Viva! Health
Pulses are a part of most traditional diets and are packed with health benefits
The pulse family consists of plants that produce a pod with seeds inside. They include beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, soya beans, lupins, lotus, alfalfa and peanuts. An extensive scientific paper has just reviewed all the relevant research to find out exactly what pulses do for us.
The type of protein we eat matters more than we thought
The biggest study to date – with over 130,000 participants - of the effects of both plant and animal protein on human health produced surprisingly clear results.
A unique Polish study set out to investigate and compare the impact of diet on the blood fats and cholesterol in vegan and omnivorous volunteers. All participants were healthy, between 23 and 38 years old and not overweight. The aim was to discover whether diet influences the blood lipids (fats) to such an extent in healthy people that it can reduce or increase the risk of atherosclerosis – narrowing and hardening of the arteries – that leads to heart disease.
Public Health England has just published new dietary advice recommending people halve their dairy intake and eat less meat, replacing it with beans and pulses!
Viva!Health have been campaigning for change for years and it’s been a long time coming, but it seems things are beginning to change.
Everybody needs a regular source of vitamin B12: for vegans this means a supplement or sufficient fortified foods in their diet. However, despite all the warnings, vegans may actually have an advantage over meat and dairy-eaters when it comes to this important vitamin…
Vitamin B12 is involved in many important functions. It helps make red blood cells and keeps the nervous system healthy. A deficiency can lead to serious problems, especially in the young.
There are many studies showing how a vegan diet can reverse heart disease but the medical profession still needs persuading. A recent case study published in Case Reports in Cardiology provides an excellent example of the power of diet change.
Daily intake of fruit, vegetables and pulses protects the heart and prolongs your life!
A new review of evidence shows how fantastic plant foods are for your heart
Evidence is mounting against red and processed meat with links to all Western diseases
A comprehensive review of major studies on red and processed meat consumption presents a very convincing case against meat-based diets. The accumulated evidence links red and processed meat consumption to diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, several types of cancer and premature mortality.
As more and more plant milks are popping up, you may be wondering about their health benefits and how they compare to cow's milk. Veronika Powell explores the milky landscape
Firstly, let's have a proper look at what any milk actually is - a very watery liquid, around 90 per cent is always water. Therefore, any amount of nutrients it contains is more or less diluted and any health effects depend on how much of it you drink.
Scientists say there’s still no clear evidence that fish oils are healthful
Dairy and other animal fats have been shown to put you at risk of heart disease and stroke
Dairy products contain varying amounts of fat but a considerable portion of it is always saturated fat. This study investigated the link between dairy fat intake and the incidence of heart disease and stroke among 220,000 people whose diets and health were followed for decades.
High blood pressure is almost entirely preventable and yet devastates millions of lives, including the young. Juliet Gellatley of Viva! reveals how you can defeat it with a vegan diet
Heart disease is almost entirely preventable and yet is one of the biggest killers in the UK - its victims becoming ever younger. But heart disease isn’t inevitable and Juliet Gellatley of Viva! explores how and why a vegan diet can defeat it
If you think heart attacks affect only the elderly, think again as its victims are becoming ever younger. Shockingly, it is young women who are now putting themselves at a higher risk of suffering a heart attack than any other group.
Let’s face it, we all know we could eat healthier but we also want to be able to treat ourselves every now and then.
A healthy vegan diet is based on fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, pulses (lentils, beans, soya, chickpeas), nuts and seeds (with the obligate addition of vitamin B12 supplement).
Based on a study following 198 patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), a low-fat, wholesome vegan diet can literally save your life. Of the 198 patients with CVD, 177 adhered to the diet principles (followed on average for 3.7 years) which were for wholegrains, pulses (lentils, beans, soya, peas, chickpeas), vegetables and fruit to form the major portion of the diet. Participants were also encouraged to take a multivitamin and vitamin B12 supplement and advised to use of flax seed meal as an additional source of omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids.
One of the main complications that comes with heart disease is impaired blood vessel function. That means blood vessels are stiffening over time (and don’t regulate blood flow and therefore blood pressure as well as they should), can be (partially) blocked with plaques and in general the quality of the blood vessel walls has been compromised.
Pulses – beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas – have been repeatedly shown to improve fat metabolism and reduce heart disease risk but health professionals have not been paying attention. So, a scientific team conducted a review that analysed 26 previous trials to assess the effect of pulses on the key factors in heart disease risk. Each trial they looked at had at least three weeks’ duration and compared a diet rich in pulses with one that did not include pulses but provided the same amount of energy.
A recently published analysis of 26 scientific studies on the effect of pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas) on cholesterol levels of mostly middle-aged people at risk of heart disease, revealed how good these little gems can be for you. Just one serving (130 grams) per day achieved a significant reduction in cholesterol. Regular pulse intake has also been shown to be beneficial in terms of weight control, improved sugar metabolism and lower blood pressure.
Fibre as a natural part of our diet, improves our fat and sugar metabolism, blood vessel function, helps control blood pressure and facilitates weight loss. Our bodies evolved on fibre-rich foods and we need plenty to be healthy. A recent study looked at the diet of people who had suffered a heart attack in order to assess how changes in their diet post-heart attack might influence their health and survival chances.
