17.4 Prioritizing Plants

Benefits of Consuming Primarily Plants

Regardless of our personal preferences and decisions around consumption of meat and other animal-based foods, we can all benefit from eating more plants, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Plants are often nutrient dense, containing protein, fiber, healthy unsaturated fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and phytonutrients. Research shows that well-balanced whole food and plant-based diets are associated with health benefits related to better overall nutritional quality, inflammation, body composition, insulin sensitivity, and decreased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and mortality (Katz & Meller, 2014; Mozaffarian, 2016; Sacks et al., 2017).

A plant-based eating pattern includes diets that are made up entirely of plants— veganism—as well as diets that consist primarily of plants, but also include some animal-based foods, such as vegetarianism. Plant-based eating patterns don’t necessarily mean consuming only plants and cutting out all meat and other animal products. It’s just that a majority of what is eaten is plant-based. While plants are nutrient dense and offer a variety of nutrients not found in animal-based foods, such as fiber, animal-based foods provide some nutrients not available in plants, such as vitamin B12; therefore, an eating pattern containing primarily plants, but also some animal-based foods, may be ideal to ensure optimal intake of high quality digestible protein, dietary fiber, and other nutrients (Wu, 2016; Jäger et al., 2017). That being said, individuals who choose to eat only plants can meet all of their body’s nutrient needs; they just need to be intentional to ensure that their diet includes enough of all of the essential nutrients.

It’s also worth noting that moderating consumption of animal products is good for not only our health, but the environment, as well (Jacobson, 2006; Lonnie et al., 2018). Significant resources are required to facilitate animal-based agriculture practices—particularly raising cows for beef production—and animal-based farming creates far more greenhouse gas emissions than plant-based farming (Poore & Nemecek, 2018).

Strategies for Incorporating Plants

Because there are many plant-based sources of all macronutrients, they can be incorporated throughout the day. Moderating our consumption of animal-based foods is less about missing out on something and more about the benefits of including more foods that benefit our health and the environment—and that taste good, too!

One strategy that some people adopt is to substitute plant-based sources of protein for animal-based proteins one meal each day or one full day each week—“Meatless Mondays,” for example. You might try to do this for one day per week, or just aim to make a higher proportion of meals plant-based over time. Below are some ideas and suggestions for ways you might consider increasing plants in your diet, overall. Note that a large, abrupt increase in fiber intake can lead to unpleasant gastrointestinal distress—gas, bloating, and potentially diarrhea; to avoid these consequences, it’s best to increase fiber consumption gradually so that the body has a chance to adjust. Additionally, in recent years, products like the Impossible burger and Beyond Meat products have seen an increase in popularity for their more meat-like appearance and texture compared to other vegan/vegetarian meat substitutes. While these products can be an option for replacing some or all meat in your diet, it is important to note that these products are highly processed and therefore may contain added sugars and sodium.

Fruits and Vegetables

• When planning meals or snacks, aim to make half your plate or bowl fruits or vegetables.
• Try to get at least one serving of dark green or yellow/orange vegetables every day. Examples include: spinach, kale, broccoli, bok choy, okra, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, beets, and bell peppers. Generally, the darker and brighter in color a vegetable is, the more nutrient dense it is.
• Because it is naturally sweet, consider fruit for dessert or as a topping for cereal or pancakes instead of syrup or sugar-based toppings.
• Take fruits and vegetables with you as a snack or meal on-the-go.
• Freeze grapes or berries for a refreshing treat.
• Include vegetables, like spinach, kale, or cucumbers, in smoothies.
• Roast a tray of seasoned root vegetables to accompany other foods throughout the week.
• Add vegetables to baked dishes, pasta, stir-fry, gumbo, chili, soup or pho, or rice or noodle dishes.
• Prepare vegetables in ways that make them more appealing. For example, salt and fat such as butter tend to tone down the bitter flavor of greens and cabbage-family vegetables, such as brussels sprouts.
• Buy frozen fruits and vegetables because they likely won’t spoil as quickly as fresh.
• Lightly processed vegetables—those that have been frozen or canned in water or their own juices—can be a convenient and economical way to have more on hand. Canned vegetables and fruits can be rinsed to reduce added sugar and sodium.
• Whole fruits and vegetables offer fiber, vitamins, minerals, and water and, while it’s recommended that we prioritize our consumption of whole fruits and vegetables over juices, 100% fruit and vegetable juices—particularly those with no added sugars, sodium, and artificial flavors and colors—count, as well.

Legumes

• Incorporate beans, peas, and lentils into meals, like adding lentils to soup, black beans to nachos, or other beans to typically meat-based sauces.
• Incorporate beans into meat-based foods like chili, burritos, or burgers, or try vegetarian versions of these foods.
• Try legume-based dips, like hummus, with vegetables as a snack.
• Substitute tofu for meat in a stir-fry or soup or for eggs in a breakfast scramble.
• Opt for low sodium versions when selecting beans in ready-to-eat cans, when possible, or rinse them to remove excess sodium before using them.

Nuts and Seeds

• Add nuts or seeds for extra crunch in salads, oatmeal, yogurt, or granolas.
• Choose nuts or nut and seed mixes for snacks.
• Look for peanut butter or other nut butters made without added salt and sugar.
• Add ground flaxseed, hemp powder, or wheat germ to cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, or homemade baked goods.
• Add nuts to main dishes, such as cashews or sesame seeds to stir fry, or slivered almonds to roasted vegetables.
• Refrigerate or freeze nuts and seeds if you have more than you’ll use right away; the oils in these foods can go rancid if left on a shelf too long.

Whole Grains

• When selecting grain products like breads, pastas, and cereals, choose whole grains as opposed to their processed, refined counterparts.
• Popcorn is a whole grain snack and can be seasoned for added flavor.
• Add oats to animal-based foods that require ground meat like meatballs, burgers, or meatloaf.
• Substitute whole-grain flour for half or all of the white flour in baking recipes.
• Try mock duck or seitan as a meat replacement when cooking.
• Add cooked wheat or rye berries, wild rice, brown rice, or barley to soups or other dishes.