Eating a plant-based diet has benefits for your health, the environment, and your budget. Plant foods are the foundation of vegetarian and vegan diets. These dietary lifestyles either lessen or eliminate animal products.

Veganism and vegetarianism can help lower your risk for many chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. These two chronic health conditions can affect your health insurance, auto insurance, and life insurance.

For those individuals with diabetes, DMII insurance can be a concern because of inconsistent blood glucose levels. Auto insurance for those with diabetes can be more costly, so it’s important to manage your condition by taking care of your health and regulating blood glucose levels. If diabetes does affect your driving, it can be reflected in your auto insurance coverage and costs.

One way to manage your health is to eat more plant-based foods. This article will give you more information about vegetarian and vegan diets as well as discuss the health, financial, and environmental benefits of plant-based diets.

What is a vegetarian diet?

A vegetarian focuses on mostly plant foods. The focus of vegetarianism and veganism are fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, seeds, soy products, and other meat alternatives.

Some vegetarians will consume a small amount of animal products, but the emphasis is on eating plenty of plant foods. Instead of meat, vegetarians will get their protein from beans, nuts, seeds, grains, or soy products.

There are different types of vegetarian diets. Some may eat small amounts of dairy, fish, seafood, or eggs. They might also consume butter or other foods that are made from animals.

For vegetarians that do not consume dairy, they may choose soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, rice milk, or other plant-based dairy products. There are also different types of non-dairy cheese and yogurt made from soy, almonds, or cashews.

A pescatarian is one popular type of vegetarian who will eat fish or seafood but will avoid meat and meat products. A flexitarian will eat mostly plant foods, but only include meat in their diet on occasion.

What is a vegan diet?

A vegan diet is also plant-based but eliminates all animal products. Veganism is more strict and limiting than vegetarianism because certain foods should be avoided. Vegans will avoid the following foods:

• Butter
• Cheese, including cottage cheese
• Cow’s milk
• Eggs
• Honey
• Ice cream
• Mayonnaise
• Meat, including poultry
• Seafood and shellfish
• Shortening made from animal fat
• Whey protein
• Yogurt

Some vegans will also choose to avoid other animal products outside of food. This could include beauty products with animal-derived ingredients or leather goods.

Reading nutrition labels is important for vegans to make sure there are no animal products in their foods. Eating at restaurants can be a challenge because there may be ingredients used in plant-based foods that come from animal sources.

Individuals may choose a vegetarian or vegan diet for religious beliefs or personal, health, or financial reasons.

Health Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

Researchers have studied the health benefits of vegetarianism for many years. Plant-based diets can lower the risk for many chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. They can also increase longevity, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and improve mental health.

All plants are a great source of fiber, whereas meat, eggs, and dairy have no fiber. Fiber helps lower blood cholesterol, keeps us full longer, and prevents constipation. Vegetarian and vegan diets also have less cholesterol and saturated fat.

Vegetarian diets are also a good source of antioxidants and phytochemicals. These plant compounds can lower the risk for many diseases, decrease inflammation in the body, protect cells, and boost health in other ways. Phytochemicals give plants their many different colors, so that’s why eating the rainbow is important.

On the other hand, vegetarianism or veganism may lack certain nutrients. Vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium, and protein are easier to get from a diet that includes animal foods. Those who do not eat fish or seafood will be lacking in omega-3 fatty acids.

Vegetarians and vegans need to eat a varied diet to get as many nutrients as possible. They may also need to take a multivitamin or other supplements to make up for missing nutrients. Diets and other healthy habits can help you improve your height to weight ratio.

Financial Benefits of Going Vegetarian

There are also financial and economic benefits of vegetarianism. Many plant proteins are cheaper than animal proteins. Meat, poultry, and fish are animal proteins that can be costly, while tofu, tempeh, and edamame are plant proteins that are cheaper.

For example, 16 ounces of tofu or tempeh is usually less than $5 and can replace a pound of meat. Fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and grains are usually inexpensive.

Some vegetarian foods can be more expensive than meat, so planning is key. Veggie burgers and plant-based dairy products can be more costly than hamburgers and dairy products.

There are also long-term financial benefits of eating a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. These diets lead to a healthier lifestyle, which results in less insurance and medical costs.

Environmental and Global Benefits of a Vegetarian Diet

Vegetarian and vegan diets help protect the environment. Plant proteins use less natural resources than animal proteins. Animals use significantly more soil, land, and water than plants. Beef is the most taxing on the environment when it comes to livestock.

Livestock like pigs, chickens, and cows emit a large amount of greenhouse gases. This can affect global climate change. We also use a lot of crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat to feed these animals.

The sustainability of natural resources like soil, water, and air is important for future generations. We should protect the environment so our descendants can grow and produce food for their families.

The world population is estimated to grow to 9 billion before 2040. The U.S. needs to make sure we can feed our population and help feed the world. Vegetarian diets have positive environmental impacts and global benefits over diets high in animal products.

It’s also easy to grow fruits and vegetables in your own garden. There are health benefits of gardening, and you will know exactly where those foods are coming from.

The Many Benefits of Vegetarian Diets

Even if you don’t want to eat a 100% vegetarian or vegan diet, you can incorporate more plant-based meals in your diet to benefit your health, your wallet, and the environment. Try a meatless Monday or a vegetarian meal just once a week to promote optimal health and encourage environmental sustainability.

About the Author

Melissa Morris writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, AutoInsurance.org. She has a master of science degree in exercise science, is an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist, and an ISSN-certified sports nutritionist.

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