When you create your goal, At UpFit Training Academy in New York, NY, we look at all the areas of your life that will affect you reaching that goal. No matter how much you workout, you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. Eating healthy can occur naturally the fitter you become, since your body craves the nutrients it needs to build muscle tissue, but in many cases, it takes a conscious decision to change your diet. There are diets that focus on protein and ones that focus on primarily vegetables or strictly vegetables. Are there benefits of a vegan diet that you should consider when choosing a healthy manner of eating?
A vegan diet can help you lose weight.
A plant based diet can be a big benefit for those who want to lose weight. In fact, studies show that vegans tend to be thinner than non-vegans. Several studies have compared weight loss with vegan diets compared to other types of diets. One study showed that over an 18-week period, people on a vegan diet lost almost ten pounds more than those on the control diet. Other studies indicated that people on an eat-until-full vegan diet lost more weight than others on a calorie-restricted diet, even when people on the vegan diet didn’t strictly follow the protocol.
You’ll get a lot of nutrients in a vegan diet.
A plant based diet is laden with extra nutrients that come from legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The plant-based diet contains more fiber, phytonutrients—which include antioxidants and other beneficial compounds, more magnesium, potassium, folate, vitamins A, E and C. You do have to ensure adequate planning, since no one food in a vegan diet is a complete source of essential amino acids, so combining several protein sources throughout the day is important.
A vegan diet provides help for insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and kidney function.
A vegan diet can be beneficial for increasing insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar levels. It reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 78%. Vegan diets have been shown to lower blood sugar better than the diet from the American Heart Association—AHA, American Diabetes Association—ADA and the National Cholesterol Education Program—NCEP. One study followed diabetics on a vegan diet and found 43% could lower their medication by 43% compared to the group on the ADA diet. Vegan diets have been shown to improve kidney function in diabetics, too.
- Ensuring you get adequate calcium, B12, iron, iodine and zinc are more difficult on a vegan diet, so planning is important. Avoid fast food vegan options and stick with whole foods to help you reach those goals.
- A vegan diet provides phytonutrients, vitamins, fiber and minerals that can help prevent several types of cancer, including prostate, colon and breast cancer.
- You’ll get heart healthy benefits from a vegan diet. Not only does the diet contain high amounts of fiber, which helps cholesterol levels, nutrients in a vegan diet can lower blood pressure.
- Studies show that consuming a plant based diet can ease the pain from arthritis. Raw food vegan diets also were rich in pre and probiotics, helps minimize the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, like joint swelling, pain and morning stiffness.
For more information, contact us today at UpFit Training Academy
