If there’s one activity Americans love doing quite often, it’s eating out. Going out to dinner can take the stress out of cooking, be part of an enjoyable night out and give customers a chance to try a new neighborhood restaurant.
According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, households with incomes of $100,000 or higher are responsible for 36 percent of the total spending on food away from home. Additionally, the average fine dining cost per person in the U.S. amounts to $28.55.
As elegant as fine dining can be, there are also many benefits to eating at home and eating healthy. One trend that continues to gain traction is going vegan. Over the course of the last three years, the number of vegans in the United States has increased by 600 percent. In fact, approximately 40 percent of consumers try to include more vegan foods into their daily meals.
Another way to eat healthier is by switching to a plant-based diet. Some plant-based diets allow for modest amounts of lean meat and fish, but overall they’re designed to get people healthy and ward off diseases. Here are five reasons to try a plant-based diet.
- Better health: Currently there are more than 380 million people living with diabetes according to research from the International Diabetes Foundation and that number isn’t going down. By 2035, the same research projects that number to reach about 600 million.
By following a plant-based diet and opting for plant-based foods like plant meat chicken-a chicken substitute made from soy-you can significantly reduce your risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases. - Controlling the vitals: A diet chock-full of fruits and veggies, like a plant-based diet will help you reduce your blood pressure. High blood pressure is something that affects one in three adults and getting it under control by eating healthier means you can reduce your risk of heart disease. Research has shown that folks who averaged more than eight servings of fruits and vegetables a day are 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
- Weight loss: Another benefit of a plant-based diet is weight loss. Research suggests that people who follow such a diet are likely to consume fewer calories and will lose weight as a result. If you’re a big meat eater, opting for a plant-based diet doesn’t mean you have to give up meat entirely, but there are plenty of benefits to doing so.
Reduced meat consumption between 2016 and 2050 could reduce health care and climate change costs by $31 trillion. On a more immediate scale, opting to incorporate things like vegan pork, vegan beef and plant meat chicken, a chicken substitute made from soy, into your diet can be very beneficial.
Research shows plant-based diets can treat severe health conditions, such as obesity and can help you get your weight under control and feel healthier. In addition, studies show that those who replace meat with plant-based foods have a 20 percent lower mortality rate than those who eat meat. - Vision: Another benefit to incorporating things like plant-based chicken, a chicken substitute made from soy, into your diet is better vision. Rather than loading up on junk, your body and your eyes will be thankful if you load up on greens, fruits, corn and other vegetables. Doing so gives you plenty of essential vitamins and minerals, but can also prevent cataract and macular degeneration.
- Clearer skin: Following a plant-based diet means that by avoiding animal products, you avoid fats, which clog your pores. Many of the fruits and vegetables you’ll be loading up on are good for your overall health, but they can benefit your skin too. As an example, you’ll get plenty of vitamin C from sweet potatoes, which helps smooth wrinkles. The lycopene you find in tomatoes can help protect your skin from the sun as a another example.
You might be thinking, a chicken substitute made from soy? That doesn’t sound good at all! Instead of brushing it off, giving it a try and try adding other plant-based foods into your diet. You might just find some you like and you’ll be eating healthier in the process.
