Although veganism has increased in popularity over the years, the health reasons for making plant-based choices for your daily diet aren’t anything new. Whether you are thinking about switching to a full-blown vegan diet or are just curious about the choices that you make in between meals when hunger hits, the reasons you should choose vegan snacks are aplenty. We love snacking vegan, and not just because that means always reaching for those Heavenly Hunks!
Reduce the risk of heart disease
Heart disease is one of the most common deadly illnesses we face in this country, and the path to heart disease starts early in life. We all know that a healthy diet that’s low in saturated fats can go a long way toward reversing and preventing heart disease. Lots of animal products are rich in these fats, as well as cholesterol. Even if you eat meat during the major meals of the day, choosing vegan snacks in between meals can lower the amount of unhealthy fats that are included in your diet.
Add longevity to your life
In addition to potentially reversing and preventing conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and diabetes, studies have shown that those with a plant-based diet actually outlive meat-eaters by six years. Vegan diets are usually richer in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which lead to a stronger immune system.
Avoid food-borne illnesses
76 million illnesses a year are caused by food! As you probably see when all of those notifications for food recalls fill your newsfeed, most of these food-borne illnesses come from meat and poultry. Not to mention that lots of animal-based foods these days are pumped with pesticides and antibiotics so they can get bigger faster. You can cut down on your risk of food-borne illnesses by grabbing for vegan snacks during that afternoon slump.
Have a positive environmental impact
Believe it or not, just one pound of hamburger meat emits the same amount of CO2 as the average car does over a three week period. Not to mention the waste created by factory farming is responsible for the pollution of almost 200,000 miles of rivers and streams. We all want to help take care of our planet, and choosing vegan snacks for ourselves and our little ones is one small thing we can all do every day.
Improve your digestion
This one is pretty simple! Eating more plant-based foods increases your fiber intake, which as we all learned in health class, is key to good digestion. The extra fiber and water in plant-based foods are also good for your skin and your energy, so it’s a win-win! Additionally, lots of people are lactose intolerant and don’t even realize it. Cutting dairy from your diet can do wonders for your digestion if your body doesn’t love lactose.
Enhance the economy (and your wallet)
When you go to the grocery store, what do you usually spend the most money on? Chances are that pound of hamburger is much more expensive than the pound of broccoli you bought. Also, those food-borne illnesses and other diseases we mentioned earlier can really skyrocket your healthcare bill. As you know, diet-related illnesses are completely preventable, so take that all that money you might save on medical bills and put it back in your wallet!
Enjoy trying a wide variety of healthy foods
When you enjoy vegan snacks, you can choose from a huge variety of colorful, nutrient-rich foods. In addition to fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains, lots of incredible vegan snacks are being made available so that people can make the best and most delicious choices possible. Stores like Costco have an abundance of vegan snack options, including our own Heavenly Hunks!
Ready to start taking care of yourself, your family, your wallet, and the environment by choosing vegan snacks? For starters, we have several different flavors of Heavenly Hunks to choose from! Grab your favorite now and make sure you always have guilt-free, plant-based, smart snacking choices ready for when that afternoon hunger strikes.