New Study Confirms Health Benefits Of A Plant-Based Diet

A new study, conducted by University of Toronto researchers,
has shown improved health, and lowered risk of heart disease to be associated
with a plant-based diet.

Portfolio diet

The particular plant-based regime prescribed to study
participants – coined the ‘portfolio diet’ – encourages the consumption of
soy-based products in the place of meats and dairy.

Also included are nuts, fibre-rich foods, and plant-based
margarines in the place of conventional margarine or butter.

Benefits

Researchers saw improvements in the participants’ cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and triglycerides.

In fact, over half of participants were able to lower their
cholesterol by 15 to 20 percent over a six-month period.

The participants also reaped the benefit of lowered risk of
coronary heart disease, according to a ten-year forecast.

Other plant-based diets

The UofT study is by no means the first to connect
plant-based eating to improved health.

Past studies have linked various plant-based regimes – or the reduction of animal product consumption – to such
health benefits as weight loss,prevention and management of diabetes, and increased
life expectancy.