RAF412: Plant-Based Diets

Welcome to Running: A FEVER. My name is Michael Davis. This is a show about fitness, diet, and medicine. My goal is to live a long, healthy, happy, active life right up to the very end. It’s all about loving my life enough to make it last as long as possible.

Have you heard the hype about plant-based diets? I’m not sure when the word vegetarian went out of style. But now it’s plant-based, so I guess I’d better get used to it. There are several reasons people adopt a plant-based diet. But I think what’s on all our minds is the health benefits.

Here is a list of some of the benefits I found on the Mayo Clinic website:

Reduces heart disease
Lowers blood pressure
Improves gut health
Improves weight management
Cuts down on the risk of chronic disease
Is rich in nutrients
Reduces environmental footprint

One of the common misconceptions about plant-based diets is that they make it difficult to obtain enough protein. However, numerous plant-based foods are rich in protein. Some examples include beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, lentils, and peas. These foods are called pulses, and they also contain large amounts of fiber, which is essential for heart health.

Another myth is that this kind of diet causes deficiencies in the nutrients we need. But the colors of different fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients that can help boost immune function. A phytonutrient is
just another way of saying a compound produced by a plant that provides health benefits to the body. But suppose you’re on a plant-based diet. In that case, you may need to supplement it with additional micronutrients (essential nutrients required in small amounts for various bodily functions) such as vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

A plant-predominant diet is recommended by the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society. This includes a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains (not processed), beans, nuts, and seeds. Did you know that processed meat is considered a carcinogen? Fiber, in addition to increasing heart health, is also suitable for cancer patients. The American Institute for Cancer Research states that for every 10-gram increase in dietary fiber, survival after a cancer diagnosis increases by 13%.

As long as we’re talking about fiber, I might as well tell you that I take a heaping spoonful of psyllium husk every morning with my protein shake. Let’s go off on a tangent, shall we? Psyllium is a soluble fiber derived from the seeds of Plantago ovata, an herb grown mainly in India. In addition to the heart and cancer benefits, psyllium can help regulate high cholesterol by binding to cholesterol in the digestive process, allowing it to be excreted before entering the bloodstream. It also helps regulate triglycerides and blood sugar levels. Triglycerides are just fat in the bloodstream. Fiber also helps digestion.

Back to plant-based diets. How do some of these benefits work?

The reduction in heart disease is attributed to the fact that the diet contains no dietary cholesterol, a minimal amount of saturated fat, and a high amount of fiber. Meat, cheese, and eggs, on the other hand, contain high levels of cholesterol and saturated fat, which can contribute to plaque buildup in the arteries and ultimately lead to heart disease. However, we’re specifically referring to diets that consist of whole, unprocessed plant foods, rather than French fries or canned peaches.

Blood pressure is lowered because fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium, which helps lower blood pressure. They are also generally low in fat and sodium and have no cholesterol. Meat, dairy products, and fats increase the blood’s viscosity (thickness), making it harder to pump, so reducing them has the opposite effect, lowering the risk of high blood pressure and assisting with blood pressure control. Beef, veal, lamb, poultry, seafood, and animal fat have all been associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure. The low-sodium aspect of a plant-based diet is essential in avoiding hypertension. In one study, sodium restriction reduced systolic blood pressure by 3.6. Most of the sodium in the American diet comes from processed, packaged, and store-bought foods, as well as those from restaurants. It is essential to consume whole foods, which are unprocessed foods that retain their natural state as closely as possible to their original form. A plant-based diet is also effective for weight loss, which helps regulate blood pressure beneficially.

Plant-based diets help gut health. Over half of the microbes in our gut can be altered by diet, so the key is to feed the beneficial microbes that are crucial to maintaining good health. Research has shown that plant-based diets are particularly effective in providing the necessary nutrients to support a wide diversity of beneficial microbes in the gut. The result is that these beneficial microbes become influential, improving the microbiome’s composition within weeks, or even days.

There are several reasons why a carefully planned vegan or vegetarian diet can aid in weight loss. Firstly, the basic principle of weight loss is a reduction in caloric intake, and plant foods tend to have lower calorie density. They are also rich in dietary fiber, which helps regulate your appetite and control blood sugar levels. As mentioned earlier, plant-based diets also have a beneficial impact on gut health, which can contribute to reducing excess body weight. And they reduce inflammation, which is also a contributor to obesity. However, it’s essential to eat the right vegetables and fruits. Here are some tips: (1) avoid highly-processed foods, (2) eat more non-starchy vegetables like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, leeks, celery, and cucumbers, (3) get enough good quality protein, like tofu, tempeh, and seitan, (4) prepare meals in advance, as preparation of good plant-based dishes can be time-consuming, (5) keep your plant-based diet balanced, including vitamin-rich colorful foods, healthy whole grains, and high-protein plant foods.

Reduction or reversal in disease. A low-fat, whole-food, plant-based diet is the only diet that has been shown to arrest and reverse atherosclerotic plaques in the heart arteries, which are responsible for causing heart attacks. Harvard researchers report that individuals who consume eight or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily are 30% less likely to experience a heart attack or stroke. In addition to its benefit for the hypertense, which in turn reduces the risk of stroke, this way of eating can also reverse diabetes, fatty liver disease, and early stages of prostate cancer. The more plant-based the diet after a diagnosis of breast and colon cancer, the better the chance of remission and survival.

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases generated by an individual’s or organization’s actions. Key to this is understanding how lifestyle choices, including diet, affect our carbon footprint. The meat and dairy industries are among the most significant contributors to greenhouse gases, notably methane and carbon dioxide. Conversely, a plant-based diet is generally associated with lower carbon emissions. A vegan diet can reduce an individual’s food-related carbon footprint by up to 73%, according to a University of Oxford researcher. Beyond carbon footprint reduction, a plant-based diet offers numerous environmental benefits, including reduced land and water usage, biodiversity preservation, lower pollution and resource consumption, and improvements in food production systems, which could contribute to greater global food security.

Well, that’s a lot of benefits. What are the detriments? I’ve mentioned the ‘myth’ that plant-based diets are nutritionally deficient. And they are, which is why you need supplementation and the right balance. A vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to anemia and neurological issues. A low intake of calcium and vitamin D can lead to decreased bone mineralization and increased risk of fractures. A deficiency of iron can occur, along with reduced omega-3 fatty acids and low protein. Adjustments can be made and are likely worthwhile.

Is a plant-based diet good for everyone? The general opinion surrounding the diet is slowly shifting from the strict ideals of veganism and vegetarianism to a more flexible way of life that can be tailored to the individual. Plant-based diets are generally considered safe and healthy, but they do require planning and lifestyle adjustments around the foods an individual chooses to consume. Choosing to eat primarily plant-based foods may have a positive impact on the environment and improve the health of specific individuals.

So there you are. I know I’m personally interested in incorporating more plant-based foods into my diet, although I probably won’t go the whole way with a vegetarian diet. What about you? Let me know in the comments. Don’t forget to like and subscribe. And remember, if you’ve got the fever, keep it burning, and if you don’t, catch the fever, and I will see you next time on Running: A FEVER.

RAF412: Plant-Based Diets

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