A whole-food, plant-based diet will boost your health

Here's a beginner's guide to a global movement that advocates eating unprocessed food. It's good for you and the planet too

When it comes to being health-conscious, youngsters are the most active of all. According to a report on global health and wellness, the Gen-Z and the millennials are more informed, and hence, willing to make changes in their lifestyle to to stay physically and mentally fit.

Whole, plant-based, and vegan foods. What’s the difference?

Many people confuse whole food with plant-based diet and vegan diet. However, there is a slight difference between them.

Whole foods are basically foods that are not heavily processed. They contain unrefined or minimally-refined ingredients. Plant-based food, as the name suggests, is derived from plants.

Vegan food does overlap with the plant-based part of the former, i.e., it has no ingredients derived from animals, like meat, dairy, honey, eggs, etc. However, not all every vegan dish is whole food as some of the vegan ingredients tend to be heavily processed.

What are the benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet?

Plant-based diets offer complete nutrition, i.e., each of the necessary vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and higher fibre carbohydrates. A lot of research has shown that a whole foods, plant-based diet help in disease prevention. They reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. A whole foods, plant-based diet can also reverse heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

How can you keep your calories in check?

A whole-foods, plant-based diet could help you with weight management. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains are not as calorie-dense, and hence, make it easy to lose weight. More calorie-dense foods like nuts, plant-based milks, tofu, etc., could contribute to gaining weight but can be enjoyed in moderation.

Not just that, with a plant-based diet, you are also leaving way less environmental footprint. Food habits adopted by modern society accelerate global climate change. Studies show that a vegetarian diet reduces an individual’s carbon dioxide emissions significantly.

A whole-food, plant-based grocery list

1. Include whole grains in your meal, like oats, quinoa, whole wheat, barley, rice, millet, buckwheat, etc.

2. Build a meal around tubers and taproots, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, beetroots, carrots, yams, etc.

3. Go for greens and lots of veggies, like kale, spinach, green peas, lettuce, broccoli, collards, peppers, etc.

4. Ripe, juicy fruits, like mangoes, pineapples, banana, strawberries, oranges, apples, figs, etc.

5. Include legumes in at least one meal per day. You can go for lentils, kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, etc.