In around 440 B.C., the Greek physician Hippocrates said Let food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be food.

Although treating food as medicine is a highly debated concept, many recent studies have demonstrated the wisdom in this statement and how monitoring food quantity, type, and timing are crucial for good health.

However, what precisely makes up the optimal diet remains controversial. Growing evidence suggests optimal diets may depend on an interplay of health factors, including age, sex, and genetics.

Recently, researchers reviewed hundreds of nutrition studies from cellular to epidemiological perspectives to identify a common denominator nutrition pattern for healthy longevity.

They found that diets including mid-to-high levels of unrefined carbohydrates, a low but sufficient plant-based protein intake, and regular fish consumption were linked to an extended lifespan and healthspan.

Dr. Valter Longo, professor of gerontology and biological sciences at the University of Southern California, and one of the authors of the study, told Medical News Today:

First, diet here is intended as a nutritional lifestyle and not as a weight-loss strategy although maintaining a healthy weight is key. All aspects of the diet are linked to long-term health and longevity.

I am delighted to see this review, Dr. Pankaj Kapah, professor of gerontology at the University of Southern California, who was not involved in the study, told MNT.

Generally when one thinks of a longevity diet, the first thing that comes to mind is what we can add to our diet to live longer. This article is important to raise the awareness that the most striking benefits from studies across species have come from limiting the diet or fasting. Dr. Pankaj Kapah

The review was published in the journal Cell.

For the study, the researchers analyzed hundreds of studies examining nutrition and delayed aging in short-lived species, nutrient response pathways, caloric restriction, fasting, and diets with various macronutrient and composition levels, such as the keto diet.

The studies analyzed nutrition and diet from multiple angles, from cellular and animal studies to clinical and epidemiological research investigating the lifestyles of centenarians.

In the end, the researchers found that the longevity diet includes:

The researchers further noted that, rather than targeting a certain number of calories, diets should aim to keep BMI under 25 and maintain ideal sex and age-specific body fat and lean body mass levels.

Moreover, they wrote that diets should be adapted to individual needsespecially for those over 65to avoid malnourishment. Those over 65, for example, may become frail from a low protein diet.

For those without insulin resistance or obesity, high consumption of complex carbohydrates could reduce frailty in this age group and others, the researchers wrote, as it provides energy without increasing insulin and activating glucose signaling pathways.

The researchers also found that periodic fasting between the ages of 18 and 70 could reverse insulin resistance generated by a high calorie diet and regulate blood pressure, total cholesterol, and inflammation.

A recent study supports these findings. It found that changing from the typical Western diet to one rich in legumes, whole grains, and nuts with reduced red and processed meats is linked to an 8-year-longer life expectancy if started at age 60.

The researchers noted that diets involving calorie and protein restriction were consistently beneficial, whether in short-lived species or om epidemiological studies and large clinical trials.

They further noted that low but sufficient protein, or a recommended protein intake with high levels of legume consumption, could increase the health span by reducing the intake of amino acids including methionine. Methionine has been linked to increased activity in various pro-aging cellular pathways.

When asked how the longevity diet may benefit health from a clinical perspective, Kristin Kirkpatrick, a registered dietitian nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic and advisor to Dr. Longos firm, Prolon, told MNT:

The diet is primarily plant-based which, based on other similar studies, may contribute to lower risk of chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Plant-based diets have also been associated with lower inflammation levels in multiple studies. As inflammation is the base of many diseases, this may contribute to the longevity factors as well, she explained.

The researchers conclude that their findings provide solid foundations for future research into nutritional recommendations for healthy longevity.

When asked about the studys limitations, Dr. Longo, Dr. Kapahi, and Kirkpatrick stressed that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The optimal diet, they say, may differ due to factors including sex, age, genetic makeup, and any sensitivities and intolerances, such as an intolerance to gluten.

Dr. Longo thus recommends people visit a dietician before undertaking a new diet.

Kirkpatrick added that many of her patients visit her when making dietary changes to ensure they are sustainable in the long term.

