Plant based foods are health essentials

 Going plant-based doesn't necessarily mean you have to completely remove meats from diet, but more importantly, adding a diet heavy in fruits and veggies may help ward off chronic diseases and keep you svelte. Here are a few reasons to go the plant-based route.

Lots of research, including some from the Harvard School of Public Health, suggests a diet loaded with fruits and veggies can lower blood pressure. About 1 in 3 American adults suffers from high blood pressure, meaning they're at higher risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in the United States.

Vitamin C is not present in beneficial amounts in any cooked animal products. On the flip side, vitamin C is found in abundance in many vegetables and fruits. This is an essential vitamin that maintains connective tissue as well as preventing a wide range of health problems that are caused by vitamin C deficiency. It can also help to regulate blood pressure and promotes the optimum function of your blood vessels.

Skin care

Cutting back on animal products also means skipping much of their saturated fats, which are notorious for clogging pores. Plus, many of the vitamins, pigments and phytochemicals in fruits and veggies contribute to healthy skin. The lycopene in tomatoes, for example, helps protect your skin from sun damage, and the vitamin C in sweet potatoes smooths wrinkles by stimulating the production of collagen.

Heart health

Harvard researchers tracked the health habits of about 110,000 people for 14 years, and found that the higher folks' intakes of fruits and vegetables, the lower their chances of developing cardiovascular disease. Specifically, people who averaged eight-plus servings of fruits and veggies a day were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke, compared to those who had less than 1.5 daily servings.

Weight loss

There's plenty of research suggesting vegetarians tend to consume fewer calories, and thus weigh less and have lower body mass indexes than non-vegetarians. While following a plant-based diet doesn't necessarily mean going full-blown vegetarian, opting largely for fruits, veggies and whole grains in lieu of meat will likely leave you feeling fuller on fewer calories.

There are of course many more amazing nutritional benefits to be gained from eating a range of plant-based foods every day but hopefully these above will motivate you to get started!

Want to learn more about nutrition? Head over to http://thegreenmouth.blogspot.com/

Xo Gia

Green mouth Green lifestyle