First, I wanted to throw it out there that, I EAT MEAT! However, I am also a fan of nutrient dense plant-based foods and recommend many of these foods to my clients, friend and family. Spoiler alert, you can follow, more or less, a plant-based diet and still consume animal proteins. Over the last six months or so, I have read, heard or been asked about the ‘plant-based’ diet. What is it exactly? Should I do this? Does this mean I have to entirely give up animal foods? etc. etc. So, with all this confusion and interest, I thought it would be beneficial to give you some (diet culture removed) evidence-based information so you have great confidence in your and your families food choices.

Plant-based, has recently turned more into a marketing term and fad diet with documentaries telling society we need to go plant-based for health, groups claiming animal food processing is ruining the environment, and idolized celebrities and influencers pushing it for ‘health,’ youthfulness and thinness. Plant-based may seem new to you but, dietitians and the medical field have been recommending plant-based for many years prior it becoming a fad. The American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and American Diabetes Association are just a few who recommend a plant-based diet. When I worked in an outpatient oncology office, we also recommended this to patients in survivorship. So, with diet culture removed, the medical field believes plant-based is beneficial to our overall health.

@Fumagalli_Fitplate - Eating the rainbow is a way to incorporate more plant based foods.

Next question, what exactly IS plant-based and how do you decide if it is right for you? This can become a rather deep conversation with an overload of information, however, in this introduction to “Plant-Based” I want to…

Give you some REAL, factual information while removing Diet Culture from the mix
Show you the sliding scale of Plant-Based diets
Give you various ways to follow a plant-based diet, this adding more plants into your diet
Offer you a plant-based meal template (see below).

Plant - Based has two words (obviously) so, let’s break it down even more, starting with the first word, plant!

The definition of ‘plant’

A living organism of the kind exemplified by trees, shrubs, herbs, grasses, ferns, and mosses, typically growing in a permanent site, absorbing water and inorganic substances through its roots, and synthesizing nutrients in its leaves by photosynthesis using the green pigment chlorophyll. -oxford dictionary

Going by this definition, let’s think of FOOD THAT FALL UNDER the Plant Umbrella..

Plant Foods

Vegetables & Fruits
Nuts & Seeds
Legumes & Grains
Herbs & Spices
Sugar (cane and beet), yes sugar comes from plants.

On the other hand, let’s look at foods that DO NOT FALL UNDER the Plant Umbrella

animal foods

All animal meat: beef, chicken, turkey, bison, venison, pork, lamb etc.
All seafood: salmon, shrimp, sardines, tuna, etc
Dairy: cheese, milk, yogurt, butter
Eggs
Honey & Gelatin

Now, the question is can you still eat the NON PLANT FOODS while following a plant-based diet, which will get us to the second word and verb, based.

The Definition of ‘Based”

Have as the foundation for (something)

Okay, so from a literally stand point, if the foundation or the majority of what you nourish your body with (your diet) is coming from plants, that would mean you could technically be Plant-Based, right?

Yes, that would be correct. This is my literally breakdown definition of plant-based: if the majority of your food choices falls under the plant umbrella, you could ‘proclaim’ yourself plant-based. As you saw, however, sugar is under plants, and many highly processed foods can also be under the plant umbrella. For goodness sake, the soup I bought the other day was marketed as plant-based. It is also a well known fact that vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds etc. are very healthy for us. BUT plant-based is supposed to be REALLY healthy for you. Moving forward, let’s switch Plant-Based to, Whole Foods, Plant-Based Diet. Therefore, we will cut out the whole, you can be plant-based and eat ‘shitty' processed foods.

Side note: we can all eat and should on occasion eat ‘shitty for that tastes good’ because food, after all, is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The key is a good chunk of time if you want to show yourself respect and love when it comes to health and wellness.

Now, that we are on the same page with, plant-based foods meaning, mostly whole real foods, and we know plants can be extremely healthy for us, let’s look at some other gray areas.

The Plant-Based Sliding Scale

There is a sliding scale when in comes to plant-based diets. Since, the documentary Game Changers came out, many believe plant-based means you only eat plants (vegan). The majority of the population can benefit from adding more plants to their diet, vegetables being #1. However, I am here to tell you that plant-based is a broad term and you can still follow a plant-based lifestyle while also consume animal proteins.

It’s also important to remember, there is no ONE right way. We are all individuals, with unique body types, cultures, backgrounds, activity levels, goals, beliefs etc. etc. I work with vegans, vegetarians, lacto/ovo, gluten free, dairy free, heart healthy, meat eaters etc. No matter what diet you follow, my goal for clients is to make sure they are nourished, satisfied and have a healthy relationship with food. Vegans, for example may need additional supplementation to be optimally nourished.

Plant-Based is a sliding scale

There is no one way for every individual

Vegan ➡️ Pescatarian ➡️ Lacto/Ovo Vegetarian ➡️ Animal foods in lesser amounts

Vegan: Eliminate all animal based products from their diet. Protein from lentils, beans, chick peas, nutritional yeast, tofu, tempeh, seeds, nuts, ripple milk (split-pea), oats, and other grains to name a few. B12, zinc, iron, calcium and omega-3 supplements may be needed.

Vegetarian:

Pescatarian: eats plants and fish, but chooses not to eat dairy, eggs, or meat

Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: will eat Lacto (dairy) and Ovo (eggs) but does not eat meat, beef, chicken pork.

