When it comes to diet and nutrition, there is not just a one-size-fits-all approach. Since we are all unique, it makes sense that our nutritive needs differ as well. According to who you listen to, you may get conflicting reports on what to eat and what to avoid, but across the board, a plant-based diet has been shown to have the best benefits for optimal health. Some you may already be familiar with are:
(1) Vegetarian and vegan diets may have preventative qualities when it comes to some diseases, and these diets are appropriate throughout all stages of life (from infancy to adulthood; for pregnant and lactating women and athletic adults). [a]
(2) Plant-based diets are more environmentally sustainable than diets rich in animal products. [b]
(3) Healthful plant-based diets lowers the risk of total strokes. [c]
(4) An overall plant-based diet can lower the risk of cancer. [d]
But recently, there was an international study that looked at diet and COVID-19 severity. The study looked at 2884 healthcare workers (95% Physicians) from six countries who were substantially exposed to COVID-19 patients. The countries included were France, Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom and The United States, and participants were surveyed from 17 July to 25 Sept 2020, well before any vaccines were available. It was found that those on plant-based or pescatarian diets (diets including fish as the only meat source) were associated with lower odds of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 when exposed to the disease. It was ultimately concluded that these diets may protect against severe COVID-19 complications. To read the full article, go to https://nutrition.bmj.com/content/4/1/257. [e]
There has never been a better time to make the change to a plant-based diet. If you are looking for a dietician to help guide you in your meal-planning goals, go to Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Find-a-Nutrition-Expert.
References:
- [a], [b] — Melina, V., Craig, W., & Levin, S. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 116(12), 1970–1980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025. [Also available at https://www.eatrightpro.org/-/media/eatrightpro-files/practice/position-and-practice-papers/position-papers/vegetarian-diet.pdf]
- [c] — Baden, M. Y., Shan, Z., Wang, F., et al. (2021). Quality of Plant-Based Diet and Risk of Total, Ischemic, and Hemorrhagic Stroke. Neurology, 96(15), e1940-e1953; https://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0000000000011713. [Also available at https://n.neurology.org/content/96/15/e1940].
- [d] — Alexander, H. (2019, Nov). 5 Benefits of A Plant-Based Diet. Univ of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. https://www.mdanderson.org/publications/focused-on-health/5-benefits-of-a-plant-based-diet.h20-1592991.html.
- [e] — Kim, H., Rebholz C.M., Hegde S., et al. (2021). Plant-based Diets,Pescatarian Diets and COVID-19 Severity: A Population-Based Case–Control Study in Six Countries. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health 4(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjnph-2021-000272.