The whole foods plant-based diet has rapidly gained popularity over the last 5 years. The number of Americans who now follow a vegan diet increased by 600% from the period of 2014 to 2018. In January 2021 a record breaking 500,000 people signed up to Veganuary. In 2022 it was noted that 1 in 10 Americans say they no longer eat meat. But what is a whole foods plant-based diet and why has it become so popular?
What is a whole foods plant-based diet?
A whole foods plant-based diet is a diet that consists of whole, unprocessed foods such as whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. As well as fruits and vegetables. The diet excludes all meats, fish, dairy products, and eggs, similar to the vegan diet, but, unlike the vegan diet it also excludes refined and processed foods.
A typical whole foods plant-based diet should include the following foods:
Whole Grains
Typical whole grains found in this diet include barley, brown rice, buckwheat, millet, oats, popcorn, quinoa, rye, teff, whole-wheat pasta and wild rice. Aim for 3 servings of whole grains per day.
Beans
All beans can be included such as black beans, black-eyed peas, butter beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, edamame, English peas, great northern beans, kidney beans, lentils, miso, navy beans, pinto beans, small red beans, split peas and tempeh. Aim for 3 servings per day for beans.
Fruits
Any fruits can be included. Some popular choices include berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. Aim for one serving per day of berry fruits. Other fruits you can include are apples, bananas, pears, oranges, grapefruit, kiwifruit, mango and avocados. As well as dried fruits like dried apricots or dried figs. Aim for 3 servings per day for these types of fruits.
Vegetables
It’s important to have a mix of different vegetables with every meal as each vegetable has different health benefits. Take care to include cruciferous vegetables such as bok choy, broccoli, rocket, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, kale and radishes. Aim to have at least 1 serving of cruciferous vegetables per day.
Make sure to include greens in your diet such as spinach, Swiss chard, rocket, turnip greens and sorrel. Aim to have 2 servings of greens per day.
Examples of other vegetables you can include are carrots, red cabbage, beetroot, peppers, onions, yams, squash, mushrooms and zucchini. Aim to have 2 servings per day of these types of vegetables.
Nuts and seeds
Golden or brown flaxseeds are known as the King (or Queen) of seeds. They are packed full of antioxidants. Aim to have 1 serving of flaxseeds per day. Other seeds and nuts that you can include are chia seeds, almonds, Brazil nuts, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, pecans, hazelnuts, walnuts and sesame seeds. Aim for 1 serving per day of nuts and seeds.
Herbs and spices
Herbs and spices are not only good for you but also make your food taste better. The world is your oyster when it comes to herbs and spices. Add in as much as you need to your meals.
Plant-based diets over the years
A plant-based diet is not a new phenomenon, different historical groups have adhered to this type of diet for centuries. Research has found that the Ancient Egyptians were mainly vegetarian. Their diet consisted mainly of wheat and barley based foods.
The Greek philosopher Pythagoras, born in 570 BC, touted the benefits of a plant based diet and labeled animal slaughter as immoral. He, along with his disciples, ate a diet of vegetables, bread and honey. In fact until the 1800’s the plant-based diet was known as the Pythagorean Diet.
Other world religions to this day still adhere to a plant-based diet including Buddhism and Jainism. During the mid-1800s the Seventh-Day Adventist Church advocated a vegetarian diet for its followers.
During the mid-2010s people shifted from using the word “vegan” to “plant-based”. This shift had a huge impact on people’s perceptions of the plant-based diet. The term plant-based is considered more inclusive, as the word vegan, unfortunately, has had some negative connotations attached to it.
Why people make the switch to a whole foods plant-based diet
A processed, high fat, high sugar diet has dominated America for years now and has been one of the main contributing factors to the rise in obesity and chronic disease. The prevalence of obesity-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes is on the rise mainly due to bad diets.
The rise in interest in plant-based and whole foods diets is due to a number of different factors. Some of the main reason include:
- Increasing their overall health
- Concern over welfare of animals
- Reducing their carbon footprint
Some people have made the switch after watching recent documentaries on TV such as Cowspiracy, The Game Changers and Seaspiracy. Others have been swayed by celebrity endorsements and media attention on the subject. Regardless of a person’s reason for change, more people, especially Americans, are seeking to include more plant-based whole foods into their diet.
The benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet
There are many recorded benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet. In general however, this kind of diet tends to be lower in cholesterol and saturated fats while also providing higher levels of magnesium, potassium, carotenoids, flavonoids and dietary fiber. It also provides higher levels of vitamins C and E.
