Are you ready to go plant-based?
I know you've tried it before, but you went back to your old ways, didn't you?
But now, you start to see plant-based meals everywhere, and you start feeling more positive, but in reality, you don't want to deal with all the hassle again.
Worried about missing vegan nutrition or eating enough calories?
Can this be easier, you may ask?
Short answer: yes!
Before I continue, I’m letting the new me speak: welcome back, it doesn’t matter how you got here, maybe it’s January or right around summer it doesn't matter.
In this article, I’m going to share with you a simple method you can use right now to make well-balanced plant-based meals without missing nutrients & count calories by adjusting your regular meals and putting your adversaries to shame.
Using this method, you will be able to make your favorite meals in a more balanced way to achieve your goals.
The Vegan Plate Method
That brings us to the small matter of rationing our diet to contain all the necessary nutrients and minerals for healthy growth and development. There already exist overly detailed plans about what you need to bulls-eye accuracy in grams and sizes. Most of which are simply not very practical for handling everyday meal planning. Instead, a simple plan, like the vegan plate method will do just fine.
There are already overly detailed plans for what you need to do to get accurate measurements of grams and sizes. It's simply not practical to handle everyday meal planning with such detailed plans. Instead, if you follow a simple plan, such as the vegan plate method, you will be able to get adequate vegan nutrition from it.
Components of the vegan plate
The vegan plate consistent with 3 main components:
Protein
Grain
Vegetables/fruits
1. Vegetables and/or Fruits
Ration: ½ of the plate
Grandma was right. Eat your veggies. Make the vegetables and/or fruit the star of the plate. Half (50%) of your plate should be filled with vegetables and/or fruits. A mixture of vegetables and fruits takes a half portion (50%)of the whole meal for obvious reasons. They both are great foods to increase your nutrients intake. Which is needed to prevent illnesses and boost the immune system.
Foods to eat: if you’re lucky enough to have several fruits and vegetables to choose from, stick with those you enjoy and are in season. If you can opt for more green veggies like Kale, spinach, and broccoli just to name a few. You should have no problem filling half your plate with them.
2. Whole grains
Ration: ¼ of the plate
Whole grains are (minimally) processed grains that have their parts (germ, bran, endosperm) intact. A processed grain such as white rice only has the endosperm, this means that the germ and bran have been removed and thus all the vital nutrients. Whole grain is a trusted source of providing energy. What you need exactly are the complex carbs, iron, fiber, and B vitamins.
Foods to eat:
Barley
Brown rice
Buckwheat
Bulgur (cracked wheat)
Millet
Oatmeal
Whole-wheat bread, pasta or crackers
Spelt
3. Plant-based protein
Ration: ¼ of the plate
Uneducated people believe the misconception that you can’t have enough protein on a plant-based diet. But that is further from the truth. Following the plant-based plate method helps with portioning. It ensures you don’t need to worry about missing nutrients or counting calories. When you have your plate filled with veggies and grain now it’s time to choose the best plant-based protein.
Foods to eat:
Tofu
tempeh
edamame
seitan
Lentils
Chickpeas
Seeds (hemp seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds)
Nuts (peanuts, almonds)
Bottom line
These are just the basic components, I want to get this down:
Your plate must have more veggies and/or fruits
Your gains need to be unprocessed.
Pair with a source plant-based) protein as listed.
Once you've got the basics down, it's time to step it up.
Here are some important parts to keep building on your strong foundation.
Healthy Fats
There are many misconceptions about fats. The truth is, we all need fats, at least the good fats. In general, saturated fats are bad fats because they increase the level of LDL (low-density lipoprotein). That's why it's advised to avoid fats from meat and other animal products
Some other plant-based foods like palm oil also contain saturated fats. With so many alternatives to these, it's best to avoid them.
Instead, the following are healthy.
Foods to eat:
· Avocado
· chia & flaxseeds
· Nuts: hazelnuts, walnuts. it is recommendable to eat 1-ounce servings a day.
· Seeds: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds
· olives
· olive oil
· dark chocolate
· beans
Legumes
Legumes are high in dietary fibre which helps to keep our bowels healthy. They are a source of carbohydrates and have a low glycaemic index (GI), which means they are broken down more slowly so you feel fuller for longer.
Foods to eat:
split peas
Cannellini beans
Kidney beans
Baked beans (navy beans)
Chickpeas
Four bean mix
Lupin
Red, green, or brown lentils.
Nuts and Seeds
Nuts are a good source of iron, fiber, and calcium. Seeds such as flaxseed and chia are a great source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids.
Minerals
Minerals are essential for optimal health.
The following minerals are very important and should be made available for the body whether through plant-based diet or health supplements.
Calcium
Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth throughout an individual's lifespan.
Foods to eat:
It is better to get them from:
Leafy green vegetables,
Broccoli
Tofu,
Tempeh,
Tahini
Almonds
Iron
While iron is a necessity, following your regular vegan diet such should have enough iron for your body's needs. You should only supplement for iron if there's a recorded deficiency. Too much iron in the body prevents the absorption of other nutrients.
Fibre
For all your fiber needs, you can find them vegan. Honestly, you're spoiled for choice here:
Foods to eat:
Lentils
Black beans
Lima beans
Broccoli
Fig
Sweet potato
Brussels sprouts
Bulgur
Apple
Banana
Bell pepper
Quinoa
Oats
Whole wheat bread
Carrots
Take- Away:
Adopting a plant-based lifestyle isn't necessarily difficult. With the information you have here, it could be seamless.
I want to leave you with some tips here:
Focus on making small changes at a time
Replace one non-vegan source of nutrients with a vegan one. Do this until your whole menu is vegan. A gradual process is proven to be better when making long-term lifestyle changes.
Get Started Today
Download this The Vegan Plate Infographic can help you create a complete meal anytime.
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