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Longevity diet: More carbs, fasting, and less protein - Medical News Today

If youve been exploring different diets lately, you may have stumbled across the DASH diet and found yourself curious as to what it involves. First introduced in 1997, the DASH diet stands for 'dietary approaches to stop hypertension' (also known as high blood pressure).

High blood pressure affects nearly half of all Americans, and is defined as a systolic blood pressure greater than 130 mmHg or a diastolic blood pressure greater than 80 mmHg, according to the CDC. When left untreated, high blood pressure can cause damage to a range of organs throughout the body and may result in a heart attack or stroke.

The good news is, there are several ways that we can reduce high blood pressure. While investing in one of the best water bottles and upping your fluid intake can certainly help, the DASH diet offers a great nutrition-based way to help reduce high blood pressure without you needing to make any dramatic changes to the food youre consuming.

Focusing on lowering the amount of sodium consumed by encouraging people to eat whole foods, the DASH diet helps people to reduce their consumption of red meat and processed foods (which tend to be high in sodium) and increase their intake of fiber and mineral-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.

But is the DASH diet suitable for everyone? How does it work? And are there any side effects from following it? Read on to find out.

The DASH diet focuses on reducing consumption of red meat and heavily processed foods that are high in salt and sugar, and increasing the amount of potassium, magnesium and calcium. Potassium, magnesium and calcium are all important minerals in the regulation of blood pressure, as they play a role in the relaxation and contraction of blood vessels. In addition to this, potassium has a purging effect on the sodium in the body, so the more potassium you eat, the more sodium you lose through urine, according to the American Heart Association.

A review in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that lowering sodium may be beneficial for those in pre- and stage 1 hypertension (high blood pressure). The study indicated that the DASH diet can be used as a method of intervention to help lower high blood pressure and aid in preventing those with high blood pressure from developing secondary health conditions.

To read more about blood pressure and how our vascular system works, check out our guide to veins and arteries: facts about our blood vessels.

Registered dietician, food therapist and nutrition consultant, Laura Clark, explains the main characteristics of the DASH diet. It's a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, fish, poultry, beans, pulses, nuts, seeds and low fat dairy, she says. The emphasis with the DASH diet is a reduction of meat and processed foods which are higher in salt and sugar. Combining a reduction in salt with the eating of more foods that help to lower blood pressure and protect our arteries. There are no absolute cannots on this diet - it's about getting a better balance towards the foods that have been proven to help and reducing salt intake to under 6g per day.

Increasing your intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, as the DASH diet recommends, will help to increase your dietary fiber intake, in turn giving you a sense of fullness and satiety when you eat. Often hunger and lack of satisfaction cause dieters to quit, so its important to help keep hunger low and motivation high.

The Journal of Nutrition investigation into the role of fiber in weight loss indicates that a diet high in fiber can help those with obesity to adhere to a calorie restricted diet. As obesity is often a condition found alongside high blood pressure, decreasing overall weight can be beneficial in helping treat the symptoms of both, and reduce pressure on the cardiovascular system.

For another healthy alternative to the DASH diet, you might want to look at the Mediterranean diet.

According to the CDC, only about 1 in 4 adults (24%) with hypertension have their condition under control, which is quite a scary number considering the number of people in the US who have it. Dietary changes, such as following the DASH diet, may help to keep the condition under control.

Clark explains that the DASH diet has a number of applications, although it started as a diet to help those with hypertension. Originally designed to reduce blood pressure, it also has other benefits for cardiovascular health and has been shown to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attacks and improve cardiovascular health in general due to being rich in cardioprotective nutrients such as fiber, calcium, potassium and magnesium, she says. It's a healthy way of eating suitable for the whole family.

Reducing your consumption of processed foods and opting for more whole foods can help improve your overall health, as it often correlates with a reduction of sodium, saturated fat and sugar in the diet, which can contribute to the development of high blood pressure or associated conditions.

References

Facts About Hypertension | cdc.gov. (2021, September 27). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure/facts.htm#:%7E:text=Nearly%20half%20of%20adults%20in,are%20taking%20medication%20for%20hypertension.

