Is Plant-Based Eating Just Another Wellness Fad?

TL; DR: Plant-based eating isn’t just a fad; it’s here to stay. 

We had an older cousin growing up who was a vegetarian, she was the ONLY vegetarian that we knew. We remember feeling like she was so foreign to us. We joked about her “eating rabbit food” and were baffled at the idea that someone would choose seeds and carrots over bacon and eggs.

Maybe you were that vegetarian, or maybe you were the one joking about her. Either way, we can clearly see so much has changed.  Today, to be “plant-based”, “vegetarian”, or “vegan” is pretty darn trendy. Plant-based diets are everywhere -- it has become THE trend, a super cool way of life. What a shift! So, is plant-based just a TREND? Or is it something more?

We were first introduced to plant-based eating nearly 20 years ago when our father was moving through a serious health crisis. He overhauled his way of eating overnight, and after 3 weeks the results for him were life-changing. His experience of healing with food passionately propelled him into the world of veganism and a raw food lifestyle. He sent us both off to experience, learn and train at The Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida when we were 18 and 21 years old. What an experience it was. We were thrown headfirst into the Raw Vegan World of daily wheatgrass shots, green juices, tongue scraping, colon cleansing, and suddenly, sprouts took center stage on our plates. This was plant-based eating on steroids! After 3 months of learning and living a raw vegan life, we felt the equivalent of a born-again Christian…but with food! 

We wanted to share what we knew with everyone and didn’t understand when people disagreed with us. We felt amazing. Doesn’t everyone want to feel like this?  After about a year of a strict raw vegan diet, we began to see things differently.  We started to see the ‘dogma’ of extreme diets. We discovered that this kind of living was not sustainable for us, because it meant we were isolating ourselves from our friends and family whenever we wanted to talk about food. What good is it to be healthy if you can’t share it with the people you love? And, is it “healthy” when sneaking a piece of baked squash feels like a “cheat”?

Don’t get us wrong, the raw vegan diet has many benefits. Food is medicine and to go to the source, to the raw, organic, whole, or living food is healing for many people.  What WE were discovering was that life is a balance. What works for some people, doesn’t work for everyone.

We entered the world of plant-based eating in the most extreme way.  Now, we understand how important this was in our journey with food. We moved ‘backwards’ from Raw Vegan to Vegan, to Vegetarian, to Pescatarian, to finally land on the vital importance of ‘everything in moderation’. We echo Michael Pollon’s theory; Eat Food, Not Too Much, Mostly Plants. We are happy that “plant-based” eating is trendy because it means more people are learning about the benefits of whole plant foods.  Remembering the importance of balance and moderation, and what this means for YOU, will make this plant-forward way of eating sustainable in your life.

At KYN, we are all about balance and moderation. Going mainly plant-based doesn’t have to mean cutting out meat entirely. It’s all about increasing your veggie intake.  Let your veggies take center stage on your plate a few days a week and see how you feel! And when it comes to meat, source high quality, organic products from sustainable, or even better, local farms. 

What Does Eating Mostly Plant-Based Look Like? 

• Eating fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains most of the time

• Understanding you CAN get your protein from plants

• Eating meat, poultry, fish more occasionally, understanding both the benefits and the risks of consuming these products.

• Choosing organic, high-quality, sustainable, and local food whenever possible.

• Eating whole foods as much as possible (rather than processed foods)

• Limiting products with added sugars

What Are the Health Benefits of a Mostly Plant-Based Diet?

• Lowering cholesterol

• Decreasing risk of heart disease

• Decreasing risk of diabetes

• Preventing cancer

• Balancing weight loss or weight gain

Can I Still Get the Nutrients I Need from Plants?

You may be surprised to find out how many essential micro and macronutrients we can get from plant-based foods. And the fact that plant-based dieting has become more popular has increased the options available to you in the grocery store. 

Let’s take a look at some of the nutrients your body needs and what plant-based foods you can eat to get them.

