Question

Plant based (vegetarian/vegan) diets have many known health benefits. Please review the following article and discuss one of the benefits discussed in the article and why/how that benefit stood out to you (or is important to you).

http://www.consumerreports.org/diet-plans/plant-based-diet/

Answer 1

One of the major benefits of plant based diet include decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. People who included plant based diet reduced their risk of diabetes by 23% the study found. Not all plant based products are useful in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes one of the exception being the plant product potatoes which is a starchy vegetable. Consumption of foods such as beef, red meat, lamb, pork increases the risk of diabetes even at lower consumption rate. Eating one 3.5 ounce serving per day of unprocessed red meat, such as beef, increased a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 19%.

Benefit of including plant based diet in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes has personally impacted me as one of my family members is suffering from type 2 diabetes and including plant based diets such as legumes, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and nuts, with limited or no intake of refined foods and animal products helped us to maintain normal sugar levels of the patient.