Written By: Upneet Pansare | Updated : February 7, 2019 4:41 PM IST
Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular across the globe. The reasons are many. Most of them are to do with the fact that they are cheaper than animal-based diets, are more environment-friendly, more sustainable, and more importantly, healthier. A recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology shows that high-quality plant-based diet, defined by low intake of animal foods such as red meat, and high intake of plant foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains, coupled with a reduced intake of sweetened beverages, could be associated with reduced risk of diabetes.
For the study, the researchers focused on popular plant-based diets including Mediterranean diet (aMED, an international adaptation of the eponymous diet), the Alternate Healthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010), the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, the plant-based diet index (PDI) and the healthful plant-based diet index (PDI) all of which encourage a high intake of whole grains, vegetables and fruits, nuts and legumes, and low intake of red meat and sugar-sweetened beverages. All these have been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Type 2 diabetes: Previous studies including one in the journal Clinical Nutrition, have also noted how plant-based diets benefit both glycemic control and cardiovascular health because they are low in saturated fat, rich in phytochemicals, high in fibre and often rich in low-glycemic fruits and vegetables.
Obesity: A study by the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, showed that consumption of even mild vegetarian diet may reduce the risk of obesity in long term. A study showed that people with higher scores on the plant-based diet index had a lower body mass index (BMI) over the long term.
Premature ageing: A diet that's rich in plant sources of food has plenty of antioxidants which have anti-inflammatory properties slow down ageing.
Sexual health problems: Studies have shown that plant-based diets can help beat and treat sexual health problems like erectile dysfunction because they can up the healthy blood supply from the aorta in the heart to the groin thereby improving blood circulation in the sexual organs and ensuring their optimum functioning.
With inputs from ANI
