It’s indisputable: plant-based dietary patterns low in ultraprocessed foods are good for health. Unfortunately, nearly all of us could do with a lot more healthy plant foods on our plates—especially in place of refined carbs, added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats (see Recommendations vs. Reality). If you want to do your body a favor and increase the number of healthy plant foods you eat, read on!
Plant-Based. A plant-based dietary pattern can avoid all animal products—or not. Here are some common terms:
➧ Flexitarian: includes eggs, dairy foods, and occasionally meat, poultry, fish, and seafood.
➧ Pescetarian: includes eggs, dairy foods, fish, and shellfish, but no meat or poultry.
➧ Vegetarian: (sometimes referred to as lacto-ovo vegetarian) includes eggs and dairy foods, but no meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.
➧ Vegan: excludes all animal products, including dairy, eggs, and honey. If you plan to follow a strict vegan diet, let your healthcare provider know. You may need to be checked periodically to make sure you’re getting enough iron and vitamin B12.
Research clearly associates vegetarian and vegan dietary patterns with multiple health benefits. For example, a review of research found that long term consumption of these dietary patterns was significantly associated with better blood sugar control, more desirable body weight, lower levels of inflammation, and more favorable levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, which likely contributed to lower risk for ischemic heart disease (hardening of the arteries) and cancer.
If a plant-only diet is not for you, try thinking in terms of “plant-forward” eating: focus on foods from plants first, and animal products second. Nonfat and low-fat dairy, fish and shellfish, and eggs are excellent options to bring to the table. Small portions of poultry and lean, unprocessed meat can fit into plant-forward eating as well.
There’s a lot of research supporting the association between plant-forward dietary patterns and better health. In fact, the two most-studied diets for cardiovascular health—the Mediterranean-style dietary pattern and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH)—are both plant-forward diets that are not animal food-free, as is the EAT-Lancet Planetary Health Diet.
Be aware that plant-based and plant-forward dietary patterns are only good for health if they don’t include a lot of ultraprocessed plant-based foods. A study that analyzed the reported dietary intake of over 126,000 participants found that consuming a plant-based dietary pattern built on whole or minimally processed plant foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, tea, and coffee) was associated with lower risk of death, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD), but, an unhealthy plant-based dietary pattern built on ultraprocessed foods (including refined grains, potato products, sugary drinks, fruit juices, sweets, and desserts) was associated with higher risk. Plant-based “meats,” “cheeses,” and many “milks” are ultraprocessed, as are protein bars and powders.
Introducing…Plants. If you’d like to increase your intake of plant foods but aren’t too familiar with plant-based cooking, it’s fine to start slowly. Consider if any of these ideas might work for you:
• Make one day a week plant-only. Work up to one meal a day. (If you already eat one plant-only meal, move up to two.)
• Think of meat as a side or garnish, rather than the main event. (Instead of “I have this animal protein, which starch and veggie sides should I have with it,” think, “I have these veggies and whole grains, what healthy protein (animal or plant) should I have with them?”
• Eat beans and lentils in place of some of the animal protein on your plate more often (see Make Room for Legumes for suggestions). If you typically eat large portions of meat or poultry (larger than a deck of cards), you can replace some of that protein with vegetables and/or whole grains.
• Try one new plant-based recipe a week until you have a set of recipes you like.
• Make simple swaps that increase fruit and veggie intake, like a piece of fruit for a bag of chips; plain popcorn in place of pretzels; nuts and seeds instead of croutons; barley instead of white rice; or fresh fruit with plain yogurt instead of sweetened, colored yogurt options.
• For a month or two, bring home one new veggie or fruit to try each time you shop. The internet is a great source for ways to tell when an unfamiliar type of produce is ripe and how to use it.
• Sample different whole grains. Move away from white rice, potatoes, and refined pasta. Brown rice and whole wheat pasta are a start, but the whole grains listed in “Great Grains” are also excellent options, and they’re just as easy to cook as rice.
• Check out vegetarian or vegan recipe books or look for online ideas, recipes, blogs, and “how to” videos.
• Cook with tofu and tempeh in place of meat or cheese.
• Switch from butter and other animal fats to non-tropical plant-based oils.
➧ Think “Plant-Forward.” Shift your thinking to put plant foods first, rather than animal products.
➧ Veg Out. Make veggies a main part of every meal (in place of oversized portions of carbs and animal proteins or refined, ultraprocessed offerings).
➧ Fruit Up. Replace sugary, refined desserts and “junk food” snacks like cookies, pretzels, and chips with fruit.
➧ Go for (Whole) Grains. Explore the wide range of whole grain options in place of white rice and potatoes (fries, tots, mashed, au gratin), and substitute whole grain products for refined (breads, pastas, crackers, etc.)
➧ Learn to Love Legumes. Beans, lentils, peas, and peanuts are packed with protein, fiber, and nutrients. If they are not a regular part of your diet, explore ways to use them more often in place of animal proteins, or as part of your veggie and/or starch intake.