, are sentient beings — they feel, reason and form emotional connections just like us.
99% of the meat and poultry found in grocery stores come from factory farms. Visit Farm Sanctuary's website to learn more about factory farms.
You don't get milk without mama cow having a baby cow (over and over and over again). Here's how that works.
There's no such thing as "humane" meat. Read this interesting perspective on "humane" meat from a former beef farmer.
Laying thousands of eggs is not normal for a chicken. Read more about the normal egg laying in chickens (hint: chickens should only lay 12 -20 eggs per year).
Cage free, hormone free doesn't mean cruelty free. Learn more about the egg industry claims.
Plant-based for health (again!)
Avoid hormones found in meat and dairy.
Avoid nitrosamines (cancer causing substances) produced when cooking meat.
Avoid heme (animal-based) iron (associated with cancer).
Avoid antibiotics found in meat and dairy.
Avoid disease-causing saturated and trans fats found in animal products.
Avoid nasty bacteria found in animal products.
Meat contains no fiber (the average American gets only 15 grams of fiber while the recommended amount is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men) while plants contain a TON of fiber.
Meat doesn't contain antioxidants or phytonutrients (ie, flavonoids, lycopene, etc) that help to fight diseases listed above.
Plant-based for people
Help to feed the 7.6 billion people. Read how eating plant-based helps to feed the hungry on One Green Planet.
Support less violence — factory farm workers have the highest rate of suicide in the country. Sad.
Support health of factory farm workers (lung disease, injury, depression).
Support the health of the community who lives around the factory farms. Read more.
Plant-based for fun
Save money (yes, it's true that purchasing plant based whole foods is less expensive than purchasing food for meat-centric diets).
Fruit and vegetables look much prettier on your counter as decoration compared to a slab of meat.
Plant-based cookbooks are pretty stunning and make for great table-top books.
You're much more likely to win an argument about why you eat plant-based (for your health, environment or for animals) than why you eat meat.
Eating plant-based makes you unique! Only 6% of the population currently considers themselves as vegan. It's growing, but you could be a pioneer and jump on the bandwagon now!
By being a leader and advocate of plant-based eating you are setting the bestexample for your kids, family and friends.
Speaking of kids, your preserving the environment, wildlife and creating a healthier planet for your kids' and grandkids' future.
Thinking about going plant-based and need a little guidance? Comment below or email me! I'd love to know more and be a part of your plant-based journey.
Want to dive further into plant-based eating?
Visit all plant-based recipes here.
Visit the blog for more plant-based articles here.
Get 5-minute plant-based dressing recipes here. (FREE!).
Book a 15-minute FREE consultation here.
Get a customized weekly meal plan with recipes and shopping lists, as well as email and texting support here ($97 a month).
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