If you switch to a vegan diet from a typical Western diet, you’ll eliminate meat and animal products. This will inevitably lead you to rely more heavily on other foods. In the case of a whole-foods vegan diet, replacements take the form of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, nuts and seeds. Since these foods make up a larger proportion of a vegan diet than a typical Western diet, they can contribute to a higher daily intake of certain beneficial nutrients.

An increasing number of people are turning to plant-based diets in the hope of shedding excess weight. This is perhaps for good reason. Many observational studies show that vegans tend to be thinner and have lower body mass indexes (BMIs) than non-vegans.

 

Going vegan may also have benefits for type 2 diabetes and declining kidney function. Indeed, vegans tend to have lower blood sugar levels, higher insulin sensitivity and up to a 50-78% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and fiber is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.  All of these are generally eaten in large amounts in well-planned vegan diets. Observational studies comparing vegans to vegetarians and the general population report that vegans may benefit from up to a 75% lower risk of developing high blood pressure. Vegans may also have up to a 42% lower risk of dying from heart disease.

A few studies have reported that a vegan diet has positive effects in people with different types of arthritis. One study randomly assigned 40 arthritic participants to either continue eating their omnivorous diet or switch to a whole-food, plant-based vegan diet for 6 weeks.

 

MamaSezz is a plant-based meal preparation & delivery service. 100% of the meals are gluten-free and oil-free. Also, there are no added sugars or preservatives. MamaSezz is founded by Lisa Lorimer, the former longtime CEO and President of Vermont Bread Company (one of the first all-natural and organic bread wholesale bakeries) and Meg Donahue who has a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Nutrition Studies Center at Cornell and a Masters in Technology Management from Marlboro Graduate School.