With more research done, we have learnt more about the benefits of a plant-based diet To help explain what research says about the health benefits of a plant-based diet, let’s take a closer look at the results of this study and the interesting insights that it found.
Plant-Based vs Keto: Which is Better?
In explaining why she and her research partner Dr. Neil Iyengar chose to compare how keto and plant-based diets impact cancer risk, Dr. Urvi Shah said that, “Patients sometimes question: ‘Are sugars bad? Do sugars cause the cancer to get worse?’ That’s why a keto diet may appeal to some patients — because it’s considered low-carb, so they think they are eliminating sugars, which may reduce cancer risk…”

She then went on to say that “We also get many questions about a plant-based diet, as there is more awareness of the health benefits of plant foods, especially the importance of fiber, which is only derived from plants. There is now a large and growing body of scientific research about these two diets. The concepts behind these diets are diametrically opposite. So comparing the research to understand differences about both of them is helpful.”
After reviewing the data, Dr. Iyengar and Dr. Shah found that plant-based diets were more effective at reducing cancer risk than keto diets. In addition to finding that plant-based diets were better for lowering cancer risk, they also found that a plant-based diet supports better long-term health outcomes for those who are diagnosed with cancer.
“There are many biologic processes in the body that are impacted by diet and energy balance in general,” Dr. Iyengar said. “Many of these processes are involved in the growth of cancer, such as obesity and inflammation, hormones, insulin, the microbiome, and more. We examine several of these processes in our review. The bottom line for people looking to reduce their risk of cancer is that the current evidence supports a plant-based diet over a keto diet. Research also shows that broad dietary patterns that people can stick to — like a plant-based diet — are generally better in the long-term than highly specific interventions like keto diets.”
How to Adopt a Plant-Based Diet
If you’re sold on the benefits of a plant-based diet and its ability to reduce your cancer risk and improve your long-term health, you may be wondering what exactly a plant-based diet is and how to adopt one. It’s first worth noting that a plant-based diet is not inherently a vegan or vegetarian diet. Vegans and vegetarians do not eat any meat at all, while plant-based diets can contain small or infrequent amounts of meat as long as 90% or more of your diet is plant-based. While it is certainly acceptable to adopt a plant-based diet by going vegan or vegetarian, it isn’t a requirement to enjoy the diet’s health benefits. You may instead consider adopting a diet such as a Mediterranean diet where meat is used rarely and sparingly.
If you do decide to adopt a plant-based diet, reduced cancer risk isn’t the only health benefit that you can look forward to. Reduced inflammation, weight loss, reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, and improved gastrointestinal health are just a few of the other advantages of a plant-based diet that recent research has highlighted.
Even if you aren’t willing to completely adopt a plant-based diet, simply reducing the amount of meat that you consume and replacing it with healthy, plant-based foods can enable you to still enjoy some of the benefits. Most of us would agree that meat is delicious, and giving it up isn’t always easy. Anytime you are able to replace meat with plant-based foods, though, you are doing a favor to your health and the environment alike.