Here’s What Happens To Your Body When You Switch To Plant-Based.

Along with the global shift towards daily holistic wellness practices, the plant-based diet is becoming increasingly popular amongst all age groups.

For some, switching to plants is for ethical reasons, including the prevention of exploitation of animals, reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change. For others, it is for its extraordinary health benefits:

• Healthy weight loss

• Reduced inflammation

• Reduced risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers

• Lower cholesterol levels

• Reduced risk of cognitive impairment and dementia

Plant-based foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans, as well as vegan protein powders. When you follow a plant-based diet, it doesn't mean you are vegetarian or vegan and never eat meat or dairy. Rather, you are proportionately choosing more of your foods from plant sources.

For example, here are some ways to follow a plant-based diet:

1. Choose good fats like olive oil, olives, nuts and nut butter, seeds, and avocados.

2. Eat whole grains for breakfast, like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, or barley. Add nuts and seeds for crunch and fresh fruit for colour and flavour.

3. Sip a plant-based protein powder like nuut. Simply add a sachet of vegan protein powder to water or nut milk and a piece of fresh fruit like a banana, avocado or strawberries, and give your body everything it needs – in a shake!

4. Eat various green leafy vegetables like kale, Swiss chard, and spinach, and eat raw or steam, grill, braise, or stir-fry to preserve their flavour and nutrients. Plant-based protein powders like nuut are formulated with super greens and spinach. Shake one a day and get all the green benefits in a gulp!

5. Eat a rainbow of vegetables, filling half your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner and include veggies in your snacks, dipping them into healthy dips like hummus and guacamole.

6. Eat vegetarian at least one night a week. Include beans, whole grains, and vegetables.

7. Build a meal around salad based on romaine, spinach, or red leafy greens. Add other fragrant greens, like fresh herbs, for lots of flavour!

8. Eat fruit for dessert, like an organic apple sprinkled with cinnamon, a juicy peach, or a baked pear with coconut yogurt.

When you follow a plant-based diet, extraordinary changes begin to occur.

Here’s what to expect:

Because plant-based foods boast lower calorie nutrients than animal-based foods, like meat and dairy, they are ideal for your health, well-being and weight loss, which is also one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk of cancer. When we switch to a whole food plant-based diet, we lose fat and cleanse the body, and as we move away from processed foods heavy with refined sugar, extra salt, and saturated fat, we eat less and avoid unhealthy weight gain.

Plant-based protein powders like nuut are a simple way to follow this eating style, especially if you lead a busy lifestyle and keep an eye on your weight. Simply slip a sachet of vegan protein powder in your bag, desk drawer or back pocket and add water. It is the perfect plant-based meal to enjoy when you are on the run.

Whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and legumes are rich in fibre, which promotes good digestion by reducing the amount of sugar your blood absorbs. Researchers have discovered that eating plant-based foods helps healthy gut bacteria flourish while decreasing inflammation.

Thanks to their higher fibre content and nutritive value, plant-based proteins help detox your body, which keeps your gut healthy and happy. They also help fight off infections in the body. Because plants are easier to digest, they keep you fuller longer, so your energy levels stay heightened. This is supported by research published in Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, which revealed that whole foods trigger happier moods, less stress, and more energy.

Dairy products and processed meats increase acne-causing oil and sebum production associated with breakouts due to excess calories and added sugars. Plant-based proteins boost your antioxidant levels, which fight free radicals that cause ageing. They also contain high levels of skin-loving micronutrients and a low glycaemic index that helps nourish skin, decrease inflammation and give a great glow!

The Game Changers, a 2018 pro-vegan documentary, looked into the relationship between what we eat and its effect on our performance regarding strength and endurance. After just one week of eating only plants, a participating group of firefighters saw a remarkable drop in their cholesterol. Why? Plant foods contain zero cholesterol and very low saturated fat content.

There is one slightly, um, unfortunate side effect to increasing your fibre intake, and that's gas and bloating.

Excess gas is produced as a by-product when gut bacteria process fibre. So, the more fibre you consume, the gassier you might become. Over time, excessive flatulence may decrease due to your body and gut microbiome changing, and fortunately, a high-fibre diet also has invaluable health benefits, especially for your cholesterol and longevity.

Don't let gas and bloating take you off track!

Here are some effective ways to reduce both when starting a plant-based diet:

If you're shifting from a low-fibre to a high-fibre diet, increase your fibre intake slowly. Adding too much immediately will almost certainly cause gas and bloating. Also, eat more cooked veggies than raw. They are easier to digest than raw foods, especially during the early days of adopting a plant-based diet.

Water breaks down food, making it easier for your body to absorb the nutrients. It also helps prevent constipation by softening stool. 

Including a daily dose of plant-based protein in your diet ensures you are getting all the protein you need without having to consume a plethora of fresh produce.

Chew your food well to increase your production of saliva. Why?

Saliva helps break down food so it can easily pass through the intestines when it reaches your stomach. The more you chew, the more saliva you produce, which also helps prevent indigestion and heartburn.