Why do plant based nutrition? There are amazing health benefits with reducing inflammation, reversing cardiovascular disease (preventing CVD), reversing, and preventing obesity and diabetes, high antioxidants for a powerful approach to prevent cancer and autoimmunity.
In my years of doing whole food plant based nutritional programs for my patients, I am still constantly amazed at the beautiful transformations people can make just by switching their diets. Once you give up all the highly refined, ultra-processed, massive additives that drain our body’s health – you see medications become unnecessary, energy improves, mood lighten, anxiety disappears, people sleep better, they feel lighter and better overall.
The other big reason to switch to a whole food plant based diet, for me, is our impact on the world around us, and thus how that impacts us as humans. A sick world = sick humans. And I would say a sick human = sick world.
By doing more whole food plant-based eating, we are doing good by the environment, our amazing ecosystem – mother earth and our neighboring animals, wild and domestic. Taking compassion to prevent the horrific slaughter of animals without humane approaches. If you ever read or witnessed the beautiful way native Americans would kill animals. They would first kill wild animals living the way God intended them to live. They prayed upon them, they thanked them. They used every part of the animal to honor the sacrifice. Very different from the feedlots of the world where animals are caged, drugged, and are just labeled as a certain part of their body to be massively consumed.
When we take care of the earth and the collective ecosystem, it reflects back and has amazing benefits within our own ecosystem (microbiome). It’s a wonderful symbiotic relationship.
Questions have come up in my practice about Whole food plant based shifts. I am craving food all the time. There is no way I can go 100%. Is there a middle road? How do we get enough protein? Could I become anemic?
Here are a few basic tips that might help get you kicked off:
1. If doing all 3 meals as full plant based is too much right now. What is possible?
Can you do one day that is an all plant-based days in the week? Could you start with adding more vegetables to each meal.
2. Is there a friend that you can become accountability buddies with that would want to make the switch with you!
It’s amazing what happens when we build a community around common goals and interests. Can you find or follow people that are already doing this and keep you motivated with fun recipes and tips to make this journey interesting? Can you organize potlucks with people in your friends circle and ask everyone to make only whole food plant based meals as a fun challenge and see what people create!!!
3. Are you worried about foods that you love that you might not be able to eat anymore?
I was too!! In a Hungarian household and growing up with amazing dishes that were meat based… I didn’t want to lose that heritage and part of my culture. One of the best things I did was try to make all my favorite dishes into plant-based. And you know what? They turned out great!! Start with seeing what you can do to make your favorites healthier! I had the most amazing mac and cheese (plant based), Shepard’s pie, Rueben sandwich (without the bread and it tasted just like Rueben!) Don’t underestimate the power of spices and the magic that happens when you combine the right ones!
4. Make sure you are getting variety of foods to help prevent hunger, cravings and get maximum nutrients for the body and your fabulous microbiome ☺
This means that your meals should have beans and legumes like lentils, starches like potatoes or sweet potato, whole grains, and lots of variety with vegetables, and leafy greens. Enjoy fruit for breakfast, as a snack or for dessert.
One trick I do to make this more fun is to go to the farmers market and grocery store looking for exciting new produce I have never worked with before. It’s rare these days that I see something new but that’s also why I love local farmers markets. Sometimes local farms will have a new radicchio variety with a color or design I have never seen. The impact it has on my salads is fantastic! It’s a fun way to try new things and get max health benefits.
One thing for the microbiome benefits and health, improving variety in our foods is one of the best ways to bring health to our own ecosystem. Aim for 30-40 different plants in the week to optimize on this health hack.
I like to think of my plate of balance when I do pick what I am eating or making for dinner. For instance, when you look at the plate example below – if I am making chili … I won’t just do the tomatoes, spices, onions, garlic, and beans. I will add in the butternut squash in the wintertime, or for a summer version add in loads of greens like chard or kale. I will dice up carrot, celery and sweet potato at times with the onions to make a delicious base. Trying to load up and get the dish super balanced.
What does your power plate for whole foods plant based look like? I thought you would never ask:
Make the Vegetables the main act!
- Greens – all the beautiful leafy greens: chard, kale, spinach, lettuce, frisee, etc.…
- Rainbow foods – peppers, cucumbers, squash, carrots, onions, artichokes, root vegetables, beets, turnips, parsnips
Add in protein rich foods like legumes/beans and starches – all beans will work here – choose the one you like. (You can even use beans cooked with a little bit of vegetable broth and then blended for a “refried bean or bean dip type of addition.) lentils, soy in the form of edamame or tofu, whole grain, choose your favorite rice, quinoa or buckwheat
Everything you are eating will have protein. Remember that some of the largest animals on the planet are herbivores and eat only plants and have massive strength and muscle. Balancing foods with lower protein content per serving with foods like the above higher protein content will ensure you get your needs met.
