Abstract

LIMA, Miguel; COSTA, Rui; LAMEIRAS, Jorge  and  BOTELHO, Goreti. PLANT-BASED DIETS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. Acta Port Nutr [online]. 2021, n.26, pp.46-52.  Epub Jan 06, 2022. ISSN 2183-5985.  https://doi.org/10.21011/apn.2021.2607.

Feeding is a basic need for all individuals relevant for their health and well-being. The adoption of vegetarian diets is justified not only in health and well-being arguments, namely considering some harmful effects of omnivorous diets on health, but also in arguments related to the environment and life ideology. The main objectives of this narrative review work focus on three interconnected and very actual topics: (1) to focus on the potential of plant-based diets in the prevention of chronic diseases and human well-being;

(2) to frame plant-based diets as diets with recognized involvement in social, economic and environmental sustainability; and (3) to highlight the main alternative food products to foods of animal origin and the challenges facing the food industry. From the consulted literature, 68 scientific articles were analyzed, allowing to conclude that adopting a plant-based diet has played an important role in the prevention of chronic disease, well-being, and environmental sustainability.

Keywords : Well-being; Plant-based diet; Chronic diseases prevention; Health; Sustainability.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )