Benefits of a Whole-foods Plant Based Diet

It is no longer a myth that a whole-foods plant-based diet is a healthy choice. With more positive research popping up in this area people are starting to find out more and try it out.

So what is a whole foods plant-based diet?

It focuses on sourcing foods from plants rather than animal sources and focuses on consuming the food in its whole form and removing anything processed. Basically think of anything processed as having higher amounts of sugar, salt, flavorings, coloring, preservatives, processed fats, bleaching agents, hormones, and antibiotics.

I want to emphasize ‘whole foods’ as switching to a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian diet does not necessarily mean you are automatically healthier. With its popularity, more and more processed plant based foods are popping up on your supermarket shelves. Prioritizing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, spices, herbs, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, and oils in their natural form is an important part of making this way of eating so healthy for you.

It has been well researched that people on a whole foods plant-based diet have lower LDL ‘bad’ cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower body fat which in turn protects against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.

As a nutritionist the most important change I have observed when people start to go plant-based is they get more comfortable and creative with vegetables. In general most people on a standard diet lack diversity as they refer back to the same meals. Often if you take a closer look you may notice you are only eating the same 5 or so fruits and vegetables at all time… Some that tend to make the list are potatoes, broccoli and carrots. Although these are great options nutrition science is finding that the more diverse your diet the healthier you will be. You should aim to get about 30 different types of plant-based foods on your plate a week. I know!

Although that number may sound huge remember it includes items from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, spices, herbs, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds and oils. A plant-based diet pushes us to get more diverse when cooking increasing our intake of powerful nutrients, dietary fiber, phytochemicals and antioxidants that support the body systems.

Also in a “plant-based diet” a small amount of animal products can be consumed but are not the main source of nutrition. In our meal plans, all animal products are removed to give your body a small break from them since a lot of toxic chemicals are stored in animal fats, and unless high quality, can also contain high levels of antibiotics and hormones. Consuming more plants has been shown to increase longevity. Additionally consuming fewer animal products is not only good for your health it is good for the health of the planet.

Morally a plant-based diet helps reduce the need for animal-based products which have become a multi-billion dollar industry. The demand for animal production has not only lead to an increase in greenhouse gas emissions it has also led to deforestation, factory farming, and increased waste.

A plant-based diet, therefore, is not only more sustainable for the planet but for you helping you be healthy and live longer. When on a plant-based diet you will need to “cleanse” and “diet” less as your natural way of eating becomes so nutritious reducing cravings and increasing energy.

There are so many positives to adopting more of a plant-based diet Christian and I could go on forever!! I will leave at this for now and just say that the best way to try it out is to let yourself be guided. Coming up with the recipes at the beginning can be daunting. In our At Home Retreat, we have two amazing meal prep plans for you that create a week’s worth of plant-based meals.

Give it a go and let us know what you think!