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Fresh fruits and veggies are essential components of a plant-based balanced diet. They provide vital nutrients that promote gut health and well-being.
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Plant-based diets are incredibly popular these days, but do they actually help the immune system?
While the answer isn’t always black and white for this topic, most experts agree that there are many benefits to adding more vegetables to your diet.
Understanding plant-based diets: A beginner’s guide
It doesn’t mean that you must give up animal products. It simply focuses on eating mostly foods from plants—like fruits, vegetables, grains, and pulses—with the occasional inclusion of meat, fish, or dairy if you choose. Popular approaches include vegetarianism or the Mediterranean diet.
Sara Stanner, from the British Nutrition Foundation, says that these diets are linked to a reduced risk of heart disease and type-2 diabetes. It’s not just about finding a magic superfood when it comes down to immunity. It’s more important to ensure your immune cells are getting all the nutrients they require. While meat and fish are excellent sources of things like zinc and vitamin B12, most of these can also be found in plant-based options—it just takes a little planning.
Gut health is crucial to your overall well-being
Did you know that most of your immunity cells reside in your guts? Your immune system is largely dependent on the health of your microbiome in your gut, which thrives off fibre. Fibre-rich foods such as lentils, brownrice, and broccoli help your gut bacteria to produce short chain fatty acid, which helps protect against infection.
Tim Spector, a nutrition expert, encourages people towards variety. “The more vibrant your plate, the healthier it is,” says Tim Spector. Phytochemicals—the natural compounds found in plants—add both colour and health benefits. Although they may not be miracle workers, a diet full of fruits and vegetables can help keep your immune system and gut in top shape.
How to add more plants to your meals
The transition to a plant based diet does not have to be difficult. Start off small, by adding more veggies or substituting some meat with lentils or beans. If you are cutting out all animal products, ensure you get enough protein, iron and B12 by eating tofu or fortified cereals.
No diet can guarantee a perfect immune system, but focusing on whole foods that are nutrient rich is a good start. If you are looking to adopt a more plant-based lifestyle or even just to add more vegetables to your diet, then the benefits will go beyond your immune system.
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