How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure. (2022, April 14). http://Www.Heart.Org. Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/high-blood-pressure/changes-you-can-make-to-manage-high-blood-pressure/how-potassium-can-help-control-high-blood-pressure#:%7E:text=The%20more%20potassium%20you%20eat,80%20who%20are%20otherwise%20healthy.

Juraschek, S. P., Miller, E. R., Weaver, C. M., & Appel, L. J. (2017). Effects of Sodium Reduction and the DASH Diet in Relation to Baseline Blood Pressure. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 70(23), 28412848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.011

Miketinas, D. C., Bray, G. A., Beyl, R. A., Ryan, D. H., Sacks, F. M., & Champagne, C. M. (2019). Fiber Intake Predicts Weight Loss and Dietary Adherence in Adults Consuming Calorie-Restricted Diets: The POUNDS Lost (Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies) Study. The Journal of Nutrition, 149(10), 17421748. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz117

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You may be wondering why a balanced diet is important. The simple answer is eating a healthy, balanced diet is a vital part of maintaining good health and helping you to feel your best. While some groups of people, such as athletes, may require additional support by way of the best protein powders to fuel muscle growth, the majority of us can get everything we need by ensuring were eating a healthy and varied range of foods.

A balanced diet supplies the fuel your body needs to work effectively. Without balanced nutrition, your body is more prone to illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Eating a variety of foods and consuming less salt, sugars, and saturated fats are essential to ensure your body functions at its best.

If your diet isnt balanced and you consume foods that dont provide enough nutritional value, your nutrient levels will start to decline. Research has found that 31% of the U.S. population is at risk of at least one vitamin deficiency. There are many dangers of a nutrient deficiency, including digestion problems, anemia, and skin problems.

In this article, you will learn about what you need for a balanced diet, why a balanced diet is so important, and tips for ensuring you meet your nutritional needs every day.

A balanced diet ideally includes five food groups, Isabel Maples, registered dietitian, and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics told Live Science. The individual food groups each supply certain groups of nutrients. One group is not more important than the other - each provides key vitamins, minerals, fiber, and calories. But when one food group is eaten less, then it becomes the weakest link in maintaining balance. More focus on it might help bring the diet back into balance.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, set out by the U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommend nutrient-dense foods that provide vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting components and have no or little added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.

The core elements that make up a healthy dietary pattern include:

Nutritionist Lamorna Hollingsworth says variety is key when it comes to eating fruit and vegetables. Go for at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, she says. Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried all count. Eating a diverse range of plant-based foods is great news for our gut health and microbiome which thrives best when we consume a wide variety - aiming for 30+ different plant-based foods a week is a great target.

The dietary guidelines also advise limiting foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium and limiting alcoholic beverages. The recommended limits are:

The foods we eat have a profound impact on physical and mental health. The scientific connection between food and health is well documented, with substantial evidence showing that following a healthy diet can help people achieve and maintain good health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

A balanced diet supplies the nutrients your body needs to work well. Without balanced nutrition, your body is more prone to disease, infection, and fatigue.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, four of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States - heart disease, cancer, stroke, and type 2 diabetes - are directly linked to diet.

Some evidence suggests a close relationship between diet and mood. In 2016, research published in the journal Appetite found that diets with a high glycemic load may trigger increased symptoms of depression and fatigue. Foods with a high glycemic load include many refined carbohydrates, often found in soft drinks, cakes, white bread, and biscuits. Vegetables, whole fruit, and whole grains have a lower glycemic load.

A healthy diet may help maintain brain health too. A 2015 study published in the journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research identified nutrients and foods that protect against cognitive decline and dementia. The researchers found the following beneficial - vitamin D, vitamin C, and vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, and fish.

A healthy diet will combine all the recommended nutrients and food groups mentioned, but you need to balance them too.

The plate method is a handy way to remember how much of each food group to eat. Maples endorses the USDAs 'ChooseMyPlate' initiative, which recommends:

But individual needs will vary, so the USDA also provides an interactive tool, 'MyPlate Plan', where you can enter your own details to determine your personal needs.

