Embracing Plant-Forward Eating

Let's dive into the wonderful world of plant-forward eating — a delicious and nutritious way to fuel your body while benefiting the planet. So, what exactly does "plant-forward" mean? Essentially, it's a dietary approach that emphasizes plant-based foods while still allowing you to occasionally eat animal products. It’s a flexible approach that prioritizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes, while minimizing animal-derived foods such as meat, dairy and eggs. Here's how to get started: 

Focus on Plants

• Make fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds the foundation of your meals.
• Embrace a wide variety of plant foods to ensure you're getting a diverse array of nutrients.
• While plant-forward eating doesn't necessarily eliminate animal products entirely, it encourages you to eat less of them and use them more as a complement rather than the focus of meals.
• Choose high quality, whole, minimally processed plant foods over highly processed options.
• Practice mindful eating by paying attention to hunger and fullness cues and savoring the flavors and textures of your food.

Tips for a Plant-Forward Diet

• Start small: Experiment by gradually including more plant-based foods into your meals. Swap out meat for beans in chili or try a veggie stir-fry instead of chicken.
• Explore new ingredients: Get adventurous in the kitchen by trying unfamiliar fruits, vegetables, grains and plant-based proteins. You might discover some new favorites!
• Balance and variety: Aim for a diverse mix of plant foods to ensure you're getting a wide range of nutrients. Think of the colors of the rainbow when planning your meals.
• Include protein sources: Plant-based protein sources like tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, quinoa and nuts will help meet your protein needs.
• Get creative: Don't be afraid to experiment with different cooking techniques and flavor combinations to keep things interesting and delicious.

 Benefits

• Nutrient-rich: Plant-based foods are rich in essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, which are vital for overall health and well-being.
• Heart health: A plant-forward diet has been linked to lower risk factors for heart disease, including reduced cholesterol levels, blood pressure and inflammation.
• Weight management: Focusing on plant foods can support weight management goals due to their lower calorie density and higher fiber content, which promotes feelings of fullness and satiety.
• Gut health: The fiber found in plant foods supports a healthy gut microbiome, which is important for digestion, immune function and overall health.
• Good for the planet: Producing plant-based foods generally requires fewer resources like water and land compared to raising animals for meat. Furthermore, this process produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions. By choosing plant-forward meals, we can reduce our ecological footprint.
• Disease prevention: Research suggests that a plant-based diet may help reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers and Alzheimer's disease.

 Source: www.upmc.com/services/nutrition/resources/news