The Beginner's Guide to a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet
How a Plant-Based Diet Can Boost Your HealthOne of the most powerful steps you can take to improve your health, boost energy levels, and prevent chronic diseases is to move to a plant-based diet. If you’ve seenForks Over Knives, you know that science shows changing your nutrition is a powerful way to live longer, help the environment, and reduce your risk of getting sick.There’s excellent scientific evidence that many chronic diseases can be prevented, controlled, or even reversed with a whole-food, plant-based diet. Scientific research highlighted in the landmark bookThe China Studyshows that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes,heart disease,certain types of cancer, and other major illnesses. Many people also reportbigger fitness payoffs,more energy,reduced inflammation, andbetter health outcomesafter making the switch.
Simple Plant-Based Recipes You'll Love.We promised a plant-based diet for beginners would be easy! Now it’s time to check out our entire archive ofwhole-food, plant-based diet recipes. Below are some of our favorites to get you started. You can easily experiment with giving some of your own favorite recipes a plant-based makeover. Replace the meat in your favorite chili with beans or lentils, cook up some wonderful veggie burgers, or make vegetables the star attraction in that stir fry instead of chicken. For more delicious meal ideas, explore ourrecipe collection.Recipes to Make
How to Get StartedWhile some people like to dive in headfirst and go 100% whole-food, plant-based overnight, we know that a sudden lifestyle shift isn’t for everyone. We asked one of our expert contributors, Craig McDougall, MD, for his advice for those who prefer a more gradual approach: “Add around 1,000 calories of legumes, whole grains, and starchy vegetables to your everyday routine. These starchy foods keep you full and satisfied, so you’ll naturally eat less of the animal products and processed foods that are making you sick.” Dr. McDougall hasplenty of other great advice to share.Forks Over Knives founder Brian Wendel has somegood tipstoo. He encourages people to “not sweat the small stuff” and to look at the big picture instead: “Focus on the big changes like switching from meat, milk, and eggs to whole plant-based foods. Such changes dramatically improve the nutritional composition of your diet, so this is where you will find the most noticeable and measurable improvements in your health.”Whether you go all-in or decide to make a gradual shift, the time to start making the change is now. You’ll be glad you did.
Useful Resources and ReadingForks Over Knives Helpful ArticlesFor anyone new to the whole-food, plant-based lifestyle, these informative articles—authored by chefs, nutritionists, doctors, and other plant-based experts—are an excellent place to start.
See the Film That Started It AllWhat if one simple change could save you from chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease? Take a deep dive into the plant-based diet documentary that has influenced millions around the world.Watch the Filmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZGs0XsS_lI
Your Plant-Based Questions, AnsweredWe’re sure you’ve got questions about the move to a whole-food, plant-based diet, and we’re here to help.
This post was originally published on Jan. 3, 2017 and has since been updated.