Hollingsworth believes that proper balance comes when you view food on a spectrum, as labeling foods good or bad may lead to unhealthy restrictive habits. She told LiveScience: It could be argued that a balanced diet that includes healthy and occasional not-so-healthy foods is more important than aiming for perfection with all our food choices.

Taking this approach allows individuals to fuel their bodies with healthy options but also provides a positive place for our mental health too. Having this kind of mindset prevents guilt that could be felt upon eating the occasional unhealthy food.

References

Bird, J., Murphy, R., Ciappio, E., & McBurney, M. (2017). Risk of Deficiency in Multiple Concurrent Micronutrients in Children and Adults in the United States. Nutrients, 9(7), 655. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5537775/

Breymeyer, K. L., Lampe, J. W., McGregor, B. A., & Neuhouser, M. L. (2016). Subjective mood and energy levels of healthy weight and overweight/obese healthy adults on high-and low-glycemic load experimental diets. Appetite, 107, 253259. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666316303221

Strasser, B., & Fuchs, D. (2015). Role of physical activity and diet on mood, behavior, and cognition. Neurology, Psychiatry and Brain Research, 21(3), 118126. http://www.barbara-strasser.at/wp-content/uploads/Neurology-Psychiatry-and-Brain-Research-2015.pdf

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2020). Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020 - 2025. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf

Why Good Nutrition is Important. (2018, May 17). Center for Science in the Public Interest. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from https://www.cspinet.org/eating-healthy/why-good-nutrition-important

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As the spring of 1932 commenced, the Great Depression had Syracuse in its grips.

An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 people, making up more than 6,000 families, were struggling to put their next meal on the table.

(To give perspective to the size of the problem faced by the city and its welfare department, the population of Syracuse in the 1930 census was just over 209,000 people.)

City dieticians, nutritionists and government officials worked on a plan which walked a delicate balance between providing enough sustenance while not putting more strain on Syracuses budget.

The aim of the whole project is to supply, at the lowest possible cost, every dependent of the department of welfare with wholesome and palatable food meeting the recognized dietary standard, was how the Syracuse Journal described the problem on March 31, 1932.

Together they came up with the nine-cent-a-day diet for Syracuses poor, providing about 2,700 calories daily. In todays money, that is about $1.89 in which to feed yourself.

The question many asked was could a person live on less than a dime a day.

Syracuse Mayor Rolland B. Marvin wanted to find out and volunteered to be among the first to try it out.

I do not want to give to the people of the city a diet that I would not use, he said. I will note the effect the diet has on me and will be able to judge whether it is sufficient.

For a week he adhered to the rules of what became known as the Syracuse Diet, often in front of news cameras and reporters.

Soon, households across the country wanted to know more about what became known as the Syracuse diet.

- Mayor Rolland B. Marvin and his family was photographed having breakfast on April 21, 1932. His breakfast of wheat toast, with apple butter, coffee, and the juice of one orange was following in the city's "nine-cent-a-day" diet plan for its poor he was testing. Courtesy of World ArchivesCourtesy of World Archives

On the morning of April 21, 1932, newspaper reporters and photographers strode into Rolland B. Marvins dining room at 1050 Ackerman Avenue to watch the citys mayor, and his family, have breakfast.

He drank a cup of coffee and the juice of one orange, and two slices of wheat toast, on which he spread apple butter, instead of oleomargarine. This, he said, was permissible under the rules.

Marvins children, Kathryn, 8, and Charles, 6, had a similar meal, only they drank milk. This, again, was provided for under the rules.

Fortified by this spartan meal, the mayor rushed for an 8:45 train to Albany.

When he boarded, a reporter asked what Marvin might have for lunch.

I do not know, he replied. I shall wait until I sit down to the table and then consult my appetite. I like either salt pork or soup meat. It may be hard to choose.

At Albanys Hotel Van Eyck, Rolland Marvin had a simple lunch of four griddle cakes, stewed tomatoes and a glass of milk. Once again, reporters and photographers were there to capture it.

