A plant-based diet is an excellent way to boost health, help the environment and reduce risk of chronic disease. A well-planned plant-based diet can also help meet nutrient needs.
Fill two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, whole grains and fruits and add beans and nuts to the mix. Include fortified plant milks, and eat some sources of protein like tofu and tempeh.
Protein How Plant-Power Nutrition Helps Meet Nutrient Needs
Protein is a macronutrient that helps our bodies grow and repair themselves. It’s also a key to keeping us feeling full and energized.
Plant proteins can come from whole foods like beans, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables or processed foods like soy milk and quinoa. Choosing different sources of plant-based proteins throughout the day can help ensure we get enough of all the essential amino acids. Protein foods that contain all the essential amino acids are call complete proteins.
Protein can found in many plant-base foods, such as legumes (beans and lentils), whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats), nuts and seeds (including peanuts and almonds), vegetables and tofu. For an added boost, some people choose to supplement their diets with a protein powder made from a combination of plant-based ingredients, such as chia seeds, hemp seed, soy, and rice.
Fiber Plant-Power Nutrition Helps Meet Nutrient
As the nutrient most likely to improve health and longevity, dietary fiber has linked to improved insulin sensitivity, weight loss, and healthy blood sugar levels. It has also shown to reduce colon cancer, diverticular disease and constipation.
Most Americans don’t get enough fiber in their diets, but a whole food, plant-based diet is the best way to amp up intake. Plants provide a variety of high-fiber foods that are filling and satisfying, which helps prevent overeating and calorie overload.
The best sources of fiber are beans (think three-bean salad, chili and soup), nuts and nut butters, brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta, barley, oatmeal and vegetables such as carrots and greens. In addition, plant-based eaters consume more fruits and vegetables, which are important for reducing inflammation and promoting healthy gut bacteria. PBNM will receive a donation for each dinner and cookware presentation hosted by Saladmaster | Healthy & Happy Living. The proceeds are use to support PBNM programs, services and events for people in cancer treatment.
Vitamins & Minerals
A plant-power diet is pack with vitamins and minerals. Vitamins help free energy from food, make protein, build cells, and fight harmful oxidation. Minerals are inorganic substances that are necessary for healthy body functions.
The body needs vitamins and minerals in small amounts to work properly and stay healthy. A wide variety of plant foods supply most people’s daily requirements.
Most vitamins are water-soluble and found in foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. They include vitamin A, C, E, and K, and the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, and cobalamin.
The minerals calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium, sulfur, and zinc also are essential for healthy eating patterns. They are referr to as “trace” minerals because the body requires them only in very small amounts.
Color
As plant-based milk alternatives and meat analogs continue to rise in popularity and sales, manufacturers are relying on clean-label colors to distinguish their products and appeal to consumers. Color is one of the key drivers in purchase decisions, and many natural colors have been associat with health benefits such as anti-cancer and anti-heart disease properties. Purple and blue fruit and vegetables receive color from phytonutrients calle Carotenoids, like those found in sweet potatoes and carrots, provide orange hues.
