Exploration of the Benefits of Adopting a Plant-Based Nutrition

Introduction

One of the biggest debates in public health at present is whether there exists a diet that is ‘optimal’ for human health. Obviously different people will vary significantly in their specific dietary requirements, be it a chronic illness or genetic predisposition toward certain food stuffs or others, it would therefore be unwise to suggest that one particular diet can act as a cure-all for every individual. In light of this, I will attempt to explain some of the draw-backs of the Standard American Diet (SAD), which I shall henceforth use as an umbrella term for the current trends in what could more broadly be described as the Western Diet. Concurrently, I will also outline how a Whole-Foods, Plant-Based diet (WFPB) may well be the solution to many of the health issues that are becoming increasingly prevalent among high-income nations today.

Looking at anthropological data from different populations around the world, some interesting correlations can be drawn. Perhaps one of the most well-known, and extensive studies into the topic of plant-based diets and their effects on human health is what has commonly become referred to today as the China Study. The study has collected data from over 800 million Chinese citizens to date, and research is still ongoing since its inception in 1980. The most significant findings from the study show that in more rural populations where animal product consumption was significantly lower than that of their western counterparts, the risk of developing cancers, heart disease, diabetes and many other chronic diseases associated with the SAD was drastically lower than those populations who consumed higher amounts of animal products, and in particular, those that derived the majority of their protein from animal-based sources (e. g. casein in milk) and consumed on average greater amounts of protein overall.

Thesis Statement: A Whole-Foods, Plant-Based diet (rich in unprocessed starchy grains, legumes and leafy greens) is (for most individuals) not only optimal for maintaining human health but may also be the key to diminishing or even eradicating many of the diseases associated with the Western or Standard American Diet (SAD).

i) Heart Disease

Heart disease, the number one cause of death in high-income countries accounting for a total of 17. 1% of deaths according to the World Health Organisation, is almost non-existent in underdeveloped, low-income countries. If you compare meat and animal product consumption per capita of low vs high-income countries, you will find that there is a strong correlation between these two statistics. The greater a country’s income, the more animal products its citizens are consuming. Animal proteins have a high saturated fat content, and this contributes to the hardening of plaques in the blood vessels, more commonly referred to as atherosclerosis. If extensive, this can lead to heart attack, stroke or embolisms of any kind to occur. Animal proteins also tend to be higher in sulphur containing amino acids, and cholesterol both of which have links to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

Plant proteins, contrary to animal proteins tend to be unsaturated, and therefore do not cause many of the ill effects mentioned above regarding cardiovascular health. As well as this, certain plants have known anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties such as turmeric, kimchi (or other fermented plant stuffs) and garlic. According to a study conducted by researchers at the Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, participants from the experimental group actually reversed the effects of atherosclerosis. The risk of cardiovascular disfunction i. e. heart attack, stroke etc. for participants who adhered to the WFPB diet prescribed by the researchers dropped to 0. 6%, while the control group still had a 62% of cardiovascular disfunction. Which would suggest that animal product consumption does indeed play a major role in maintaining good cardiovascular health.

ii)Colorectal Cancers

Due to the inflammatory properties of animal products and their relatively low fibre content, colorectal cancers are an especially prevalent concern in diets containing a high percentage of nutrients derived from animal products.

A study conducted by researchers in South Africa that examined the link between animal product consumption and prevalence of colorectal cancers found that those who consumed higher amounts of animal products had much higher risk of developing cancerous or unusual cell growth in the lower intestinal tract. A lack of fibre in the diet causes waste substances to build up and congest the lower intestinal tract. Naturally, these waste products are toxic to the body, hence the need to expel them. This damages the walls of the intestines, promoting the growth of malignant cancers. Though the study mentioned above does point out animal product consumption as being a far greater influence in the risk of developing such cancers due its inflammatory properties, fibre, or lack thereof, also plays a role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome and easing the passage of waste through the intestinal tract.

Introducing more fibre into the diet can easily be achieved through a WFPB diet as both root vegetables and starchy unprocessed grains have a readily available source of fibre which can be used to shift waste, shortening the length of time it sits in the intestinal tract. This, combined with removing the inflammatory element of animal product consumption could well be the key to reducing the frequency and prevalence colorectal cancers in populations adhere to the SAD.

iii) Diabetes

Type II diabetes is caused by many factors but a WFPB diet can help prevent it from developing in otherwise un-genetically predisposed persons for many reasons.

