PETA Vegan Starter Kit 1 | Page 8

Keeps the
Away

An apple a day – along with some spinach, strawberries and soya beans –
really can keep the doctor away. Plant-based foods are all 100 per cent
cholesterol-free, generally low in saturated fats and high in fibre, complex
carbohydrates and other essential nutrients. Wholesome vegan foods have the power
to help prevent – and even reverse – many chronic health problems. The following are just a few of the health benefits of going vegan.

>> Unclog Your Arteries

meats tend to overdose us. Eating plant-based foods, which

The average vegan has a cholesterol level of 133 – which is 77 points

are rich in vitamin E, vitamin B6, folic acid and other nutrients,

lower than the average meat-eater’s and 28 points lower than the

can reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s by as much

average vegetarian’s – and a landmark study found no heart attacks

as 70 per cent.

in people with cholesterol levels below 150. Dr Dean Ornish has
actually been able to reverse heart disease in patients by putting
them on a low-fat vegetarian diet and exercise programme.

>> Fight Cancer With Plants

Plant-based foods contain antioxidants and other
phytochemicals, which fight inflammation and knock out

Another key may be the non-essential amino acid carnitine, which is

carcinogens. Research shows that vegans are about 40 per

naturally found only in meat. New research indicates that carnitine

cent less likely to get cancer than meat-eaters are.

is metabolised by intestinal bacteria into trimethylamine-N-oxide,
which is linked to atherosclerosis. This may be one reason why meat-

>> Slim Down by Going Vegan

eaters have much higher rates of heart disease than vegans and

Studies show that vegans tend to have a lower body mass

vegetarians do.

index than their meat-eating counterparts do. On average,
vegans weigh 18 per cent less than meat-eaters, and they are

>> Protect Your B rain

Research shows that people who avoid “bad fats” – the kind found

14

nine times less likely to be obese.

>> Help Prevent, Even Reverse Diabetes

in meat, eggs and especially dairy products – cut their risk of

Both the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for

developing Alzheimer’s disease by about two-thirds. “Bad fats” are

Disease Control and Prevention in the US advise people to

only part of the problem, though. Meat, including lobster, shrimp and

eat more vegetables, beans and whole grains and less animal

some other kinds of “seafood”, is often high in metals – such as iron,

flesh in order to ward off diabetes. Research even shows that

copper and zinc – which have been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s

diabetics who eat low-fat vegan foods are able to take less

patients. Although we need traces of these metals for health – and

medication to manage the disease – or even stop taking

we get them from vegetables, legumes and whole grains –

it altogether.

Visit PETA.org.uk for more information.

Most foods contain some protein, and some vegetables,
including spinach, broccoli, avocados, corn and
artichokes, provide a significant amount. Protein
powerhouses include soya foods such as tofu,
tempeh, edamame, miso and soya milk as well as
peas, beans, lentils, whole-grain bread, oatmeal,
quinoa, mushrooms, nuts and seeds. Unlike
Apple: © Dionisvera/Fotolia.com ∙ Avocado: © Anna Kucherova/Fotolia.com ∙ Vegan chicken: © Gardein ∙ Soybeans: © Iampuay/Dreamstime.com ∙ Kale: © iStock.com/EvergreenPlanet ∙ Almonds: © bergamont/Fotolia.com ∙ Collander: © Sandra Van Der Steen/Dreamstime.com
Dried fruit: © Nataliia Chernova/Dreamstime.com ∙ Lentils: © Elena Elisseeva/Dreamstime.com ∙ Flax seeds: © Vishakha Shah/Dreamstime.com ∙ Broccoli: © motorlka/Fotolia.com ∙ Walnuts: © Ivonne Wierink/Dreamstime.com

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a Day Doctor

Protein Powerhouses

animal protein, plant-based protein sources
won’t overload your body. Too much
animal protein has been linked to
kidney stones, osteoporosis and
cancers of the colon and liver.

Building
Strong
Bones
Almonds, broccoli,
collard greens, kale, sesame tahini, blackstrap
molasses, beans, some types of tofu and
calcium-fortified soya, almond and rice milk are
plentiful in calcium, and it’s often more easily
absorbed than calcium from cows’ milk is.
Your body will usually manufacture enough
vitamin D if you’re expos