This content was provided by Dustin Thomas, MD, PPG – Cardiology.
When it comes to reducing your risk of heart disease, there are a number of diets thought to support cardiovascular health. These options include the Mediterranean diet and a whole-food, plant-based diet.
When we talk about plant-focused eating, there are several different approaches:
Vegetarian – These individuals avoid animal-based proteins, but are often still open to including some dairy, fish or eggs.
Vegan – People eating this diet avoid anything from an animal source, including dairy, eggs and meat.
Plant-focused – This option has the most flexibility. This way of eating means that most of the individual’s calories come from plants, legumes, nuts, etc., but it’s not as strict. If the person wants meat or dairy on occasion, they will have it.
Benefits
There are a wealth of advantages to plant-focused eating. There’s no arguing with the benefits of the nutrients and vitamins in these plant-based foods. They often contain far fewer calories but, because of the high fiber content, fill you up. As a result, people often experience weight loss without counting calories or tracking food.
They also feel sharper mentally, can often cut down on medications, feel stronger when they exercise and experience better relationships.
As this approach to eating grows in popularity, so too does the number of options at the grocery store. Going plant-based has never been more convenient (and delicious).
