Lower your risk of heart disease / high cholesterol / high blood pressure
Eating a plant-based diet can shrink the amount of cholesterol-clogged plaque in your arteries, the main culprit in cardiovascular disease. Plant-based proteins have ZERO cholesterol, are low in fat and are accompanied by fiber.
What's even more impressive is not only can a plant-based diet reduce your risk for heart disease, but world-renowned physician Dr. Dean Ornish found that patients on a low-fat vegetarian diet actually reversed coronary heart disease.1
Cholesterol
High cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for developing heart disease. Cholesterol is found ONLY in foods that come from animals (red meat, poultry, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products). If you had a bit of cholesterol on the end of your finger, it would look like wax. This substance forms in the artery walls and eventually restricts blood flow. This constricted circulation leads to less oxygen for the heart muscle which causes stress to the point of failure…leading to a heart attack.
Fat
Animal products are high in saturated fat which is the biggest contributor to blood clotting, which can result in heart disease and stroke. Whole plant foods, which are generally low in fat, including saturated fat, can help reduce blood cholesterol levels and the risk for heart disease.
Fiber
Soluble fiber slows the absorption of some food components, such as cholesterol, and reduces the amount of cholesterol the liver produces. Animal products do not have fiber. Fiber not only promotes health ( improve intestinal health, prevents heart disease and some cancers, reduces blood pressure, regulates blood sugar, and aids in weight control), it has been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol), therefore reducing the risk of heart disease.