By Danielle Felip
Study1[1] after study2[2] have shown the positive effects of a plant-based diet and lower rates of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and obesity.3[3]
Not ready to give up meat? That’s ok! A plant-based diet does not have to mean eliminating animal products all together. Reducing your meat and dairy consumption3 and increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables is beneficial to your health and the environment.4[4]
A plant-based diet means more than just iceberg lettuce salads and rice. If you put it into perspective there are a handful of animal products we consume in North America and literally hundreds of different fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and grains to consume. The possibilities are endless!
So how do you get started? Here are a few simple tips for adding more plants to your life!
1. The dinner plate – Ensuring that at least ½ your dinner plate is vegetables. Try a vibrant salad or lightly steamed veggies.
2. Blend them up – Adding greens to your smoothie is a great way to get more veggies into your diet. Try adding spinach or dandelion leaves and you’ll be amazed at how much more energy you have!
3. A fruit bowl – Keeping a bowl of fruit on your desk will be a visual reminder to eat more fruit and should you have a sugary craving in the afternoon, you’ll have a sweet treat right in front of you without having to hit up the vending machine.
4. Get nutty – Add nuts and seeds to salads, rice bowls, quinoa to add healthy fats and protein to your meals.
5. Quickie snacks – Chop up vegetables as soon as you buy them and store them in single serving containers, that way you can grab and go and they make an easy snack.
It’s easy to find fresh and local produce at Farmer’s Markets and more grocery stores are carrying organic fruits and vegetables as well.
Two Girls Cooking Vegging Out Workshop is all about going a little vegetarian. Vegetarian meals require less energy for the body to digest, they are nutrient dense and help us lighten our caloric load. We'll show you hot to put a creative spin on making vegetarian meals healthy and delicious!!
Here’s a quick and easy smoothie recipe that is good for you and the environment and full of nutrients!
Dani’s Basic Green Smoothie
1 cup mango
2 generous handfuls spinach
1 scoop protein powder
1 tbsp flax or hemp seed oil
2 cups filtered water
How to make:
Combine all ingredients and blend until relatively smooth (if using a high-powered blender this will take no time at all)
[1] “The Effect of a Plant-Based Diet on Plasma Lipids.” Stanford School of Medicine: Nutrition Studies. 2009. 15 Oct 2011.
[2] Wang, Shirley S. “Study: Foods To Lower Cholesterol.” The Wall Street Journal. 24 Aug 2011. 15 Oct 2011.
[3] Barnard, N.D., A. Nicholson, and J.L. Howard. 1995. The medical costs attributed to meat consumption. Preventative Medicine 24: 646-55; Segasothy, M., and P.A. Phillips. 1999. Vegetarian diet: panacea for modern lifestyle disease? QJM 92 (9):531-44.
[4] Hamerschlag, Kari. “The Meat Eater’s Guide to Climate Change + Health.” Environmental Working Group. July 2011. 15 Oct 2011. < http://static.ewg.org/reports/2011/meateaters/pdf/report_ewg_meat_eaters_guide_to_health_and_climate_2011.pdf>
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