During a meeting in Albany, Mayor Rolland Marvin had a lunch of four griddle cakes, stewed tomatoes, and a glass of milk. Technically, the milk was against the rules. Under Syracuse's nine-cent-a-day diet, milk was reserved for the city's children. Courtesy of World ArchivesCourtesy of World Archives

Technically, that glass of milk in Albany was not allowed, milk was reserved for Syracuses children, but it showed Marvins adherence to the diet.

So far so good, he told them. I feel fine. Hungry? Not a bit.

It was the third day of his week-long trial and to this point, Marvin said, he had lost no weight.

The day before, while at an Exchange Club luncheon in Binghamton, Marvin had only a glass of water and a cigarette for lunch; the tempting soup and broiled chicken being served certainly being against the rules.

Marvins diet drew a great deal of attention, and his office was inundated with letters from people across America, looking for help during the Depression.

The publicity given the dietary experiments of Mayor Rolland B. Marvin has considerably increased the mail brought daily to his desk at City Hall, the Herald noted on April 23, 1932.

I would like a menu of the nine-cent diet plan, wrote a woman from Fairchance, Pennsylvania. We are a family of five adults and once child, living on a reduced scale, as only one is working. We are trying to keep out of debt.

My husband is included among the unemployed, a Connecticut woman wrote. I would be glad if you would mail me the menu your wife has used for your meals.

Syracuse Herald cartoonists had some fun when Mayor Rolland B. Marvin started his week-long test of the nine-cent diet in April 1932. At luncheons and dinners, he stuck with the diet or went without eating. Courtesy of World ArchivesCourtesy of World Archives

Syracuse Herald cartoonists had some fun when Mayor Rolland B. Marvin started his week-long test of the nine-cent diet in April 1932.Marvin reported that he actually gained weight after the 2,700-calorie a day diet. Courtesy of World ArchivesCourtesy of World Archives

Another called Marvins diet planning a blessing to thousands of families.

I would be so glad to know more about your nine cents diet and hope you will furnish the information as to how to practice the idea for the question of food seemed vital, Gertrude Bishop, of San Gabriel, California, wrote.

The mayor of Minneapolis wanted to know more about the Syracuse diet for his constituents.

(Once after Marvin had criticized Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelts passing the buck to New York cities for the high cost of the states government, FDR replied, As usual, with regard to any remarks by the Mayor of Syracuse no comment!

Perhaps, columnist Fred Betts wrote, Mr. Roosevelt is afraid that if he replied the Mayor would challenge him to go on that 9-cents-a-day diet.)

Marvin tried to downplay his experiment.

There were too many letters to be answered, he said. Most of the writers seem to think I have discovered a way that any family can cut its food cost to nine cents a day for each individual. That is not the case.

(The city of Syracuse could buy big lots of food at a more reduced cost than a normal family could.)

There was some criticism.

A Utica woman suggested that Syracuse feed its poor on grass clippings.

The plan might be adopted for the unemployed, Phebe Klein wrote, thereby saving money and, at the same time, adding to their time for play and recreation.

At a Communist party rally at Hanover Square on May Day, the nine-cent-a-day diet was savaged, one placard reading:

Let the bosses live in nine cents a day; we demand unemployment insurance.

When his weeks trial was over on April 27, 1932, Mayor Marvin said he had gained two pounds, four ounces.

This clipping from the April 16, 1932 Syracuse Herald gives an idea on the week's worth of groceries given to the city's poor under the "nine-cent diet" plan. Courtesy of World ArchivesCourtesy of World Archives

I am now convinced that it provides proper nourishment, he wrote in a newspaper column for The Associated Press.

A weeks supply of food for a family included two cans of evaporated milk, six ounces of salt pork, 21-and-a-half ounces of soup beef, one can of salmon, and 12 ounces of navy beans. Packages also included peanut butter, carrots, potatoes, cabbage, macaroni, oatmeal, bread, three ounces of coffee, and more.

