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In the last 10 years, more and more Brits have been switching to plant-based diets and veganism has risen by a whopping 360% during that time.

Ditching meat and dairy isn’t just good for the animals, it actually has a slew of health benefits that you may not be aware of.

From boosting your mood, helping you slim down and even saving you some spare cash, you could be doing yourself and the environment a favour by cutting out animal products.

Nutritionist Geeta Sidhu-Robb, founder of Nosh Detox, shared 10 benefits of a vegan diet.

1. Mood

Research has revealed that vegans may be happier than their meat-eating counterparts.

In fact it was discovered that vegans and vegetarians had lower scores on depression tests and mood profiles when compared to fish and meat-eaters.

There is an element of freshness to most plant based dishes, especially when it comes to organic produce – so this is bound to purify our minds and keep our thoughts positive.

2. Fighting disease

When done right, vegan diets are naturally low in saturated fats and cholesterol.

They have been shown to reduce heart disease risk and what’s more, data shows conclusively that vegans and vegetarians suffer from fewer diseases caused by a modern Western diet (e.g. coronary heart disease, hypertension, obesity type 2 diabetes, diet-related cancers, diverticulitis, constipation, and gall stones, among several others).

Why? This can be attributed to a higher intake of fibre, phytonutrients, antioxidants, flavonoids, and carotenoids.

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3. Lean figure

A bonus to sticking to a vegan diet is the positive effect it has on our figure.

Vegans typically weigh less as a result of a diet comprised of fewer calories in the form of grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

Vegans are also generally more aware of healthy food and therefore tend to eat better.

4. Less toxicity

Further emphasising what I was saying about the vegan diet, especially organically, being purer, it is of course far less toxic.

Food-borne illnesses, bacteria, parasites, and chemical toxins are more common in commercial meat, poultry and seafood when compared with plant foods, (particularly organic fruits and vegetables).

Vegans also consume less processed food as a rule.

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5. Saving the planet

A plant-based diet is better for the planet as it requires less energy and farmland to feed a vegan. By a factor of thousands.

6. Sight and looks

As well as keeping the figure desirable, vegans tend to have better vision and less macular degeneration and all that extra collagen leads to better skin – what more could you want?

7. Money-saving

Plant foods tend to be less expensive, saving on overall costs. It’s also much more filling as it has so much more fibre and is nutrient dense. So you eat less and stay full for longer.

8. Better athletic performance

While most active individuals focus on protein intake, they should Instead follow a high-carbohydrate, good-fat, and vitamin and mineral-rich vegetarian diet for optimum sports performance.

Conflicting studies exist, but the number of world-class vegetarian sportsmen continues to rise, Lewis Hamilton for example has recently spoken of his mission to go vegan.

9. Supporting animal rights

Ethical reasons can be a consideration when choosing a vegan diet. And all that moral superiority.

10. Longevity

Vegans have been found to enjoy longer and healthier lives when compared to meat-eaters.