Plant-based VS Vegan

It supports your immune system. Plants have essential nutrients that you cannot get from other foods. The vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants in plants help keep your cells healthy and your body in balance so that your immune system can function at its best. This would reduce your risk for cancer because it can recognise and attack mutations in cells before they can progress to disease.

Plants are high in fiber. Fiber is present in all unprocessed plant foods. It is what makes up the structure of the plant, and if you eat more of it you access a whole host of benefits. Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilise blood sugar and it’s great for good bowel management.

Plant foods reduce inflammation. Plants’ essential nutrients work to resolve inflammation in your body. The same tiny phytochemicals and antioxidants that boost your immune system also go around your body neutralising toxins from pollution, processed food, bacteria, viruses and more. Prolonged inflammation can damage your body’s cells and tissue and has been linked to cancer and other inflammatory diseases like arthritis. A plant-based diet may protect you because it removes some of the triggers to these diseases.

Metabolism 
Vegans benefit from increased consumption of vegetables but can miss out on essential nutrients due to the avoidance of meat and dairy. Vegan diets are usually high in fiber, magnesium, folic acid, phytochemicals, and vitamins C and E. On the other hand, they tend to be lower in calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, zinc, and vitamins B-12 and D.

Cardiovascular health
Diets that are high in fruits and vegetables, nuts, vegetable oils, and whole grain are often associated with lower rates of cardiovascular disease development. This seems to be primarily due to the increased intake of fruits and vegetables, which contain valuable nutrients, including fiber and antioxidant vitamins, and have been independently associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cognitive health
Studies that have focused on this have found mild or moderate improvements when patients afflicted with migraine, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and rheumatoid arthritis consumed a vegan diet. Studies looking at specific nutrients show some signs that vegan diets can be beneficial for cognition and mental health. Intake of phytochemicals, which appears to be higher in vegans, is associated with beneficial effects on mental health. In contrast, lower intake of vitamin B-12, which is common in vegans, is associated with detrimental effects on the neurologic system and cognitive health, such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Vegans can intake B-12 supplements or eat B-12 fortified food such as soy milk and some cereals to complement the missing vitamin in their diet.