What is your opinion on the whole food plant based diet? originally appeared on Quora, the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world. You can follow Quora on Twitter, Facebook, and Google Plus.

In my opinion, a whole food plant based diet is one of the healthiest diets you can follow. Clinical research studies have shown that adopting a low-fat, plant-derived diet can aid in weight loss, improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood sugar and cholesterol and reverse a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) both now recommend well-planned, plant-based (vegetarian and vegan) nutrition for people with diabetes. A plant-based approach has also proven successful for those who are suffering from chronic disease, such as hypertension, heart disease, and obesity.

Heart disease, the #1 killer in the US, was found to be almost nonexistent in populations focused on plant-based diets. A plant-based diet may also help in preventing or slowing certain cancers. This is mostly because whole plant foods contain antioxidants that fight against aging and cancer. Plant-based nutrition also contributes to a healthy intestinal track, weight control and a longer life.

In my practice I have had several clients transition to a plant based diet and the results were staggering. The clients who I put on a plant-based diet saw a significant drop in their blood sugar in the least amount of time as opposed to those on other diets! When my clients transitioned from eating a highly processed diet including meat to a whole foods plant based diet, they reported that they didn’t feel hungry, had more energy, were able to think more clearly and lost weight more easily.

Eating a whole foods diet means maximizing your nutrient intake and obtaining your foods from natural sources while avoiding highly processed foods. Whole natural foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes and whole grains. A whole food is a food that is as close to its natural state as possible, such as a stalk of broccoli, a raw almond, or a scoop of quinoa. As opposed to a bag of potato chips, fruit juice or a candy bar.

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