A whole food, plant-based diet is a diet based on foods that come from plants with no animal products being consumed. Some people (like me) eat a plant-based diet almost 100% of the time. But, it is possible to get better health (and enjoy some really yummy food) by just adding more and more plant-based foods to your diet. You may even find you would eventually like to become completely plant-based.
WHAT DOES IT MEANT TO ADOPT A PLANT-BASED DIET OR LIFESTYLE?
A diet that includes:
- Whole grains
- Rice (brown, wild, black)
- Grains (barley, farro, oats, couscous, quinoa, millet, sorghum)
- Whole grain products
- Bread (100% whole grain, pita, pumpernickel, rye)
- Tortillas (whole wheat and corn)
- Egg-free pasta (100% whole wheat, lentil, bean, spinach)
- Starchy Vegetables
- Potatoes
- Yams and sweet potatoes
- Corn
- Legumes
- Beans (garbanzo, pinto, black, white, adzuki, kidney)
- Lentils (green, red, black)
- Vegetables
- Leafy Greens (spinach, kale, chard, beet greens, mustard greens, bok choy, brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, cabbage)
- Colorful veggies (carrots, celery, onion, zucchini, cucumber, beets, green beans, mushrooms, peas, peppers, asparagus, eggplant, tomatoes), etc.
- Winter squash (pumpkin, butternut, acorn, spaghetti squash)
- Fruits
- Apples, oranges, bananas, grapefruit, melons, cherries, pear, peaches, berries, grapes, pineapple, lemon, lime, etc.
- Nuts and seeds (raw, no salt)
- Walnuts, almonds, cashews, pecans
- Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, sesame, flax, chia
- Lots of herbs and spices
- Miscellaneous
- Nutritional yeast (nicknamed “nooch”)
- Tofu, tempeh, seitan, jackfruit (in place of meat; use in moderation)
- Low-fat plant milk, unsweetened (almond, soy, hemp, rice, oat)
- Maple syrup, agave, black-strap molasses, raw sugar (in small amounts for cooking)
- Salt and Pepper (add minimum amount after cooking)
And saying no to:
- Meat, fish, chicken (poultry)
- Dairy and dairy products (cheese, yogurt, butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream, mayo, etc.)
- Eggs
- Oil (no to all oils; corn, soybean, olive, coconut, etc.)
- Highly processed foods & snacks (including fried foods, even if they are plant-based)
- Fake meats & cheeses (high in fat and salt and stuff we can’t pronounce)
Learn some of the health benefits of adding plant-based foods into your diet! WHY GO PLANT-BASED?
Think you might like to try it out? GETTING STARTED!