Add in the Fats = nuts and seeds (pumpkin and flax seeds), avocado
Side note: I try so hard to get a variety of foods/ dishes in my week, the reality is that I work and have a busy life where cooking all the time and every night is not always possible. Some of my favorite go-to recipes are things that I can make in the instapot and keeping food ready for quick bowls and salads.
Instapot items I will make
- All type of soups and chili
- Whole grains in bulk for the week
- Beans or legumes in bulk for the week
Bowls and wraps and salads
- Collard greens as the base for my wraps on hand or rice paper
- Leafy greens and chopped veggies for quick bowls and salad add ons
- Batch cooking of potato and sweet potato and squash cubes for adding to all of the above
5. Fat helps with brain health and skin health.
It is important for keeping you full longer, so make sure you are adding in a little bit of fat to each meal with avocado, nuts, seeds. General guideline is a thumb size portion at each meal.
6. If you are finding you are craving foods and always hungry…
Revisit your plate and make sure you have enough higher caloric density foods like beans, root vegetables and grains. These will help to provide the right balance so that it keeps you full longer.
7. For added variety and fun…I love zucchini strips into noodles instead of pasta. I love to switch cauliflower rice instead of any grain.
They are lower caloric density and adding a 1-2 punch with so many phytonutrients. If you feel like you are having too loose stools, or you need more energy or feeling hungry – sometimes adding back in whole grains can help. (or again seeing if you are adding enough variety of vegetables and legumes.)
8. Drink water and get hydrated.
One of the things I hear often is that whole food plant-based foods are so hydrating I don’t need to drink water. That is not true. Period. But also, not true if we look at the different activities that people are engaged in. By the time you are thirsty you are already too dehydrated. Sometimes when you are feeling hunger your body really would love hydration. I will have people make big containers of vegetable broth and use that during the day, so they are getting the best balance for their cellular needs.
9. On the question of nutritional deficiencies.
If someone is really creating a well-rounded whole food plant based plate like I am suggesting above. I do not see nutritional deficiencies. Usually, the nutritional deficiencies are coming from people going “vegan” and eating tons of junk food.
This is very similar to an omnivore that is eating a mostly standard American diet of highly processed foods. If you choose junk over real food, there will always be a higher concern for deficiencies.
With that being said I do make alternations for people in order to meet needs. Recommending higher iron content foods like beets and black beans for individuals concerned with meeting iron needs. Homemade vegan sushi for added nori strips and natural iodine source. Brazil nuts each day to add in necessary selenium in hypothyroid concerns. Celery and swiss chard for individuals that need a little more natural sodium foods or doing things like giving blood or preparing for more intense exercise.
10. Snacking
I don’t recommend snacking. Getting 4-5 hours between meals really does help your digestive system do its job appropriately and helps your digestion rest for periods of time.
But if necessary and you are an athlete or are going high intensity activities during the day – having a good quality snack can make a big difference for health.
Snack ideas:
- Have a good nutritious smoothie with greens, berries, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and almond milk.
- Power balls: oatmeal + dried fruits (no sulfites) + nuts + almond butter
- Chia pudding: chia seeds in nut milk. Add fruits and nuts as topping.
- Wild rice cooked in almond milk, add fruit and some ground flax or make it more savory with beans and veggies
- Homemade hummus + veggie sticks
- Raw cashew butter + apple or Almond butter on apple slices or celery
- Baked sweet potato + salsa + kale + any of the following: tahini + chia seeds + nuts
- Trail mix for snacks: mix almonds, walnuts, pecans, dried berries (try the ones that don’t have added sugar or sulfites), mulberries, goji berries
- Brown rice or quinoa cereal with almond or coconut milk and fruit.
- Mason jar salad or layered dishes like:
- spinach, broccoli, brussel sprouts, carrots, sweet potato with brown rice, lentil arugula salad and some ground flax seed + fruit.
- Lentils + kale + broccoli + sweet potato + brown rice
- Millet porridge + chia seeds + berries + coconut milk.
- Bowl of oatmeal with almond butter or banana or apple and chia seeds
- Kale and sweet potato mix with black beans and avocado
- “Chickpea tuna” sandwich or on a salad or on a baked potato
- Vegan chili with avocado
- Wraps: black bean + rice; wild rice + butternut squash; veggies + tofu; spinach +quinoa;
- Buddha bowel: teff or black rice or quinoa + sesame seeds + cauliflower + squash + kale (or cabbage) lemon juice and some seasonings
- Guacamole
- Dehydrated fruit leathers
- Dehydrated fruit pureed
- Fresh made apple sauce
