Plant-Based Eating For Beginners

Introduction

As our society evolves, we are constantly facing the need to change our behaviours and habits to increase our health and our quality of life.

We are now facing climate change, food insecurity, and over 40% of our population is suffering from chronic disease (actually, over 50% of USA children have a chronic health problem).

One of the recent ideas put forward to improve our world and health is plant-based nutrition.

Even though food regimens are not something our doctors prescribe (yet), research is showing that food has a lot to contribute to our health. It is also a less costly option to our society than prescribing medication – which will, of course, make this unpopular with the pharmaceutical companies.

Whether you want to save the animals, become healthier, or simply feel better, plant-based nutrition is a great option for those of us who want to be a better and healthier person.

Choosing plant-based nutrition doesn’t have to be a complex commitment, and with the help of this guide, you will be ready to step into the world of plant-based eating in no time at all and set yourself up for success.

In this report, you will learn about plant-based nutrition, the research regarding it, and how you can successfully transition into a plant-based diet.

You will also find some recipes to kick-start your journey and answers to questions that might be limiting you in your transition to this style of eating.

Let’s start by defining what plant-based eating is all about.

What Is Plant-Based Eating?

We are hearing the words “plant-based nutrition” more and more in our society. For example, there are documentaries such as Game Changers, books like Forks Over Knives, and the emergence of athletes changing their nutrition to be plant-based

Each person may have a different understanding of what plant-based eating is, but in the world of nutrition, plant-based eating is having a large portion of one’s nutrition coming from fruits, herbs, legumes, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as other plants.

There are a wide range of of plant-based nutrition options available to you:

• Some are very strict (vegan diet).
• Some are still adding animal products like dairy (vegetarian).
• And at the other end of the spectrum are those that still eat meat, poultry and fish, albeit only on an occasional basis.

We once believed that early humans consumed a large proportion of animal protein in their diet, and it is from that belief that, in the 2000s, the Paleo diet (which mainly comprises animal protein) became really popular.

Since then, we have discovered that the nutrition of bipedal primates and Homo sapiens was primarily composed of fruits, leaves, nuts, roots, seeds, and water.

That means the “original” Paleo Diet was in reality plant-based eating.

It is also linked to the fact that some of the strongest animals on Earth are not carnivores.

The strongest mammal is the gorilla – and most of them are herbivores!

It has the ability to lift around 4,409 lbs (which is 2,000 kg), and that is ten times its body weight.

That would be like a human who weighs 200 lbs (91 kg) lifting 2,000 lbs (907 kg).

If other mammals can live a healthy and strong life on a plant-based nutrition, we probably can too, especially since humans and gorillas share a relatively recent common ancestor.

Why Choose A Plant-based Nutrition?

Many reasons exist for choosing a plant-based nutrition, including these, which are the most commonly cited:

1. Health. Most Americans consume double the recommended daily intake of protein, which can also cause digestive issues. By reducing your intake of animal food, you will most likely reach the recommended daily intake of protein without surpassing it.

   In addition, an increased consumption of beans, grains, and vegetables will bring more fibre into your nutrition. Most Americans don’t consume enough fibre and that can lead to constipation, inflammation of the digestive tract, and haemorrhoids.

2. Weight Management. In general, individuals who are on a plant-based nutrition tend to consume fewer calories than individuals who consume animal protein. That is because most of their calories are coming from healthier options and fewer calories per weight.

   Plant-based eaters tend to eat fewer processed foods and avoid meat-focused restaurants like fast-food chains that provide unhealthy meal options.

3. Chronic Disease Management. As you will see in the next section, research demonstrates that individuals on a plant-based diet can prevent chronic disease, reduce obesity, and improve their quality of life.
4. Cost. Did you know that Americans spend more than $30 billion a year on supplements? What if you didn’t need to waste that money?

   With plant-based nutrition, you are more likely to receive all the nutrients you need from natural sources like fruits, legumes, and vegetables. Not only does this save you money, it also saves you from trying to remember to purchase and consume supplements.

5. Environment. It is estimated that, on average, globally, agriculture uses approximately 70% of our fresh water.

   That said, the production of meat requires around 1,000% more water (1 kg, which is 2.2 lbs, requires from 5,000 to 20,000 liters, which is 1,320 to 5,283 US gallons, of water) than some grains like wheat (1 kg of wheat requires between 500 and 4,000 liters, which is 132 to 1,056 US gallons, of water).

   In addition, a lot of the grain is cultivated to feed the animals we eat – and if we started eating that grain and thereby reducing our consumption of meat, less water and fewer resources would be used to produce animal food.

The Science Behind Plant-Based Eating

Research shows that we need more fruits and vegetables on our plates to prevent chronic disease and help with our weight management.

In the next section, you will learn about what we need more of in our nutritional intake (e.g. fibre, fruits, vegetables) and what we need less of (protein, sodium, sugar) in order to live a healthier life.

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