How You Can Benefit from a Plant-Based Diet
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How You Can Benefit from a Plant-Based Diet?
You are wondering if a plant-based diet is right for you in your 40s, how it will affect your blood glucose control, and its effect on protein intake for muscles. Since our aging bodies are not as efficient at processing nutrients, you want to know if your digestive system can handle it. To ease the transition, you can get support from plant protein based nutritional supplements (eg. Ensure Gold Plant Based). Variety is key and it is essential for seniors to have a well-rounded diet. But one of the main benefits of a plant-based diet is that it will have less opportunities for you to eat high cholesterol, saturated and trans ridden, and excessive sugar content food items and potentially ease later developing lactose intolerance.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Lowers Cholesterol and Supports the Immune System
Since a plant-based diet is bulked up with their water and fiber content, it slows down fat absorption into the blood. With being fuller longer, it helps you with regulating glycemic control (keeps blood glucose stable). Conditionally, since fruits and vegetables like citruses, bananas, tomatoes, beetroot, rice, and quinoa are rich in vitamins D, B, and calcium that help lower blood pressure. Improved blood flow results in better oxygen and nutrient distribution around the body, thus allowing muscle to grow and repair.1, 2, 3
Part of the strength of your immune system falls upon the strength of the good gut bacteria and they need prebiotic fibers as food. Plant based diet provides an abundance of magnesium, iron, folic acid, vitamin B1, C and E, which are a few of the important ones that support the immune system by increasing the functionality of red blood cells. A combination of those vitamins and minerals help iron absorption, and the good gut bacteria relies on iron to function efficiently to fight off the bad ones.1, 2, 5
Helps maintain weight and muscle quality
High fiber intake from plants induces a beneficial metabolic process, thus providing appetite regulation and improving lipid control. Especially for adults in their 40s where their body’s metabolism is less efficient, this can stop you from overeating. Coincidentally, this also reduces the desire to eat high cholesterol, saturated and trans-ridden, and excessive sugar content food. Compared to meat, pound-for-pound, plant protein items pack more nutrients without the calories and unhealthy fats and with also a high fiber content, it aids in digestion, keeps gut microbiomes healthy, and supports heart health. This means that you can get the nutrient for preventing muscle loss, Hydroxymethylbutyrate (HMB, produced when amino acid leucine is broken down from protein rich food) without the extra calories!1, 2, 3, 4, 7
What should you eat?
All you have to remember is to not eat anything that has legs or swims. Anything from fruits, vegetables, tubers or starchy foods, and whole grains are all fair game. For example:
Breakfast, have: a bowl of whole grains, topped with fresh fruits like bananas, mangos, oranges, or anything seasonal. Add nuts for plant protein. Instead of an egg omelet, a sauteed vegetable medley of mushroom, sweet corn, carrots, and bok choy stem.2, 3
Lunch: eat the same dishes you love, but replace the meat with beans, tofu, mushroom, or even gourd related vegetables.2, 3
Snacks: Choose whole grain bread for toast and replace butter with olive oil, nut-based versions, or homemade crushed avocado paste. Gradually replace processed desserts with fruits like peaches, watermelon, apples, or mangos or homemade mixed fruit juice with pulp to retain fiber content.2, 3
Dinner: Similar to lunch, replace the meat or dairy ingredients with plant-based alternatives. For originally meaty dishes, eggplant and pumpkin are worth substitutes. Luckily a plant-based diet gives you the opportunity to make your dishes colorful and creative with the natural bright colors of fruits and vegetables. Instead of a boring bowl of endless green lettuce, dress it up with baby spinach, microgreens, edible flowers, fresh and dried fruits, and homemade dressing for a 5-star home meal.2, 3
It is never too late to make a diet change and any type of healthy eating is good for you. Keep variety in mind to increase your success by going through a plant-based diet. If you are still worried about digestion, you can ease the transition with a plant based nutritional supplement. For example, the new Ensure Gold Plant Based formula comes in a delicious almond flavor to provide an alternative to dairy-based proteins.6, 7 Formulated with Triple Plant Protein blend of soy, rice, and quinoa to support muscle health, non-milk drinkers can enjoy the same muscle supporting benefits of Ensure Gold’s complete and balanced nutrition. With added HMB, 28 vitamins and minerals (12 of which support immunity^), and plant-based fat-blends with omega-3, 2 servings of Ensure can help meet your daily nutritional needs in addition to your regular diet to support heart, muscles, and overall health.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6742661/
- https://www.vegkitchen.com/7-benefits-plant-based-diets-seniors/#:~:text=Increase%20Energy%20Level%3A%20Switching%20to,more%20energy%20throughout%20the%20day.
- https://emoha.com/blogs/nutrition/plant-based-diet
- https://aparadiseforparents.com/plant-based-diet/
- https://modifyhealth.com/blogs/blog/micronutrients-why-they-re-important-for-gut-health-and-how-to-get-enough-of-them
- https://abbottnutrition.com.my/products/ensure-gold
- https://www.nutritionnews.abbott/healthy-living/aging-well/why-hmb-is-important-for-aging-muscles/
^ Ensure Gold contains protein, Vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D, E, Folate and selenium, copper, zinc and iron, that help support the normal function of the immune system)
Additional Readings:
- https://www.sustain.ucla.edu/food-systems/the-case-for-plant-based/
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-right-plant-based-diet-for-you