INTRODUCTION
The plant-based diet, known as plant-based, argues that food should focus on the quality of plant foods, making it possible to take advantage of these and reduce the consumption of animal foods, without having to completely eliminate them from your diet.
This diet includes not only fruits and vegetables, but also nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains (legumes such as grains, beans, lentils, peas, etc.) and vegetables, always preferring whole-grain versions of foods such as grains or cereals, for example rice or bread. This does not mean that you become vegetarian or vegan and never eat animal products. Instead, it chooses proportionately more food from plant sources.
Knowing how to eat is knowing how to choose
We know today that a good part of our health depends on food.
There are several approaches considered healthy by the most diverse authorities in the matter, both in omnivorous, vegetarian or vegan food - all with due care so that essential nutrients are not lacking.
Practical strategies to implement a diet with more vegetables:
- Increase your consumption of vegetables: fill half the plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner. Be sure to include lots of colors when choosing your vegetables. Enjoy vegetables as a snack with carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, cherry tomatoes accompanied by humus or guacamole, for example. Add soup to your diet regularly, as a way to increase the number of vegetables. Eat salads often: fill a bowl with salad greens such as lettuce, spinach, chard, watercress and others; then add a variety of other vegetables along with fresh herbs, beans, peas or tofu, for example;
- Choose good fats: the fats in olive oil, olives, oleaginous fruits (nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, etc.) and their butters, seeds and avocados are particularly healthy choices;
- Cook a vegetarian meal at least one night a week: Build these meals around whole grains, pulses and vegetables;
- Include whole grains in your breakfast: start with oats, quinoa or buckwheat. Then add some oleaginous fruits or seeds (sunflower, chia, etc.) along with fresh fruits;
- Choose the greens and vary: Try a variety of green leafy vegetables such as kale, chard, spinach and other greens every day. Steam, broil or stew to preserve flavor and nutrients;
- Change the paradigm: Fruits, vegetables, tubers, pulses, cereals, oilseeds, seeds... this change in the 'paradigm' calls for them to take on the main role, as they should be consumed in their most natural form, that is, more whole and less processed, as the original name of the diet indicates: Whole Food Plant Based Diet - or "Diet based on whole plant foods".