Plants then Animals: majority of their diet comes from plant sources, accentuating vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and legumes. However, they will also have a few eggs for breakfast on occasion, yogurt as a snack and animal proteins at dinner or lunch, keeping the animal proteins to around one-fourth of their plate for meals.

moving plant forward?

So, what does this all mean? Plant-based can mean a VARIETY of things to different people. It is a broad term, with a sliding scale of extremism depending on beliefs, religion, allergies, intolerances etc. Know, that the more extreme with eliminating foods (animal products), the more I advise to see a Dietitian in order to make sure you getting in adequate nutrients, minerals, vitamins, calories, protein etc.

Full disclosure, your diet does not need to have a name. Whole 30, gluten free, vegetarian, paleo, mediterranean, plant based etc. etc. I would say, I eat a very nourishing diet with a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seed, beans, eggs, dairy, and meat. That doesn’t mean I need to claim I am plant-based. We all know plants (vegetables, fruits, nuts/seeds etc,) are very nutrient dense foods. So, when discussing plant-based to others, I tell them it does not mean we need to cut out all animal proteins (no thank you). But rather, it is a way to accentuate all the nutrient dense plants into our diet. It is not all or nothing, it is a way to add nourishment for optimal health and happiness.

You may have noticed, I did not go into the health benefit of plants. That is because, I feel like this has been said many times before. Many clients come to me claiming, ‘I know what to eat, I just need help with how much to eat and accountability.’ :-) they always learn more then they think, I promise. But, to the point, I want to give you some ideas on how you can implement for plant foods and vegetables into your lifestyle in order to increase immunity, decrease inflammation, increase fiber, satiety and energy. For, it i recommended 50% of our plate come from non-starchy vegetables.

7 tips to add in more Vegetables & plants

Review current plant & vegetable intake, likes/dislikes:
How many servings of vegetables and fruits are you eating in a day, how many colors are you eating? How much animal proteins are you eating vs plants. Does every meal have animal proteins in them? Not saying that is bad, but it is good to know where you currently are to know how you can improve or add in more plants to your diet. What are some nuts, seed, vegetables, beans, fruits etc. that you can add to your meals and snacks. (subscribe above to download my plant-based meal template for more ideas)
Head to the Grocer store/Amazon/Instant Cart and Buy them:
Now you have an idea of which plant foods you could begin to incorporate or more of into your daily nourishment, bring them into your home. Try to incorporate 50% of your plate with non-starchy vegetables (all veggies minus peas, potatoes, corn). Do you have nuts and seeds? Canned beans? Veggies to snack on or put in meal?
One plant/vegetable at a time:
Add one thing at a time. Be realistic, start small and continue to build upon your what your healthy changes and habits. Try to add one more vegetable at dinner or add one as a snack or at lunch? Swap out your beef jerky for carrots and hummus. Have eggs every morning, maybe you go with an overnight oats recipe or oatmeal and add in some nuts and seeds two times next week. Add hemp seeds, flax meal, berries and walnuts to your oatmeal for a nutrient-packed and satisfying breakfast. Again, make it easy for you to succeed. Focus on one meal or one food item each until it becomes a habit.
Make it easy, eat it raw:
Speaking of carrots and hummus…the easiest way to eat vegetables & fruit is raw. Load up your salads with raw veggies then add lentils, beans, nuts, hemp seeds, beets, berries, etc. Dip raw veggies in hummus, guac, have them with cheese (I know, not plant based, totally fine) or have with some nuts, roasted chick peas etc.
Play with different cooking methods:
Sauté, air fry, roast/bake, grill, steam. Really there is so many different ways to prepare veggies if you do not want to eat them raw. Check out a few of my recipes on my blog for more ideas with this.
Frozen is just as good as fresh:
My freezer is stocked with frozen vegetables I can easily pop in the microwave or sauté/steam on the stove for a quick, convenient plant options. In a pinch, frozen veggies (just vegetables) are an easy option. I also have frozen, quinoa and brown rice as well as edamame for starch and protein options.
Smoothies:
Easy way to add vegetables and fruits. Put spinach, cucumber, zucchini as well as berries, banana, mango, peaches etc etc. Want more plants into smoothies, add hemp seeds, nuts, nut butters, and flax meal, coconut or oat milk with cinnamon or turmeric. All great ways to get in more vegetables. Need protein and want it plant based, drop in some silken tofu or look at getting a NSF certified pea protein.

The biggest change in my nourishment over the past few years is adding in more plant-based nutrient dense foods. Yes, I still each meat and dairy. I will continue to enjoy burgers every so often, my air fried chicken, egg on my avocado toast, yogurt, cheese (love) and ground turkey in my pasta veggie sauces. And, even though I eat some animal foods, I also eat A TON of vegetables, fruits, hemp seeds, whole grains, oats, lentil, and tofu once a week. The majority of my diet comes from plants, so yes, you could say I am plant based, however, I will rephrase that to…“When I am hungry, I eat and choose nourishing whole real foods the majority of the time. I eat whatever I want, however I always have my health and wellness in mind, trying to choose foods that make me feel good, healthy and happy” So, what diet do I follow? My own.

If you want help adding in more nutrient dense foods to your life for health and happiness, please free to reach out to me at Michele@fitplatenutrition.com or fill out a form below.