Eating a more plant-based diet isn’t just good for the planet. It could add years to your life as well. A new study published in PLOS Medicine on Tuesday found that opting for plants, fish, legumes and whole grains over red meats and processed foods could extend a human lifespan by up to 13 years. “A sustained dietary change may give substantial health gains for people of all ages both for optimized and feasible changes,” the study authors wrote. Scientists and health experts have long sung the praises of a Mediterranean diet. That’s a diet based on moderate amounts of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, olive oil, seafood, poultry and dairy. It’s been rated the best diet over all five years in a row by U.S. News and World Report, and one study suggests it may even help protect against the impacts of certain types of air pollution.
Some of the qualities that make meat “meaty” are hard to reproduce with plant-based alternatives. Should we be focusing on replicating them – or trying to make new, tasty alternatives?
Considering the environmental impact of the meat industry, and growing appetite from consumers for plant-based foods, you might wonder if we will soon have a vegan alternative for every animal product. From...
