You are what you eat. The more we learn about food and the connection between nutrition and overall health, the more we realize the truth in this old saying. We also start to realize the serious benefits that can be had by putting more plant-based foods into our bodies. Still not convinced that a plant-based diet is right for you? Here are some plant-based diets facts that just may change your mind and eventually change your health for the better.

If you're serious about improving your health from head-to-toe, you should consider starting with your gut. That’s because recent research has found that your gut health influences so much of your physical and emotional health. When the healthy bacteria in your gut are happy, you’re more likely to feel happy too due to an increase in the production of serotonin. Not only that, but a healthy gut also helps your body with digestion, immunity, and a whole host of essential processes. Best of all, some of the gut-healthiest foods you can add to your diet for an added boost of probiotics are also plant-based. While you don’t want to pick dairy options from this list, you can get those probiotics by munching on miso, coconut kefir, and kombucha.

Eating more plant-based foods is not only good for your gut; it can be also good for your heart. Research has shown that trading processed and fatty foods for nutritiously dense plant-based options can cut your risk of heart disease by 10 percent or more. To maximize your cardiovascular benefits with these diet changes, you should still try to incorporate heart-healthy grains and plenty of veggies into your diet. Now, you may be thinking that reducing your risk of heart disease by 10 percent isn’t that big of a deal. With more than half of Americans being at risk and heart disease consistently counted as a leading cause of death in this country, even the smallest changes can make a major difference in your health and vitality.

Okay, now you may be wondering how eating a plant-based diet will affect your workouts. It’s true that you need a well-rounded fitness plan to stay healthy and happy. This routine needs to be multifaceted to impact all aspects of your health, which means burning calories with cardio workouts while simultaneously building muscle mass with strength training. Most people tend to think you need to eat traditional sources of protein to attain this healthy exercise and fitness balance, but that’s simply not the case! Some of the most accomplished athletes in the world have used plant-based diets to fuel their success, which means you can definitely thrive and achieve your own health and wellness goals eating plant-based too!

By now, you can see how easily plant-based eating habits can fit into your daily health habits. You can reduce your risk for heart disease, balance out your mood, and improve your fitness routine, all of which can also help you maintain a healthy weight. Why is a healthy weight important? Aside from looking and feeling better, you can also avoid health risks of obesity by incorporating these healthy habits into your daily life. These risks range from mental health issues, like depression, to debilitating physical health ailments, such as muscle atrophy. If weight loss is a primary goal for your health, you can use plant-based recipes to easily achieve it. Just be sure to read through some beginners tips so you can stay on track without stressing.