Deprivation as a good thing.

• Author: Soviero, Julianne
• Position: NUTRITION NUTSHELL - Plant-based diets

PLANT-BASED DIETS have been the subject of much attention as of late, with as many proponents as there are skeptics. A plant-based diet consists of whole plant foods: primarily vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds. This type of diet will deprive people of:

Heart disease. Eating meat introduces cholesterol to the body-- and TMAO (trimethylamine-N-oxide), which is associated with plaque building up in the arteries (atherosclerosis). Higher levels of TMAO in the blood are associated with worse heart outcomes and, for those who think that milk "does a body good," the choline in milk also breaiks down into TMAO. Those embracing a plant-based diet produce virtually no TMAO. Posing another threat are foam cells, which may live in the walls of the arteries, contributing to atherosclerosis. Green leafy vegetables produce nitric oxide in the blood, and that helps to destroy foam cells and dilate blood vessels. Eating leafy greens also increases endothelial regenerative cells; they make up the walls of the blood vessels.

Obesity. Fruits, vegetables, and beans are the staples of a plant-based diet and are low in calories and high in fiber, making it difficult to overeat them. On the other hand, meats, dairy, and processed foods are calorically dense. A study exploring the relationship among high- and low-energy dense diets, satiety, and obesity proved that individuals eating calorically dense foods ate up to twice as many calories in a day in order to achieve satiety. Since fruits and vegetables also are far more nutrientdense than animal products, individuals following a plant-based diet get more vitamins, minerals, antioxidant protection, and a host of other phytochemicals.

Muscle soreness. Good nutrition plays a major role in the process of regenerating muscles after training and workouts. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables gives an athlete's body the building blocks it needs to create strong muscles and healthy bones. Plant foods also help to make the body very alkaline, thus aiding with the healing process. When the body is acidic, it takes longer to recover. Processed foods, meat, and dairy can develop an acidic environment in the body. Over time, a constantly acidic body can lead to injury and compromised...