As the world faces a pandemic that threatens our daily lives, everyone is looking for a way to stay healthy and ward off diseases. And one way to do this is by changing your diet to one that favors plant-based products.
That means reducing the amount of animal and animal by products you intake and opting for things that are grown on the grounds, trees and shrubs, items that are natural and don’t go through a myriad of processing and packaging steps.
Eating this way will have many benefits and here are five major ones.
A healthy heart
A Harvard study in early 2020 shows that one of the benefits of eating a plant-based diet is that it’s high in fiber, helping your body absorb and retain the nutrients that power your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can also reduce cholesterol levels and blood sugars. All of this helps lower the risk of heart disease.
But it’s not about “eating like a rabbit.” It’s about consuming the right foods that provide you with plenty of vitamins and minerals that help you stay in physical and mental health.
It’s also about simple, less-processed products free of toxins and conservatives that add little or no nutritional value.
Those are the basic parameters you’ll find in the range of flavorful and satisfying products offered by Honk Kong-based HyggeWellbeing. Nuts and seeds, dry fruit, drinks and supplements that take their cue from the Hygge way of living, a Danish concept encompassing peace and wellbeing.
The basic pillars of any plant-based diet are whole grains, vegetables, legumes and fruits. And HyggeWellbeing has plenty of options in this regard. You can try delicious Terrasoul-Dried Mango slices with no added sugar that will bring the taste of tropics to your mouth.
Lower your blood pressure
Blood pressure is the force that a person’s blood exerts against the walls of their blood vessels. If that force stays high for long periods of time, it’s called high blood pressure or hypertension, which means your heart is working harder, increasing the risk of strokes, type 2 diabetes and even death.
Unfortunately, this situation often has no symptoms. Fortunately, what you put in your mouth can make a difference, especially plant-based foods, which help reduce high blood pressure.
On option to help pasta lovers in this regard is Ceres Organics-Quinoa Rice Spaguetti produced in a gluten-free facility and with the “mother of all grains” (as quinoa is known) that packs amino acids and protein and is much easier to digest than regular flour pasta.
Lose weight
If you want to drop the pounds without having to count calories or stress about meeting nutrient goals each day, this is the way to go. Studies have shown that those who eat plant-based products tend to be leaner and keep their weight.
Reducing the risk of obesity will stave off numerous ailments and will give you more energy and a higher sense of overall wellbeing.
This may be as simple as replacing less healthy foods for more nutritional options. One example may be switching brown rice for white rice and white bread with a whole-grain variety, which are more filling and nutritious. For those looking to make this change, HyggeWellbeing offers Ceres Organics- Organic Black Rice, with is unmilled, meaning the nutrient-rich black husk of the rice has not been removed. With a slightly sweet, strong nutty flavor, it is often served with a soft texture.
Live longer
Reducing the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease ultimately help you live longer.
A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association found that plant-based foods lower the risk of all causes of mortality by 25 percent.
To score a few more moments in this life, try Sunfood-Organic Goji Berries, which have been praised in Asia for millennia for their benefits including longevity and vitality. They brighten any occasion and provide a good source of potassium, iron and selenium, as well as B vitamins, calcium, zinc, fiber and protein.
Good for you and the planet
Besides keeping you leaner and giving you more energy, plant-based foods are also healthier for the Earth.
A UCLA report notes that eating plants and its derivatives instead of animals that eat those plants helps the environment by reducing deforestation, waste, carbon emissions and water consumption.
Just as comparison, on pound of beef requires between 2,000 and 8,000 gallons of water to produce, while providing you with 90 to 100 grams of protein. Meanwhile, one pound of oats gives you 75 grams of protein but only uses 285 gallons of water and one pound of tofu equals 45-55 grams of protein and consumes 300 gallons of water to produce.
Some options to help you and the environment include RealFoodSource-Gluten Free Whole Porridge Oaks grown in the United Kingdom that are low in fat and a great source of fiber. You can enjoy a creamy, whole oat texture and nutty flavor. Or you can sample CeresOrganics-Wild Berry SuperGood Muesli that includes hearty organic oats and buckwheat, light crispy brown rice puffs, juicy sweet cranberries, blueberries and blackcurrant.
As you can see, with plant-based products, there’s no need to sacrifice taste for satisfaction or starve yourself. It’s about enjoying tasty, delicious food that keep you healthy, give you energy and help your body maintain balance.