Since 2014, people all over the world have been participating in ‘Veganuary’ – a challenge that encourages participants to follow a vegan lifestyle for the month of January. The initiative is designed to promote and educate about veganism, and over 620,000 people took part in 2022. If eating fewer animal products is one of your New Year’s resolutions, or you are already eating a plant-based diet, you might be wondering how this change can affect your hearing. Read on to find out more:
It might surprise you to learn the extend that your diet can affect your ear health. Think of it this way: if you are eating nutrient dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds and grains, you are providing your body with the fuel to keep you in good health. The following nutrients have been cited as being particularly beneficial for your ear health:
- Potassium
- Folic acid
- Zinc
- Magnesium
While a carnivorous diet can definitely include those nutrients, veganism has been proven to provide a purer form of these elements – ideal for those looking to optimise their hearing. Here’s a breakdown on why these particular nutrients are so good for our hearing.
Potassium:
Believe it or not, potassium actually regulates the fluid in our inner ear. Your inner ear captures sound and translates them to your brain – healthy levels of potassium in your diet help your inner ear to do this effectively. Pictured are some vegan foods rich in potassium!
- Bananas
- Avocados
- Spinach
- Potatoes
- Melons
- Oranges
- Apricots
- Tomatoes
Folic Acid:
Folic acid promotes new cell growth within the body as well as improved circulation. Taking Folic acid can help to increase hair growth, which may seem off topic, but is actually a great help for hearing! When the small hairs in our inner ears grow well, our inner ears are more protected from potential damage. Here you can see some vegan foods that include folic acid.
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Spinach
Zinc:
Zinc consumption is a great way to boost our immune function – especially important if you’ve been feeling under the weather. This is important for ear health as having healthy levels of zinc can help to fight off ear infections. There are many zinc-rich vegan foods, including those seen to your left.
- Cashews
- Almonds
- Peanuts
- Beans
- Split peas
- Lentils
- Dark chocolate
- Oats
- Popped quinoa
- Raisins
- Dried cranberries
- Coconut flakes
Magnesium:
You may be interested to learn that magnesium can actually help to treat noise-related hearing loss. This is thought to be due to its ability to fight the effects of free radicals generated by loud noise, acting as a barrier that protects the hair cells in the inner ear. In fact, a lack of magnesium can cause the blood vessels in the inner ear to shrink due to a lack of oxygen. Vegan foods rich in magnesium include:
- Bananas
- Artichokes
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
It’s amazing how much a healthy plant-based diet can benefit our health! If you’d like to learn more about how to take care of your hearing, contact DigiClear today.
