Plant-Based Diets Reduce Medication Use Among Seniors

Plant-based diets reduce medication use among seniors, according to a study published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Researchers compared dietary patterns with the number of pills taken by 328 seniors using questionnaires from the Loma Linda University Drayson Center. Those who followed a vegan diet took the lowest amount of pills and reduced their medications by 58% when compared to nonvegetarian participants. Increased fiber intake and lower intakes of saturated fat associated with vegan diets improve blood sugar, blood pressure, weight, cholesterol, and other health outcomes linked to better health.