A plant-based diet includes whole foods like vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes as well as healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado and unsweetened nuts/nut butters. Animal products may be included, but should only be seen as an accompaniment rather than the center of any meal.
Studies both retrospective and randomized control trial (RCT) demonstrate the positive health impacts of plant-based eating through various mechanisms. At PBNM Nutrition Services we offer nutrition services designed to increase patient acceptance and compliance with plant-based eating.
Vegetables
Vegetables provide a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber. Furthermore, vegetables contain soluble fiber which has been shown to reduce cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Studies demonstrate the many health advantages associated with following a plant-based diet, including weight loss and reduced risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Fruits and vegetables are essential elements of a plant-based diet, while dairy, eggs, meat and fish should serve more as supplements than the centerpiece of meals. Other suitable choices for vegan diets are whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa and farro; beans; nuts/nut butters/seeds as well as unsweetened plant-based milks.
Legumes
Legumes are packed with protein, vitamins and minerals – they make an ideal vegetarian substitute to meat in any meal with similar textures and tastes similar to fish or chicken proteins.
Oatmeal is an excellent low-glycemic food, helping reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease. Plus, its fiber content promotes healthy bowel function while keeping you full for longer.
Research by Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future (CLF) indicates that increasing consumption of plant-based diets with legumes could help align global dietary patterns with climate and health goals, though their widespread adoption will depend on consumer awareness, economic access, choice and demand.
Fruits
Fruits are seed-bearing structures of flowering plants (also referred to as angiosperms). They provide both nutrition and an avenue for disseminating its seeds.
Fruits and vegetables form the cornerstone of a plant-based diet, packed with antioxidants and phytochemicals to strengthen immunity, detoxify pollutants from processed food products and bacteria in your system, and ease chronic inflammation.
These transition aids also make the shift towards a plant-based diet easier, and research indicates that people who eat mostly plant-based are at lower risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Nuts
From a nutritional standpoint, nuts are excellent plant-based foods that provide protein, heart-friendly fats and essential vitamins and minerals for our diets. A healthy eating pattern should consist of whole fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes along with nuts and seeds as part of an overall balanced meal plan.
Plant-based diets have the power to help people lose weight and lower their risk for diabetes, heart disease and other chronic illnesses. Though initially difficult, transitioning to this way of eating often becomes simpler with time and practice. Registered dietitians can also provide helpful resources and meal plans tailored towards meeting dietary recommendations.
Seeds
Seeds are the parts of plants that have the ability to propagate themselves. A seed contains an embryo, its supply of nourishment known as endosperm, and an outer coating or seed coat.
Most seeds are contained inside fruit, but certain seeds have fleshy appendages designed to attract animal dispersers who eat them and then deposit the seeds through their droppings, hooks or barbs that attach themselves to fur or feathers, or wings for wind dispersion. All of these structures give seeds their distinctive shapes, sizes, and colors.
Many professional medical organizations embrace the concept that food can be medicine and advocate for adopting a whole-foods, low-fat plant-based diet to combat chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease.
Faux Meats
For those not quite ready to give up meat altogether, faux meat products like Beyond Burgers or No Evil Foods provide an easy-to-grab alternative – though be wary of their high sodium content and ultra-processed nature.
People turn to plant-based diets for various reasons. This could be driven by moral convictions or concerns about current meat industry practices; or simply wanting to improve their health. No matter the motivation for switching, consulting with a registered dietitian can assist with creating an individualized meal plan tailored specifically for you.
Other Foods
Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular as an approach to improving our health and minimizing our environmental footprint. Unfortunately, however, this diet style can cause deficiencies in vitamins and minerals if it’s not properly planned out.
A diet consisting of whole food plants provides essential micronutrients that may be lacking from traditional American diets and helps prevent chronic disease and obesity. Eating plant-based can also lower cholesterol and blood pressure while helping reduce inflammation within your body.
