Do You Want To Know The Value Of A Plant-Based Diet?

What you eat is essential for your health and well being

Many people might think of vegetables when they see or hear the words Plant-Based Diet. It is so much more than vegetables.

Eating a plant-based diet includes a wide variety of options for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner plate — a very yummy selection of different foods that will entice your palate.

You may also think it is just for vegetarians, but you would be wrong.

The keyword in plant-based is based. It includes foods grown from plants, and there is an excellent selection from which to choose. It includes vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans, nuts, seeds, oil, and whole grains.

The emphasis is on foods grown from plants. When you fill your plant, you choose a high percentage of foods from plant sources.

You may also eat meat or dairy.

When you look at your plate, divide it into thirds. Fill fifty percent with vegetables and fruit, twenty-five percent with carbohydrates, and twenty-five percent with protein. It is OK to include healthy fats such as olives and hummus or avocado and cook using olive oil.

An example of a days menu would be:

Breakfast — a whole wheat tortilla filled with scrambled eggs, black beans, peppers, onions, Monterey Jack cheese, and a splash of salsa.

Lunch — vegetarian chili with quinoa, tomatoes, chilis, kidney beans, and black beans.

Dinner — Grilled salmon with asparagus, roasted broccoli, and farro salad.

The Mediterranean diet is an excellent example of a plant-based diet.

Many studies have been completed and have shown that people who eat a Mediterranean diet (think plant-based) are less likely to have heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, specifically colon, breast, and prostate cancers.

The same study also showed that older adults are healthier with better mental and physical function. They live longer, are more robust, and are more likely to live independently.

Plant-based diets also show decreased cases of metabolic syndrome, which is a combination of three or more of these conditions: Obesity, elevated blood triglycerides, low LDL cholesterol (good cholesterol), high blood pressure, and elevated blood sugar.

People who eat a plant-based diet consume all the necessary protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals required for optimal health, and their diets are high in fiber and phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants that prevent damage to cells and help reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease.

I think of myself as a semi-vegetarian. I eat vegetables and fruit, and I also eat eggs and dairy foods, and sometime I will add meat or poultry. Adding more fish to my diet is another option I want to explore.

My dinner of choice is a bowl filled with a grain such as quinoa, another protein source such as a chopped hard-boiled egg or chicken, some greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, and blueberries. I drizzle this with a dressing, usually a vinaigrette — pure bliss.

If you are not sure where to start, or if you want to switch to a plant-based diet, you can ease into it.

At lunch, skip the burger, have a salad, or have a burger, but eat a veggie burger instead.

Change from chips and dip for a snack — instead, eat cut vegetables with hummus, salsa, or guacamole. A piece of fruit such as an apple is a great addition.

Have oatmeal or a grain such as quinoa, and add fruit and drizzle with honey at breakfast.

Try to eat at least one vegetarian meal a week. Pick your favorite fruits and vegetables. You may be surprised at how great the mixed flavors blend together.

Make a salad the central portion of your lunch or dinner.

Even at breakfast, you can add greens. Put greens in a bowl and add a soft-cooked egg; add other flavorings such as fresh herbs or your favorite vegetable. Don’t forget the fruit — I add blueberries to everything for a burst of sweetness.

A plant-based diet is a healthy choice with many benefits for you and your family.

It also benefits the environment.

When we adopt a diet with a high percentage of fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains and significantly reduce the percentage of animal products we consume, it will help fight climate change and keep people healthy.

A report published in The Lancet in 2019 concluded that a dietary shift toward plant foods and away from animal products is vital for promoting the health of our planet.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine published a comprehensive article titled “A Vegan Diet: Eating for the Environment.”

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