The diet was to be, the Herald reported, adequate and attractive, and provide a reasonable variation for the citys poor.

On May 19, New York States Department of Health approved Syracuses plan.

That day, after pressure from local dairy farmers and a general distaste for margarine, natural butter was added to the diet.

Laundry and toilet soap were also added to weekly orders. A new City Welfare Nutritionist, Mary Buettner, would create menus and visit families who needed guidance.

It was an all an effort to steer Syracuse through the Depression.

I have been trying to do my level best to direct a course that will save the city from bankruptcy and reasonably take care of the 30,000 men, women, and children now on the relief rolls, Marvin said.

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This feature is a part of CNY Nostalgia, a section on syracuse.com. Send your ideas and curiosities to Johnathan Croyle at jcroyle@syracuse.com or call 315-427-3958.

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Syracuse mayor tests citys 9-cents-a-day diet to feed the poor, kickstarting the Syracuse diet - syracuse.com

How many vegans, according to the joke, does it take to change a lightbulb? Two: one to change it and one to check for animal ingredients. Its funny because it contains a kernel of truth. Everyone evidently knows that vegans seem obsessed with reading ingredient labels. But less well known is the definition of vegan in its entirety and whether it constitutes a lifestyle or merely a diet.

Veganspeople who do not consume anything that comes from an animalhave been around for thousands of years. The Therapeutae, for instance, were an ancient Jewish sect that abstained from all animal foods, and the philosopher and poet Ab al-Al al-Maarr (9731057) avoided animal products and wrote do not desire as food the flesh of slaughtered animals / Or the white milk of mothers who intended its pure draught / for their young, not noble ladies.

But the word vegan was not created until 1944, when six members of The Vegan Society gathered in England and coined it from the first and last letters of vegetarian. According to The Vegan Society, The group felt a new word was required to describe them; something more concise than non-dairy vegetarians. Rejected words included dairyban, vitan, and benevore.

The Vegan Societys definition of a vegan describes it as a philosophy and way of living which seeks to excludeas far as is possible and practicableall forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms, it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.

As that definition implies, veganism is not just a diet; indeed, for ethical vegans, it means not supporting any product or enterprise that exploits animals, from drugs that are tested on animals to zoos and aquariums that keep them in captivity. With such an ethic in mind, many vegans regard it as their obligation to speak out for animals by sharing with friends, family, and the public information regarding how animals suffer for food, fashion, experiments, entertainment, and more.

With the increasing popularity of veganism, however, has come an even more holistic and compassionate approach to defining what a vegan is. There is a growing movement that believes that the unity of suffering connects species, races, genders, classes, and religions in a very tangible waythat the exploitation of animals is intrinsically linked to the oppression of humans in its many forms (such as racism, sexism, ableism, and sizeism). For those within this movement, being vegan means advocating for and amplifying the voices of marginalized people as well as animals.

The main difference between vegan and vegetarian is that vegetarians do not eat meat and vegans do not eat anything that comes from an animal: meat, dairy, eggs, and honey. Vegans also do not wear or use other animal products, including leather, wool, silk, feathers and down, and beeswax, and they avoid products tested on animals, such as cosmetics and drugs (although the consensus is youre still vegan if you take necessary medications, whether theyre vegan or not, including the COVID vaccines).

Some vegetarians consume animal products: lacto-vegetarians exclude all meat and eggs in their diet but include dairy products, ovo-vegetarians exclude all meat and dairy but include eggs, and lacto-ovo vegetarians exclude all meat but include dairy and eggs.

Clearly, veganism is a stricter lifestyle choice than vegetarianism, and the vegan movement has given rise to several subsets that go beyond the baseline of avoiding animal products.

More and more, plant-based is being used as a synonym for vegan, especially in food marketing. Are they really the same? No. A plant-based diet consists primarily of plant foods, but a vegan diet completely excludes anything that comes from an animal. So, while plant-based might include ingredients like eggs, dairy, honey, or even a little meat, vegan means the food is entirely free of animal products. Moreover, veganism is a lifestyle, and vegans are likely to extend this to other aspects of their lives, including not wearing anything that comes from an animal or using products tested on them.

