The subject of veganism provokes strong and passionate responses in the health and fitness industry. Some professional athletes, including bodybuilders and strongmen, are devout vegans. Others claim it too hard to gain weight, muscle, or strength on a vegan diet. Despite all of the detractors, the vegan lifestyle is more popular than ever.
Let’s take a moment to examine the benefits of vegan-based nutrition.
It can actually become a relatively acrimonious debate at times – with one side waxing lyrical about the myriad benefits and the other stridently advocating for the meat-based diet that humans have relied on for generations.
Either way – amidst all the angry recriminations – it can be difficult to identify the impartial truth. Regardless of the myriad facts and opinions, veganism is surging in popularity in the UK.
If you’re interested in going vegan, you might be curious about how the change to your diet will affect your body. In this piece, we’ve identified the many changes that can happen – from the way your bowel operates to the newfound strength of your heart.
Improved Gut Health
One of the main advantages of switching to a vegan diet is the impact it can have on your gut. Vegan diets are packed full of fibre-rich foods like whole grains, cereal products, vegetable skins, seeds and nuts.
Incorporating these kinds of foods into your diet will make your digestive tract run much more smoothly. This is because the nutrients in a vegan diet help manage the gut microbiome. The Western diet that too heavily leans on processed foods plays havoc with the microbiome – ridding it of the diverse range of gut bacteria responsible for maintaining a healthy balance in the gut.
Foods that are typical of the vegan diet – fibre-rich, phytonutrient and antioxidant rich foods – all help maintain this balance and keep the gut healthy.
Some people making the switch may also notice an absence of bloating. If this is an issue that has been plaguing you, why not make the switch?
Reduced Risk of Heart Disease
Highly processed animal products are one of the leading sources of bad cholesterol. With your arteries clogged up with fat, the heart has to work harder to get the blood (and oxygen) around the body, increasing your chances of getting heart disease.
Sources of polyunsaturated fats like rapeseed, corn, and sunflower oil – that are common in vegan diets – can help ward off the threat of cardiovascular disease. They help the body to fight against bad cholesterol by lowering its presence in the blood.
A vegan diet can also help you stave off the threat of diabetes by keeping your blood sugar low. This approach to eating has even been endorsed by diabetes charities in the UK.
Weight Loss
A vegan diet can help you get rid of excess body fat. So, whether you’re trying to shed weight for a summer holiday or you want to look lean at the swimming pool, opting for a vegan diet may be the most efficient way to become svelte.
Many a scientific study has endorsed this approach to weight loss. In controlled tests, those that changed to a vegan diet were able to increase fat loss and lose weight. In general, too, those who subscribe to a vegan diet also tend to have lower BMIs.
A healthier gut, reduced risk of heart disease, and attaining a healthier weight are all by-products of adopting a vegan diet. It’s easy to see why so many are making the switch and moving away from animal products.
Tags: Diet, nutrition, vegan, vegan diet, veganism, vegetarian, vegetarianism
