3 life-changing reasons to eat more plants

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How good are plants? They help us breathe, taste great, and are even easy on the eye – a true triple treat.

And as functioning adults (most days), we should all be aware of how important it is to include plants – fruit, vegetables, pulses, and grains – in our diet.

But if you’re having one of those not-so-adult days and need a reminder why? Well, we have three.

1. The planet will thank you. New research has found that a vegan diet has just 30% of the environmental impact of a high-meat diet. Still not ready to swap the T-bone for tofu? The study shows that even low-meat diets have 70% of the impact of high-meat diets, so you don’t even have to go full vegan to make a difference.
2. A healthier gut (and a happier mind). Just ask Angie Asche, our nutrition expert, who says there is “a strong connection between the health of your gut and cognitive function.” By eating a diet rich in fiber, opting for whole food sources, and staying away from ultra-processed foods, you’ll be doing your brain, bowels, and everything in between a favor.
3. You may slow down the aging process. Ever heard of flavonoids? Fruit and vegetables are full of ‘em. That’s important because a recent study has found that “higher intake of total flavonoids was found to be associated with a lower biological age of the cardiovascular, hepatic and whole body” for some subjects. We’re not saying you’ll stay young forever, but if the science is anything to go by, you could live a longer, healthier life if you eat more plants.

Disclaimer: This Centr content is adapted with permission from an article written by Lifespan.io. The content herein represents Centr’s interpretation of the original source material.