Alice Newman - The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners: The Health Benefits of Eating a Plant-Based Diet. 21-Day Meal Plan, Shopping List and Easy Recipes That Will Make You Drool

The Plant-Based Diet for Beginners

The Health Benefits of Eating a Plant-Based Diet.

21-Day Meal Plan, Shopping List and Easy Recipes That Will Make You Drool

Alice Newman 2020

Table of Contents

Introduction

You may have already heard about the plant-based diet, but you may not know precisely what it is. In this chapter, youll learn precisely what the plant-based diet is and how it can help you. First, lets take a look at whole foods. Whole foods are unprocessed foods. A plant-based diet concentrates on whole food. Whole foods include whole bread, whole wheat pasta, nondairy milk, nuts, seed butter, and tofu. Of course, you can also eat herbs and spices, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, and legumes such as lentils and beans. All of these will make a diet based on plants.

Many people mistake the plant-based diet for a vegan one. So, lets talk about the difference. There are parallels in both of them, but there are small differences. A vegan diet does not include any products based on animals. This, of course, contains meats but also eggs and outcomes of these animals, such as honey. Vegans will carry this perspective into their life as well, which is more than a diet to them. A plant-based diet will keep you from eating anything based on animals, but it will not prevent you from using animal products in your life.

The Benefits

Now that you know what the plant-based diet is, its essential to look at the host of benefits that it has to offer. Its hard to stick to a diet that makes you drastically change your current way of eating if you dont have a good reason. Thats what this chapter is about. Giving you that good reason to meet your health and weight loss goals using the plant-based diet.

Lowers Blood Pressure

A plant-based diet has been proven to lower blood pressure because it has a high potassium content. A plant-based diet reduces blood pressure as well as stress and anxiety. Potassium-rich foods include seeds, whole, almonds, beans, berries, and grain. However, meat contains almost no potassium, which is why the plant-based diet offers a better way to control your blood pressure.

Lowers Cholesterol

Plants dont contain cholesterol, which includes saturated forms such as coffee or chocolate. When you live a plant-based diet lifestyle, youre reducing the amount of cholesterol you take in to next to zero. A plant-based diet will lower your risk of heart disease since cholesterol is a leading cause of stroke and heart attack.

Maintains Blood Sugar Levels

The plant-based diet has a lot of protein. Protein can lower blood sugar production, and in turn, it will leave you feeling full for longer. Also, a plant-based diet can help to reduce stress levels by lowering the cortisone levels in the body. Cortisol is a stress hormone.

Staves off Chronic Disease

Chronic diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and obesity, are low in societies that follow a plant-based lifestyle. This diet has been proven to help to fight off chronic disease by helping to reduce chronic inflammation, high blood sugar, stress, and provides your body with the nutrients it needs.

Weight Loss

In societies that follow a mainly plant-based lifestyle, obesity is also lower, which weve already covered as a chronic disease. Since youre taking in more vitamins and nutrients as well as fiber, which your body has to break down. While youre eating a plant-based lifestyle, youre also likely to stay fuller for longer, which means youll eat less overall. To lose weight, you have to burn more calories than you take in, so eating less is an essential part of that.

More Energy

Within days of this type of eating, youll feel energized because youll get the nutrients you need. The foods that youll be eating will also have higher water content, which can hydrate your skin and leave you feeling better overall. Plant-based foods are easier to digest and lighter, so youll feel better than ever in just a few days. Youll also get a better sleep when you eat right. When you feed your body the vitamins and minerals it needs, youll help your body relax and give it a peaceful sleep. Calcium and magnesium can help to relax the body for quiet rest, which this diet is packed full of.

Basic Shopping List

While this shopping list does not include everything for original recipes, this shopping list will help you to keep your pantry stocked with the basics.

Vegetables: Non-Starchy

These vegetables are excellent for your body because they are packed with nutrients and will help to get you the vitamins you need. This includes your leafy greens such as kale, spinach, butter lettuce, etc. You can also use eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and brocco li as your non-starchy basics.

Vegetables: Starchy

This includes all types of potatoes, whole corn, legumes of all kinds. This consists of all beans and lentils, root vegetables, and even quinoa. These are filling parts of your meals, which are packed with fiber.

Whole Grains

You need some sort of grain in your plant-based diet. Whole grains are always recommended, including whole wheat, brown rice, and oats. Over processed oats will not give you the nutrients you need.

Fruits

Any whole fruits are available on the plant-based diet. However, it is recommended that you avoid dried fruits and juiced fruits because of the sheer amount of sugar itll pack into your diet.

Beverages

You can have almost any drinks on your plant-based diet. However, its recommended that you drink unsweetened plant-based kinds of milk, decaffeinated tea, decaffeinated coffee, and green tea.

Spices

As far as spices are concerned, any spices are allowed. This includes dried spices and fresh herbs.

Omega 3 Sources

With an all plant-based diet, youll need omega three sources. These include ground flax seed as well as chia seeds.

Nuts

Any nuts are recommended on the plant-based diet, but its useful to have peanuts and walnuts on hand. You can also keep cashews and almonds since they are used regularly in different dishes.

Consume Sparingly

These are plant-based foods, but they arent as healthy for you as other plants. So, while you can have them, its recommended that you use these sparingly. This includes added sweeteners. Examples of added sweeteners are fruit juice concentrate, natural sugars, honey, and maple syrup. Pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, and dried fruits should also be consumed on a limited basis. Coconuts and avocados as well. You should also limit your refined wheat protein or soy protein

21 Day Meal Plan

In this chapter, well go over a twenty-one-day meal plan with all of the recipes right in this book! By having a meal plan for a few weeks when you start a new diet, its more likely that youll stick to it.