13.7 C
Kawartha Lakes
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
No menu items!
HomeHealth and LifestyleThe Benefit of a Plant Based Diet

The Benefit of a Plant Based Diet

KAWARTHA LAKES-  Canada’s Food Guide recently switched over from the 4 foods groups we all are familiar with, to a more plant-based diet.

Even before these changes, more and more people have been adopting a more plant centred  diet in search of the myriad of health benefits, weight loss, and to live with our planet’s sustainability in mind.

If you are curious about what eating more plant based can do for you, read on to find out the amazing benefits of eating the rainbow!

1.) Less Inflammation

One thing you’ll notice very quickly after eating more plants is that your body becomes less inflamed. Many of us eat processed foods that contribute to low grade inflammation including processed oils, commercially farmed and nitrate-laden meats, and high fructose corn syrup.
If you’ve been eating the Standard American Diet for most of your life, you may be carrying 5-10 extra pounds of inflammation that can be seen in your face, your waistline, and even through chronic pain and slow recovery times.
A plant focused diet can greatly help to reduce inflammation. In fact, this diet is highly recommended by heart surgeons and diabetes experts for this reason and the next.

2.) Healthier Heart

If you are eating a diet that is full of fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, whole grains, and soy, you may cut your chance of heart disease, high cholesterol, elevated blood pressure, and Type 2 diabetes compared to a diet that contains a lot more meat.

3.) Feeling Fuller on Less

When you consume mainly plants, you are eating a ton of water and fibre. This takes up more space in our stomachs causing us to feel fuller with less calories.
Look at the calories in a tablespoon of oil versus a cup of brown rice. While they may appear calorically similar, one provides an entire cup of nutrients, minerals and vitamins, while the other takes is very little space.
I like to educate my clients to look at foods in terms of hydration and nutrient density rather than counting calories.
If you are focusing on foods that are full of colour, vitamins and are fibre and water filled, you will stay fuller, longer meaning you will consume less calories overall than if you simply focus on the caloric value of food.

4.) Budget Friendly

The biggest shock I found when switching to a more plant based diet was the huge reduction in my grocery bills. While some might think the contrary, plant based is actually very budget friendly. Consider the cost of dry beans and rice compared to a roast beef dinner.

Plant based diets don’t necessarily have to be omit of animal products. It’s just a matter of crowding out your plate with more plant sources so you are taking in more nutrients, vitamins, and fibre as opposed to nitrates, excess fat and cholesterol.

Start slowly by adding in more whole grains, nuts, seeds, and plant based fats like avocado. Make sure half of your plate at every meal is something full of colour like leafy greens or fruit. Making these small changes can make a huge difference to your health and the health of our planet.

If you need help or have questions, please reach out to me via my website at www.sweathappywellness.com where I offer 3 great online health coaching programs.

Becky Sheehey is a Holistic Health Coach, and a Pilates and Movement Expert with a background in Kinesiology. She lives in Lindsay.

Don't forget to sign up for our morning newsletter.

Catch up on all the local news while enjoying your coffee.

Becky Sheehey
Becky Sheehey
Becky Sheehey is a Holistic Health Coach, and a Pilates and Movement Expert with a background in Kinesiology. She lives in Lindsay.

Most Popular

Kawartha 411