Vitamins 

• Vitamin A: carrots, winter squashes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, spinach, kale, turnip greens, broccoli, red bell peppers, dandelion greens, watercress, spirulina, seaweed (dulse,kelp)

• Vitamin B1 (Thiamin): blackstrap molasses, brewers yeast, beans, whole grains, oats, sunflower seeds, brazil nuts, watermelon

• Vitamin B3 (Niacin): avocados, brewers yeast, tomato, broccoli, peppers, beans, brown rice, green veggies, potatoes, leafy greens, dates, figs, prunes

• Vitamin B12: nori, kelp, tempeh, nutritional yeast, brewers yeast

• Vitamin C: tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, turnip greens, spinach, potatoes, romaine lettuce, watercress, melon, papaya, strawberries, oranges, grapefruit

• Vitamin E: leafy greens, spinach, sunflower seeds, raw wheat germ, nuts, brown rice, olives, papaya

• Vitamin K: leafy greens, spinach, turnip greens, kale, parsley, Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, soybeans, cabbage, green tea, tomatoes

• Choline: brewers yeast, legumes, soybeans, cabbage, cauliflower, bananas, apples, oranges, dates, raisins, avocado, oats, soy/almond milk, lettuce, nuts, raisins, beans, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, seeds

Minerals

• Biotin: brewers yeast, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, beans, whole grains, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts, oats, banana

• Calcium: broccoli, leafy greens, tofu, blackstrap molasses, chickpeas, beans, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, flax seeds, brazil nuts, almonds, dried figs

• Chromium: apples, whole grains, nuts, broccoli, peanuts, cooked spinach, mushrooms

• Copper: nuts, seeds, whole grains, dried beans, mushrooms

• Folic Acid: lemon, oranges, spinach, romaine lettuce, beans, lentils, whole grains, asparagus

• Iodine: cranberries, salt, potatoes, navy beans, kelp

• Iron: beets, dried fruits, prune juice, leafy greens, tomatoes, beans, nuts, seeds, blackstrap molasses, spinach, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal, whole grains

• Magnesium: bananas, dried figs, brown rice, cooked spinach, beans, lentils, nuts, broccoli, oatmeal, wheat germ, bran, whole grain, leafy greens, peanuts, cocoa

• Potassium: raisins, bananas, spinach, potatoes, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cauliflower, avocados, kiwis, dried fruits, tomatoes, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, honeydew, cantaloupe

• Zinc: spinach, peas, pumpkin seeds, corn, whole grains, beans, lentils, soy, nuts, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, yeast, chickpeas, collard greens

Antioxidants

• Turmeric root, Ginger root, Garlic, Honey, Goji berries, Acai, Broccoli, spinach, carrots, potatoes, artichokes, cabbage, asparagus, avocados, beets, radish, lettuce, sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin, collard greens, kale

Fiber

• Lentils, black beans, chickpeas, pistachios, prunes, corn, artichokes, peas, oatmeal, chia seeds, flax seeds, whole grains, raspberries, avocado, pears, apples, broccoli, kale, spinach, celery, cabbage

Healthy Fat

• Avocado, Coconut, Olive oil, flaxseed, hemp seed, tahini, walnuts, almonds, cashews

But Wait – What About Protein? Can I Still Hit My Protein Goals with Plant-Based Meals?

Absolutely! We understand how essential protein is to your diet, so we gave it its own section. 

The tricky thing with protein in plant-based diets is figuring out how to create “complete” proteins with the recipes you make. There are numerous plant-based proteins, but you’ll need to combine them to reap the same benefits you’d get with animal-based proteins.

Some of the top plant-based sources of protein include:

• Wheatgrass, Sunflower, and Pea Sprouts

• Beans

• Peas

• Whole grains such as oats, wild rice, Kamut, millet, and quinoa

• Veggies such as mushrooms, asparagus, brussels sprouts, artichokes, and dark leafy greens: collard greens, swiss chard, spinach, arugula

• Nuts and Seeds: almonds, brazil nuts, chia seeds, sunflower seeds

Check out the KYN Holistic Health Fundamentals where we discuss the benefits of eating well for your health and other important foundations for living well.