Healthy Living & Prevention in El Paso

Breadcrumbs

Plant-Based Diet: A Detailed Beginner's Guide

Plant-Based Diet: A Detailed Beginner's Guide

05 Aug 2019 by Ted Escobedo   5 min read

There are many diet options. While some emphasize all protein and good fat, others tout intermittent fasting as the way to a healthier life. Still other health experts believe that diets emphasizing fresh, whole ingredients and minimizing processed foods are superior for overall wellness. The whole-foods, plant-based diet does just that.

Today, we will learn a little about plant-based diets.

A whole food, plant-based diet:

  • Emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods.
  • Limits or avoids animal products. (but are not necessarily off limits as in vegan diets)
  • Focuses on plants, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, which should make up the majority of the diet.
  • Excludes refined foods, like added sugars, white flour and processed oils.
  • Pays special attention to food quality, with many proponents of the WFPB diet promoting locally sourced, organic food whenever possible.

It focuses on minimally processed foods, specifically plants, and is effective at stimulating weight loss and improving health.

This article reviews everything you need to know about the whole-foods, plant-based diet, including its potential health benefits, foods to eat and a sample


What Is a Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet?

There is no clear definition of a what constitutes a whole-foods, plant-based diet (WFPB diet). The WFPB diet is not necessarily a set diet — it’s more of a lifestyle.

This is because plant-based diets can vary greatly depending on the extent to which a person includes animal products in their diet.

Nonetheless, the basic principles of a whole-foods, plant-based diet are as follows:

  • Emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods.
  • Limits or avoids animal products.
  • Focuses on plants, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, which should make up the majority of what you eat.
  • Excludes refined foods, like added sugars, white flour and processed oils.
  • Pays special attention to food quality, with many proponents of the WFPB diet promoting locally sourced, organic food whenever possible.

Many studies have shown that plant-based diets are beneficial for weight loss.

The high fiber content of the WFPB diet, along with the exclusion of processed foods, is a winning combination for shedding excess pounds.

A review of 12 studies that included more than 1,100 people found that those assigned to plant-based diets lost significantly more weight — about 4.5 pounds over an average of 18 weeks — than those assigned to non-vegetarian diets.

Adopting a healthy plant-based eating pattern may also help maintain the weight loss in the long run.

A study in 65 overweight and obese adults found that those assigned to a WFPB diet lost significantly more weight than the control group and were able to sustain that weight loss of 9.25 pounds) over a one-year follow-up period.

Plus, simply cutting out the processed foods that aren’t allowed on a WFPB diet like soda, candy, fast food and refined grains is a powerful weight loss tool .

It Benefits a Number of Health Conditions

Adopting a whole-foods, plant-based diet not only benefits your waistline, but it can also lower your risk and reduce symptoms of certain chronic diseases.

  1. Heart Disease.
  2. Cancer
  3. Cognitive Decline
  4. Diabetes

Okay then, what does a typical day on the whole foods, plant-based diet look like?


How to plan a plant based diet


Here are a few guidelines:

A plant-based diet has more of a focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods. In a nutshell, here just some of the foods included:

  • Legumes and other plant-based proteins (like soybeans and seitan)
  • Nuts and seeds, including nut milk, chia seeds, flax seeds
  • Good fats, like avocados
  • Greens – and lots of them!
  • All fruits and vegetables
  • Naturally occurring starches, like potatoes
  • Whole grains, like oats, brown rice, and quinoa
  • Maple syrup, coconut sugar, and other unrefined sugars (avoid artificial sweeteners)
  • Coffee is included

What to eat? Here is a sample with daily menu options:

Breakfast:

  • Rolled oats with walnuts, banana, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.
  • Breakfast wrap: Fill a whole-wheat tortilla with scrambled egg, black beans, peppers, onions, Monterey jack cheese, and a splash of hot sauce or salsa.
  • Whole-wheat English muffin topped with fresh tomato and avocado slices, and blueberries.

Lunch:

  • Greek salad: Chopped mixed greens with fresh tomato, Kalamata olives, fresh parsley, crumbled feta cheese, extra virgin olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Whole-wheat pita on the side, fresh melon for dessert.
  • Tomato basil soup, whole-grain crackers with tabbouleh, and an apple.
  • Vegetarian pizza topped with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, peppers, and mushroom. Fresh strawberries for dessert.

Dinner:

  • Grilled vegetable kabobs with grilled tofu, and a quinoa and spinach salad.
  • Whole-wheat pasta with cannellini beans and peas, and a romaine salad with cherry tomatoes, dressed with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
  • Vegetarian chili with a spinach-orzo salad.

SOURCES: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

About Us

Living a healthier life is a goal that we all strive for but often need encouragement accomplishing. Keeping track of nutrition, exercise, inner happiness and the latest healthy living information may be a time-consuming task. Having some friendly advice at your disposal, whenever and wherever you need it, makes it easier and more fun. With just a click, good2knowelpaso.org is filled with tips, tricks, recipes and personal stories that will inspire you on your journey to wellness. We strive to offer you information and advice that you can immediately incorporate into your life. Think of us as your source for intel on living well!

Good2knowelpaso.org is an initiative of the Rio Grande Cancer Foundation

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up to date with the latest blog posts!

Contact Us

Rio Grande Cancer Foundation
616 N. Virginia St., Ste D
El Paso, TX 79902


Phone: (915) 562-7660
Email: