Many people confuse plant-based diets with restrictions. People assume that reducing or eliminating meat from their meal plans will result in boring meals that don’t satisfy tastebuds. Plant-based diets don’t mean limitations; rather, you can have fun with vegetables-induced diets. The only thing you need to ensure is that you’re upholding your daily nutrition value…
You can eat more delicious meals than having to reduce the number of your meals throughout the day with a plant-based diet. Additionally, you’ll be shifting towards a healthier, eco-friendly lifestyle instead of being restricted.
What are the benefits of plant-based diets
It’s a fact that plant-based diets are a healthier alternative to a meat-focused diet. But there are more benefits to a plant-based diet than you think. Here are a few common benefits of shifting towards a daily plant-based diet routine:
- An increased boost for the body's immune system.
- Decrease in unhealthy fats and calories, leading to a more controlled ideal body weight.
- Reduces the risk and fights against several tumors and cancer.
- More fiber intake by the body, resulting in better gut health.
- Reduces the risk of chronic inflammation in the body.
- Strengthens and improves the kidney’s functions.
- Fights against type 2 diabetes by maintaining glucose levels in the blood.
- Eco-friendly option by reducing the consumption of meat.
- It helps increase immunity against diseases such as hormonal problems, dementia, Alzheimer’s, allergies, migraines, etc.
- Improves cognitive function of the brain and maintains overall physical health
What are the types of plant-based diets
Plant-based diets are divided into four main categories, each tending to its own specialties. They’re divided in context to the type of ingredients you can incorporate in your meal plans. This gives you various options to choose from that satisfy your needs as well as help shift towards plant-based products. Simultaneously, you’ll have an array of options that can help you devise your meals while ensuring your essential nutrient intake is met. The following are the main plant-based diets that will help you choose the diet that is ‘the one’ for you!
Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is a type of diet plan that focuses only on plant-based products, with complete elimination of meat and animal by-products. This means that any poultry products and by-products such as eggs, dairy, meat, and fish are excluded from this diet. A vegan diet is a popular option amongst those that want to eliminate meat from their daily routine. The main aspects of moving towards a vegan diet are health benefits, environmental awareness, and animal welfare.
A vegan diet is a plant-based diet that is most restrictive i.e., and it completely takes out an animal from your daily life. Vegans move towards a fully non-animal lifestyle, which includes the elimination of products such as leather as well.
But once you decide that a vegan diet is what you’re looking for, you’ve numerous ingredients to incorporate in your meals. The only thing you need to do is know about the ingredients and look for recipes to make delicious meals. Examples of food that you can add to your vegan diet plan include the following:
- Starchy and non-starchy vegetables
- Fruits
- Grains which are prepared from fat-free methods
- Nuts and seeds
- Legumes
- Alternative plant-based cooking oils e.g. coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil, etc.
- Condiments including herbs and spices
A complete vegan diet eliminates the essential nutrients from your daily meals such as Vitamin B and iron. Thus, it is crucial to plan your meals so that your essential nutrients are met. You don’t want your body deprived of nutrition, resulting in health problems instead of the healthy lifestyle you intended. You can always take supplements alongside as well to fulfill your body’s needs.
Vegetarian Diet
A vegetarian diet is a plant-based diet where you don’t have to limit your options as much as a vegan diet instructs. Vegetarian diets still exclude animal-based products, including meat and seafood. However, a vegetarian diet includes animal by-products such as eggs and dairy. One major plus point for vegetarians is that they don’t have to take supplements to meet their nutritional needs. This is because a vegetarian diet already includes a variety of food groups that fulfill the essential nutrients. You’ll be getting a diverse category of food choices from which you can choose your daily diet plan. The three main types of vegetarian diets are as follows:
Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian
Lacto-Ovo is derived from two main words. ‘Lacto’, meaning dairy, and ‘Ovo’, meaning eggs. This means Lacto-Ovo vegetarian diet plans exclude meat options, but dairy and eggs can be added to meals.
Ovo Vegetarian
Ovo-vegetarian diets include only eggs in the daily diet plan, excluding all meat and dairy products. Ovo vegetarian diet excludes meat, seafood, milk, cheese, cream, yogurt, butter. This is primarily your go-to diet if you’re dairy intolerant and want to shift to a plant-based diet.
Lacto vegetarian
Lacto vegetarian is a diet plan that includes only Lacto products i.e., only dairy food. On the other hand, the Lacto-vegetarian diet plan excludes all types of eggs, including products with eggs in it, such as mayonnaise and baked foods. Alongside preferring to go for a plant-based diet, this diet also favors individuals with egg allergies.
Pescatarian diet
Pescatarian diet plans are somewhat similar to a vegetarian diet. It includes dairy products, and also seafood. However, a pescatarian diet excludes meats such as chicken, beef, mutton, etc. However, a pescatarian diet still significantly focuses on diet plans whose main components are plant-derived products. Due to the combination with a vegetarian diet, pescatarians vary in only-egg, only-dairy, and a combination of eggs and dairy. Pescatarians can also cater to no eggs and dairy but including seafood in their diet plans. A Pescatarian diet is an ideal plant-based diet for high-protein and omega-3 intake.
Since pescatarian diets focus on the inclusion of seafood in diet plans, you need to be careful about a few things. An increased quantity of seafood in your diet plans can lead to exposure to seafood contaminated with heavy metals. Increased consumption of seafood can make you vulnerable to harmful toxins such as mercury on ingestion. Consequently, this can lead to negative impacts on your health. For this reason, it’s best to balance your seafood consumption by using various seafood rather than just one specific seafood.
A pescatarian diet that is properly planned and followed can provide you with all the nutrients you require. Thus, it would be best if you balanced out your food portions to get all your nutrition needed daily.
Flexitarian diet (Semi-Vegetarian)
Flexitarian diet, also referred to as a semi-vegetarian diet, is the most flexible plant-based diet plan. The name itself has flex in it, meaning this is the diet plan you need if you don’t want any restrictions on your daily meals. Flexitarian diet doesn’t eliminate animal products or even by-products from your diet. You can keep including eggs, dairy, and meat in your meals in small portions. The main idea of a flexitarian diet is to combine both plant and animal products, the prior being more in portions. Hence, this is mainly preferred by those that don’t want to discontinue animal products altogether. For this reason, it is one of the most trending diet trends.
Flexitarian diets help you induce all the benefits of a plant-based diet without restrictions. People who want to ease towards plant-based diets gradually find this the most natural diet to follow through. A flexitarian gets to enjoy animal products while fulfilling their daily nutrition needs occasionally. All you’ve to do is incorporate more plant-based products in your diet than animal products.
Conclusion
Plant-based diets are trending this year and for all the right reasons! You can choose between the categories to see which one works for you. Your body will surely be thanking you for shifting to a plant-based diet. And no, it doesn’t have to be your routine ‘boring vegetable dishes. Get all the benefits of a healthier lifestyle by shifting to plant-based diets.
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