Many people today say they went vegan for their health. Indeed, both the American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the British Dietetic Association acknowledge that a well-planned vegan diet is suitable for every age and stage of life. More specifically, a vegan diet rich in whole foods provides the following benefits.

According to research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, diets that focus on nutritionally rich plant foods can give young adults a healthier heart, lowering their risk of cardiovascular disease by 52 percent. The 32-year study found that even participants who shifted to a plant-based diet as they aged gained heart-protective benefits, regardless of the quality of their original diet. The nutrients found in plant foods have been shown to reduce oxidation, lower inflammation, decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and improve other health outcomes associated with lower heart disease risk.

A study by researchers at Oxford University showed that vegans have a much lower risk of getting some forms of the disease. The 15-year-long study followed 61,647 British adults, of which 18,298 were vegetarian and 2,246 were vegan. They found that overall cancer incidencecompared to meat-eaterswas 11-percent lower in vegetarians and 19-percent lower in vegans. These findings correspond with numerous other studies looking at how diet affects cancer risk, including another one from Oxford University that analyzed data on more than 470,000 Britons and found that people who dont eat meat have a 14-percent lower cancer risk.

It seems that every day new research touts some health benefit of eating vegan. Among the latest good news is that a healthy, whole foods, plant-based diet is linked to a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, which currently affects 450 million people worldwide. The study, carried out by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, involved 10,684 participants and sought to identify the benefits of different plant-based diets and explore possible connections between this and the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the most common form of the disease. Lead author of the study Professor Frank Hu said that consumption of polyphenol-rich plant foods like fruits, vegetables, coffee, and legumes are all closely linked to a healthy plant-based diet and lower risk of diabetes.

A recent review of studies on the link between diet and hypertension found that compared to people who eat meat, a vegetarian diet lowered the systolic blood pressure by an average of 2.66 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 1.69 mmHg. Those eating a vegan diet showed an even greater reduction of 3.12 mmHg systolic and 1.92 mmHg diastolic blood pressure. (Interestingly, subjects eating a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, which allows dairy products and eggs, showed no changes in diastolic blood pressure reduction.)

Studies show that following a diet rich in plant-based foods during midlife is associated with a significantly lower risk of cognitive impairmentincluding Alzheimers diseaselater in life. Research on plant-derived antioxidants, for instance, finds they reduce the damage caused by oxidative stress to central nervous system integrity, thereby protecting cognitive ability. Meanwhile, the phytochemicals present in fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and other plants have been found to reduce the neuroinflammation that can contribute to dementia.

A low-fat vegan diet improves joint pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune and inflammatory disease that causes joint pain, swelling, and eventually permanent joint damage. Certain foods, such as red meat and dairy, cause inflammation, which may make arthritis symptoms worse. A diet based on plants, however, can reduce or even eliminate arthritis pain.

Going vegan is not only good for the animals and your healthits good for the planet. A vegan diet is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth, not just greenhouse gases, but global acidification, eutrophication, land use, and water use, says Joseph Poore of the University of Oxford and lead researcher on a 2018 report on food production. It is far bigger than cutting down on your flights or buying an electric car, he said, because these only cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

A growing list of experts agree that adopting a plant-based diet is crucial in the fight against climate change. According to a report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a global shift toward plant-based diets rich in pulses, nuts, fruits, and vegetables could lead to a substantial reduction of GHG emissions as compared to current dietary patterns in most industrialized countries. Another report found that 57 percent of global GHG emissions from food production come from meat and dairy productstwice those of plant foods.

Clearly, switching to a vegan diet may be the most important step humanity can take to ensure the future of our planet.

For additional resources, check out all of VegNews recipes and our guides to vegan beer, milk, cheese, and much more.

For more about veganism, read:How to Get Iron on a Vegan Diet10 High-Protein Vegan RecipesThe 7 Health Benefits of Not Eating Meat

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What's the Definition of Vegan? Is It a Diet or a Lifestyle? - VegNews