Aashu’s Curiosity
Aashu is adamant about beginning with dieting as he wants to shed 10-15kgs before Diwali. But confusion is about “What to eat & what should be avoided” where he is stuck for a few days.
As he asked many of his friends and relatives about their views on diet, most agreed that an ideal diet must carry fresh & nutritious food items & should be low in processed foods. This diet can be considered beneficial for overall fitness & healthy lifestyle.
On this part, a plant-based diet is much more appealing than other diets.
This diet is quite near to being called ideal because it focuses on the consumption of plant-based foods with no intake of animal products. It helps in accelerating weight loss & a healthier routine life.
Through this article, we will explore each & every detail of a Plant-based diet along with a sample diet plan for a week: –
What do we mean by a Plant-Based Diet?
There is no clear definition that can fully explain the constitutes of a Plant-Based Diet. The reason is that the concentration of a plant-based diet greatly depends on the quantities of animal foods included in your plate.
But some general rules for Plant-based diet are as follows: –
- Emphasizes on fresh plant foods with the exclusion of processed foods.
- Minimal consumption of animal products.
- Encourages intake of Fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds & nuts that make a great part of this diet’s plans.
- Discourage foods that contain added sugar & processed oils.
- Food quality is a major concern & it promotes locally sourced & organic foods if possible.
Due to these characteristics, many people get confused about this diet as a purely vegetarian or a Vegan diet. That’s why it has been named that make clear some of the following misconceptions: –
A Purely vegetarian or Vegan diet strictly emphasizes avoiding the consumption of animal products such as Seafood, poultry, dairy products & even honey-based foods. While some vegetarian diets only exclude meat & poultry. But in reality, studies have found that a good number of vegetarians are regular consumers of dairy and poultry foods.
So in this context, a Plant-based diet leaves some room for these products. The diet plans are flexible enough to emphasize eating plant foods but don’t off-limit animal products from your plates.
“Plant-based refers to a diet or lifestyle that primarily consists of foods derived from plants including not only fruits and vegetables but also nuts, seeds, oil, whole grains, legumes, and beans.”
– nutritionist and author, Rhiannon Lambert
Plant Based Diet for Weight Loss
A recent study has found that nearly 25% of Indian citizens are suffering from obesity. This percentage is quite high among the Upper-income group population. In Western countries like the US, the obesity percentage goes beyond 50%.
But if you opt for a dietary & healthy lifestyle then you might achieve considerable weight loss & long-term fitness without consuming medications or consulting medics.
Here, adhering to this diet can be highly advantageous as it includes plant-based foods that are high in nutrition & fibres that help in weight loss while limiting high-calorie foods such as processed foods that can cause weight gain.
Let’s discuss 2 studies on plant-based diet foods that prove their significance in weight loss: –
- A study on 1000 adults in which half of them were assigned to have a plant-based diet while the other half had to have a non-vegetarian diet for the next 18 months. The results showed that the plant-based diet group on average lost 2kg more weight compared to the non-vegetarian one.
- Performed on 65 obese people, who are assigned to adhere to the Plant-based diet for a minimum of 1 year. Results showed that they have significantly reduced weight by up to 4kg in the given 1 year.
Foods that are included & that are excluded
From early morning breakfast to dinner, animal products are a major part of many people’s daily eating habits.
A plant-based diet helps you in changing habits that earlier centred on animal products to plant-based foods.
This doesn’t mean that one has to entirely cut animal product consumption. But now, the intake would be highly controlled & limited to certain quantities.
Dairy, poultry, meat & seafood would be now just taken as complementary in a diet that is entirely focused on plant foods.
Foods to be taken
| Category | Foods |
|---|---|
| Fruits | All sorts of Berries, Citrus fruits, Pears, Peaches, Pineapple, Bananas, etc. |
| Vegetables | Kale, Spinach, Tomatoes, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrots, Asparagus, Peppers, Potatoes, etc. |
| Starchy Vegetables | Potatoes, Beetroot, Parsnips, Sweet Potatoes, Butternut Squash, etc. |
| Whole Grains | Brown Rice, Oats, Farro, Quinoa, Brown Rice Pasta, Barley, etc. |
| Healthy Fats | Desi ghee, Olives, Olive oil, Virgin coconut oil, Unsweetened Coconut milk, etc. |
| Legumes | Peas, chickpeas, kidney beans, peanuts, black beans, soybeans etc. |
| Seeds, Nuts and Nut butter | Almonds, Cashews, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Natural Peanut Butter, Tahini, etc. |
| Unsweetened Plant-based Milk | Milk from Almonds, Cashews & fresh Coconuts, etc. |
| Spices, Herbs, and Seasonings | Basil, Rosemary, Turmeric, Curry, Black Pepper, Salt, Cardamom, etc. |
| Condiment foods | Salsa, Mustard, Yeast, Soy Sauce, Vinegar, Lemon Juice, etc. |
| Plant-based Protein | Tofu, Tempeh, Plant-based Protein powder with no added Sugar. |
| Beverages | Coffee, Tea, Water, etc. |
Foods to be fully avoided
| Category | Foods |
|---|---|
| Fast Food | French fries, Cheeseburgers, hot dogs, Chicken Nuggets, Pizzas, etc. |
| Added Sugars and Sweets | Table sugar, Soda Drinks, Processed Juice, Pastries, Cookies, Candy, Sweet Tea, Sugary Cereals, etc. |
| Refined Grains | White Rice, Pasta, White Bread, Bagels, etc. |
| Packaged and Convenience Foods | Chips, Crackers, Energy bars, Frozen Burgers, Snacks, etc. |
| Processed Animal Products | Lamb Meat, Red Meats, Sausage, Beef Jerky, etc. |
Foods consumed in minimal quantities
There is room to enjoy certain animal & dairy products in the Plant-based diet but make sure that it should not be processed & should be taken in limited quantities. Those foods are: –
- Beef
- Pork
- Sheep
- Game meats
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Dairy
- Seafood
