Squeezing Out Saturates. If you eat lots of plant foods, there's simply less room for the saturated animal fats that clog arteries. Again, no one's sure if it's the potassium, magnesium, fiber, or other components of fruits and vegetables that protect arteries in the brain. Diverticulosis and Constipation. That's not trivial in a country that spends millions each year on laxatives.
Diverticulosis is also common.
An estimated 30 to 40 percent of people over 50 have it, though most have no symptoms. Neural Tube Birth Defects. Folic acid supplements can reduce the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube birth defects. Some of the deadliest foodborne illnesses enter the body via animal foods. But meat, seafood, and poultry are the most likely culprits in foodborne illness.