What is a Whole Food,
Plant-Based Diet?
Think Abundance!
The Diet Explained
To explain, a whole-food, plant-based diet (WFPB for short) is a type of vegan diet. The key distinction is that this is a health-oriented diet, as a traditional vegan diet has its roots in the ethical lifestyle of veganism, not necessarily health.
This diet continued…
While there is a place for fun foods, I enjoy vegan donuts myself, it is important to know that just because something says “vegan” it cannot be assumed to be a health-promoting food. According to the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, a plant-based diet is “rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes”. (1) Additionally, they state that the goal is to concentrate on foods full of fiber, vitamins & minerals, low in saturated fat and where cholesterol is absent. (1) A key factor in whole food, plant-based diets are to eat foods in their most whole state. - this means limiting the amount of highly processed foods.
What Do I Eat?
I love this question! Yes, there are foods to minimize- but so many new foods to add and enjoy! The words you chose when it comes to making lifestyle changes are important. I often hear people say “I can’t have that”. Along with this statement, the person saying this often feels restricted and saddened because they still “want” that item. Instead, I like to say “I don’t want that” or “I’m choosing not to have that”, while also minimizing judgment when you do choose to eat a certain item. This way of eating is about abundance and not restriction. It may seem like a small change or just playing in semantics- but try it! It changes the framework around the food item and in-powers the person to take control of what they really want. It is quite powerful.
Foods to limit:
Animal products (dairy, eggs, meats- including seafood)
Highly processed foods
Limit refined carbohydrates (white flour, etc.)
Foods to Focus on:
Variety of fruits and vegetables
Whole grains
Legumes
Nuts & Seeds
Supplements:
It is important that the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine recommends that anyone on a plant-based diet, get a source of Vitamin B12. This can be from a supplement, nutritional yeast, or fortified foods (plant-based milks). (1) Other supplements to consider are adding a plant-based Omega-3 (made from algae). Of course, it is vital to talk to your physician about any changes to your diet and supplement regime.
Have Compassion
I am an ethical vegan. I have been for quite some time. However, it is important to know that it does not alter how I view science- if anything it makes me more scrupulous when reading the research of all kinds. Yes, a vegan diet has ethics at its forefront. But I want to be clear, having compassion for ourselves is just as important. If changing your lifestyle to a whole-food, plant-based one is your goal, don’t be too hard on yourself when you start! If you “mess up”, acknowledge it and determine what happened to avoid that situation again. For example, if you were ravenous, but didn’t meal prep and ended up eating an animal product out of habit- make sure you throw snacks into your bag so you are always prepared. Additionally, overly restricting your favorite food can lead to disordered eating behaviors. Therefore, using a mindset of “adding” rather than “taking away” is a great place to start.
Being kind to yourself is the first step to being kind to others. I won’t talk a lot about the ethics behind this lifestyle, as I feel there are others who are much more eloquent in that area than I am. I chose to discuss science and actionable ways to incorporate this lifestyle into your day-to-day life.
Additional Resources
There are so many great resources to go to if you want more information about this lifestyle. Some of my favorites include:
21 Day Kickstart- Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine
“Undo It” by Dr. Dean Ornish and Anne Ornish
Nutrition Facts - access to nutrition research
eatright.org - learn more and find Registered Dietitians
References
Plant-Based Diets. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. https://www.pcrm.org/good-nutrition/plant-based-diets. Accessed January 26, 2020.