7-Days Plant-Based Diet Plan
Here, we are suggesting a sample 7 days diet plan based on the about mentioned criteria of what foods you should include and what foods you should avoid:
| Day 1 | Monday |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Have oatmeal prepared in coconut milk & topped with walnuts & berries. |
| Lunch | A plate full of salad that includes vegetables, pumpkin seeds, & apple cider vinegar. |
| Dinner | Curry of butternut squash. |
| Day 2 | Tuesday |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Take plain yoghurt with sliced strawberries, pumpkin seeds & unsweetened coconut. |
| Lunch | Meatless chilli and roasted sweet potatoes. |
| Dinner | Black beans & brown rice. |
| Day 3 | Wednesday |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Prepare a smoothie with unsweetened coconut milk, berries, peanut butter & plant-based protein powder. |
| Lunch | Hummus & Veggie wrap. |
| Dinner | Noodles mixed with chicken meatballs in virgin coconut oil. |
| Day 4 | Thursday |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Oatmeals along with black beans & apples. |
| Lunch | Veggie salad With apple cider vinegar. |
| Dinner | Roasted potatoes with grilled fish. |
| Day 5 | Friday |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Vegetable omelette & Soy Paneer. |
| Lunch | Have a plate full of salad topped with grilled shrimp. |
| Dinner | Roasted sweet potatoes in virgin coconut oil. |
| Day 6 | Saturday |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Berries with kale, cashew butter, and coconut milk. |
| Lunch | Vegetable curry and brown rice with a fruit salad. |
| Dinner | Pasta made with cheese and Vegetable Biryani. |
| Day 7 | Sunday |
|---|---|
| Breakfast | Vegetable omelette made with eggs. |
| Lunch | Roasted vegetables and a bowl of quinoa. |
| Dinner | Black bean burgers served along with a bowl full of salad & sliced apples. |
As you can see all 3 meals of a day in this week-long sample menu have a diet centered on plant-based foods but has small quantities of animal products making it easy for non-vegetarians to adhere to it.
Here quantities of food in this week-long sample menu of Plan-based Diet can be altered as per the dietary needs of the person.
Health Benefits of Plant Based Diet
When a diet helps you maintain a healthy lifestyle plus gets you rid of obesity then it automatically makes you more immune to chronic diseases such as: –
Heart diseases
The most significant advantage of having a plant-based diet is that it can help you maintain good health for your heart.
Foods that are included in this diet are especially those that are rich in omega-3 fats & minimal in cholesterol making your daily eating more heart-friendly.
A recent study on 1000 people who have adhered to a plant-based diet for a long time showed that they significantly have a lower risk of having heart diseases & strokes compared to their colleagues who consume animal products.
However, you must remember that processed plant foods such as fruit juices & refined grains should be consumed in a very controlled manner. They have a high calorie count that can increase the chances of heart disease.
Cancers
A recent study has proved that some of the plant foods can considerably reduce the chances of cancer in our body as they carry some special compounds that help cells in combating mutations.
1000 people who are following a strict plant-based diet are deeply observed & the findings are surprising. Due to their consumption of natural plant foods, they are nearly immune to the occurrence of Gastrointestinal cancer which is highly prevalent among adults.
Similarly, a study on Vegetarian & non-vegetarian dieters has shown some fascinating results. A vegetarian is 22% less at risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to a non-vegetarian.
Cognitive Decline
Not only in heart diseases or cancers, having plentiful fruits & vegetables in your diet makes you more protective against cognitive decline & Alzheimer’s in older age.
Plant foods such as fruits & vegetables are specifically rich in antioxidants & compounds that slow the progression of cognitive decline or even reverse its occurrence.
A recent study on 1000 adults has shown that because of their plant-based diet, they are 20% less likely to have Alzheimer’s or cognitive decline than others in the same age bracket.
Diabetes
Consumption of excessive sugar is considered a major cause behind Type-2 diabetes & Plant based diet can help you in countering it more healthily.
Fruits & vegetables are rich in natural sugars that are beneficial to maintain sugar levels in your body. But at the same time, they make you immune to diabetes by regulating the insulin in your body.
A study on 20,000 adults has shown that if you adhere to a plant-based diet for a longer period then you have 34% lower chances of having diabetes.
Another study both on vegetarian & non-vegetarian eaters has found that vegetarians are 50% less likely to have type-2 diabetes compared to non-vegetarians.
Plant Based Diet is good for you as well as for Planet
If you are an environmentalist or have concerns for our planet then you are more likely to opt for a plant-based diet. This diet is not only good for your overall health but even reduces your carbon footprint on the planet.
Recent research by major universities has proved that sustainable diets such as Vegan diets can significantly reduce gas emissions, deforestation & global warming making the planet more liveable. This is because, in a plant-based diet, you cut off consumption of dairy, poultry & other animal products.
This is because large farms are being built after deforestation to feed animals that are destined for beef production. Similarly, huge poultry farms need large spaces causing further deforestation & global warming.
Conclusion
Aashu came to the conclusion that Plant based diet allows higher consumption of natural foods, cutting the intake of animal products & avoiding processed & sugary food products.
This diet is beneficial in having a healthy heart along with protection from diabetes & cognitive decline.
Simultaneously, it helps to make you an eco-friendly person by reducing your carbon footprint on the planet.
Although it allows only limited consumption of animal products, then also it is more nutritious & healthier compared to other non-vegetarian diets.