Obesity: It is now a widely accepted fact among the medical community that obesity increases your risk of developing diabetes as this study from 2000 demonstrates. A WFPB is a direct remedy to this issue. The problem with a lot of fad diets centred on weight loss e. g. low-carb, low-fat and more recently the ketogenic diet, is that they focus on reducing the number of calories one takes in while prescribing foods that have a high caloric content.

In the case of keto, and low carb diets it means drastically reducing the amount of carbohydrates one consumes, which often leads people to feel hungry and/or unsatisfied and are therefore more likely to deviate from or abandon the regimen completely. Since a WFPB diet is high in fibre and has a low caloric profile relative to the amount of food needed to remain satisfied, it is much easier to stick to, therefore providing a practical and relatively simple method of losing and maintaining a healthy BMI and, in turn, reducing the risk of an individual developing diabetes II. Excessive consumption of animal fats (or saturated fats more generally), has been shown to cause a sharp increase in blood sugar levels. And, as type II diabetes is developed via repeatedly spiking blood sugar levels causing insulin resistance, it follows that a WFPB diet is a natural solution to this problem. This study from 2013 showed that participants who increased their red meat consumption over several decades had an increased risk of developing type II diabetes, further solidifying the role of meat consumption in developing pre-diabetic or diabetic symptoms.

iv) Drawbacks

a) Vitamin B12

The only vitamin that cannot be obtained naturally in a WFPB diet is vitamin B12. And since it is not synthesised naturally in the body it must be supplemented, either through B12 supplement tablets or through B12 fortified foods. These can be easily purchased through pharmaceutical outlets and health-food stores, though it may be difficult for the lay-person to easily access information about B12 deficiency and make the correct decisions about supplementing this vitamin in conjunction with maintaining a balanced diet.

b) Omega 3 & Folic Acid

One of the main risk factors associated with an entirely WFPB diet is the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s or dementia. This is due to the fact that many conventional vegan or vegetarian diets tend to be lacking in Omega 3’s and Folic acid. There is a plant-based source of these nutrients however, and the most abundant of these are Flax seeds (Linum usitatissimum). In order to obtain and properly absorb the nutrients from these seeds they must be ground, otherwise they will pass through the body as fibre. Many health-food stores stock pre-ground flaxseeds and they can also be ground at home so they are not difficult to obtain. Though again it may be difficult to access the correct information about how to maintain Omega 3 and folic acid levels in the body.

c) Iron

Though most collard greens have a relatively high Iron content, one must consume a lot of them in order to obtain an adequate level of Iron in the body. This can be achieved through eating a serving of collard greens with each meal throughout the day or by taking iron supplements under the supervision of a qualified physician so as to avoid haemochromatosis (an overabundance of Iron in the blood). Though this is probably one of the most well-known issues associated with a plant-based diet it can be easy to overlook and thus, may deter some people from taking a path of complete abstinence from animal products.

Conclusion

The Standard American Diet (SAD) which is rapidly spreading around the globe, is having visible consequences to public health and should be treated as a major concern for physicians and food regulatory bodies around the world. Though a strict WFPB diet has its drawbacks and may be difficult to implement in populations which consume a high amount of animal products, efforts should be made to discourage the quantities of animal products consumed by various peoples and a proposition to include much more fruits and vegetables into individuals’ eating habits could have enormous benefits for public health as a whole.

I would also like to stress the fact that there exists individuals for whom a plant-based diet is not congruent to a healthy diet and that variation between individuals in this way is an inevitable consequence of our vast and varied evolutionary path. Though uncommon in the vast majority of the human species, it is essential to acknowledge that there is no one unifying answer to the question of diet, and that continued research should begin to clarify and contradict many of the truths we consider to be constants in the way we think about diet.

There are many reasons why one may adopt a plant-based diet, from the environmental impact of the animal agriculture industry on our plant, to issues of ethical concern. And these are entirely valid points to make, however I feel it is important to stress the impact of excessive animal product consumption on our health as it is an issue that is often overlooked, even in the sphere of vegan and vegetarian communities. As more and more contradictory nutritional advice comes to the forefront of our media I would propose that it is even more necessary to be prudent and wary in matters concerning what we should be doing to best protect our health, as the answer is often a simple one: eat more fruits and vegetables. We need only look to our closest evolutionary cousins (Chimps and bonobos to be more precise) to recognise that in the vast plethora omnivorous habits, we have more in common with the frugivore than we do the lion.