Plant Based (Vegetarian) Diets

Plant Based (Vegetarian) Diets

Why Choose a Plant Based Diet?

People choose plant-based diets for a variety of reasons. Whatever YOUR reason, following this dietary lifestyle can provide many health benefits. Some people consider these as great side effects: weight loss, increased energy, improved blood test results, a decreased desire for sweets, and for those who follow it for philosophical reasons, peace of mind.

What you need to know before starting a plant based diet

A plant based diet (especially if you eliminate fish, eggs and dairy) requires a little bit of effort to make sure you get all the nutrients you need. The main things are that you get enough protein, Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, iron & zinc, and calcium.

One way to help you get all these nutrients is to expand your repertoire of vegetarian foods that you eat. It’s important to get a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains (buckwheat, rice, oatmeal, etc.), legumes, peas, etc. This will help provide a full range of amino acids, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

What can I do to make the transition to a plant-based diet easier?

Here are seven simple things you can do, to prepare for the transition:

1. Visit the produce section in your local grocery store and prepare some new foods
2. Shop at your local farmers market (fresh is best!) or sign up for a weekly CSA box
3. Gather some vegetarian recipes to experiment with in the kitchen
4. Try vegetarian menu options, or a new vegetarian-friendly restaurant
5. Shop for vegetarian-option convenience foods at your local grocery store that can be easily prepared at home
6. Plan for snacks on the go
7. Talk to a nutritionist or dietician or read books or online about foods’ nutrient content

What other things should I think about when I’m on a plant based diet?

Make sure you’re getting enough protein: most people need about 10-15% of their calories from protein (about 0.8 g for every kilogram of body weight), so when selecting foods for their protein content, choose foods that are high in protein relative to calories.

Include foods that will give you enough vitamins and minerals that are might be lacking in a plant based diet, especially foods rich in Vitamin C (to help iron absorption), calcium, zinc, Vitamin D and B12. Besides a good variety of foods, include foods like dried fruits, bok choy, leafy greens, seaweeds, quinoa, other grains, lentils, some types of beans, tempeh, figs, broccoli, leafy greens, spirulina, almonds, sesame seeds, hummus, hemp, and if you’re not sensitive to gluten: seitan.

You might also consider talking to your primary care health provider about supplementation with brewer’s yeast, high quality EPA/DHA fish oil (some people can’t make EPA/DHA from other Omega 3’s), and Vitamin D3. About Vitamin D in particular, talk to your doctor about getting a blood test to measure your vitamin D levels (to my knowledge, 50-100 ng/mL is the ideal range).

Some general recommendations about food quality

Nuts and nut butters: Raw is best, to preserve the quality of the beneficial oils. Include a variety such as walnuts, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, organic flax seeds (buy a coffee grinder to ensure freshness), etc.. I don’t recommend peanuts or peanut butter.

Soy: choose fermented, non-GMO options such as miso or tempeh.

Pesco-vegetarian: wild-caught or smaller fish are best: avoid corn-fed, farm-raised and dyed fish. For updates on fish quality, check the Monterey Bay Aquarium's website: 

Lacto-ovo vegetarian: organic dairy and eggs

Occasional meat-eating/Paleo vegetarian: organic, and for beef, select grass-fed (preferably pasture-raised meats)

A Word to the wise

If you’re considering changing over to a plant-based diet and you have questions or are concerned about getting nutrition, let your doctor know. She or he will first make sure a plant based diet isn’t “contraindicated” for you, and if necessary, refer you to a Registered Dietitian (R.D.) so your nutritional needs are met. This is especially true for children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or anyone with a diagnosed health condition.

For best long-term dietary changes, practice moderation: it might be difficult at first to go on an all-vegetarian diet, so give yourself the time you need to prepare, and expect that there will be adjustments along the way. You might need to work out agreements with people in your family, find solutions for what to do at community events or social gatherings where food is served, get prepared with foods that replace meat (and eggs and dairy if you choose that as well) that you’re used to eating, and finding foods away from home, while at work, around town, or while traveling.  

Get started!

In addition to discussing things with your doctor, meeting with a dietitian or nutritionist for recipe ideas and community resources, getting prepared and informed...above all, use your common sense and awareness of your own body’s needs.

Here’s a recipe for a basic “Green Drink Smoothie” recipe (get doctor supervision if you choose to “juice/detox” for more than 24 hours). My “Resources” page has links to juicers and nut milk bags (for those who already have a blender and want juice without the pulp) for purchase on amazon.com, as well as many other healthy and homesteading product links.

Enjoy!