Definitions
Lets start with a discussion of the similarities and differences between “vegan” and “whole food plant-based.” Often people lump the two together, but these are both large umbrella terms under which there are countless variations. People get into heated debates over the terms and there are a few important differences, but ultimately they’re just words, ok people? So no need to dwell too much on it. Below are some generally recognized components of each term.
Vegan Definition
Vegan means completely eliminating all animal products for ethical reasons, and this encompasses both food and other products such as shoes, clothing, furniture, etc. You can check out the official vegan definition which primarily seeks to reduce suffering and exploitation of animals as much as is “possible and practicable.” There is also a secondary environmental component.
A common misconception is that being vegan means you are healthier. While vegans generally tend to have fewer chronic diseases than the general population, that is not necessarily the rule. It is possible, especially these days, to be vegan and eat only processed junk food.
Whole Food Plant-Based Definition
On the other hand you have whole food plant-based, which is primarily a health choice. This means eating mostly only whole, unprocessed, plant foods. It does not necessarily eliminate all animal products, but it does center the majority of the diet on plant-based foods.
Many plant-based eaters do in fact eliminate all animal products but may not consider themselves vegan since the diet is for health, not an ethical stance. It is possible to be vegan and whole food plant-based, but all those on a plant-based diet are not necessarily vegan.
Where I Fall on the Spectrum
I fall somewhere in the middle. I am vegan for ethical reasons, therefore I do not consume any animal products. But I also aim for a mostly whole food diet. Generally about 80-90 percent of my diet is whole, unprocessed foods, and the other 10-20 percent includes some processed foods.
Most of the time I try to eat foods as close to how they were grown. This means whole fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Some processed foods that I do occasionally consume include plant-based milks, pasta, bread, soy products including tofu and tempeh, and nut butters. I avoid highly processed foods like oil and processed junk foods. When I do use processed foods, I try to chose products that have few additives and are mostly made of whole foods.
A Note About Organic vs. Conventional
I personally try to buy organic whenever possible. This is better for the environment and reduces exposure to certain chemicals and toxins. Of course organic can be expensive. So if it is unavailable or outside your budget, it is more important to eat whole foods than it is to get organic. But try to prioritize organic when you can.
I like to periodically check the Dirty Dozen list put out each year by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). These are foods that it is best to always choose organic as they tend to have higher levels of pesticide residue. The EWG also publishes the Clean Fifteen list of foods that are generally “safer” to buy conventional.
There are certain foods, like oats, that I always buy organic. Oats are an example of a crop that is sprayed with Roundup as a desiccant, to dry it out and make it easier to harvest. Glyphosate, the main ingredient of Roundup is linked to a whole host of health issues. Since I eat oats every single day I always buy them organic, which prohibits the use of glyphosate.
Please note even organic products will have traces of these chemicals because often organic fields are right next to conventional, and, you know, wind. So it is impossible to be completely chemical free, but choosing organic is your best bet for reducing exposure. Since I have the means, I like to vote with my dollars. I’m ok with spending a few extra bucks to support farming practices that replenish the earth.
How to Eat a Balanced Vegan Diet
My Plating Method
Plant-based and vegan eating doesn’t have to be complicated, but it will take a bit of practice and trial and error to come up with your perfect plate. We all grew up eating a certain way. This was influenced by our families, our friends, societal norms, government recommended guides, and more. So when you’ve been eating one way for your entire life, of course it is difficult and can feel overwhelming to think about changing it.
Hopefully this method will make it a little easier. It really is quite simple. For each meal, I try to make sure I’m including beans or legumes, whole grains, at least 2-3 different vegetables, and fruit. Those 4 categories will make up the majority of your plate. This will usually look like about half a plate of the beans and grains and half a plate of vegetables and fruit. Then if you choose, you can garnish with some nuts or seeds.
Getting All Your Nutrients
I don’t overly concern myself with food measurements or counting macros, but rather start with this basic template and eat more or less volume based on how I feel. As I mentioned, this will take a little trial and error on your part to figure out the balance of foods that works best for you. If you generally follow this technique, you can then adjust exactly what proportion of your plate is made up of each category and what quantity you need to feel satiated. When we eat primarily whole foods, our bodies intuitively know how much to eat.
If you’re coming from a Standard American Diet (aptly known as SAD) with lots of excess sugar and fat, your body’s natural satiety mechanisms may be a little hijacked. Once you cut those excesses out and focus on whole foods, your body will adjust.
There are some great online resources you can use if you are concerned about nutrients. I don’t recommend tracking food all the time, but I’ve used Cronometer every once in awhile to get a snapshot and see how I’m doing. They have a free version with a massive database of foods to choose from. You simply add what foods you’ve eaten and can see a breakdown of all the macro and micronutrients you’re getting. I plan to write a post on this in the future to show just how easy it is to get recommended amounts of key nutrients on a vegan diet, so stay tuned!
Eat More Food
Often when switching to plant-based eating, people tend not to eat enough. This is because animal products are much more calorie-dense due to higher fat content. Fat is essentially twice as caloric as carbs or protein: A gram of fat is 9 calories while a gram of carbohydrate or protein is 4 calories. Therefore when you cut out all the animal fat, you are automatically and drastically cutting calories.
If you get hungry within a couple hours of your meal, you are likely not eating enough. We are used to portion control so when switching people tend to eat about the same limited volume of food. Because of the lower calorie density and the fact that there is so much more fiber and water content in plants, you can eat more and your stomach literally fills up before you can possibly eat the same amount of calories as before. This sends signals to your brain when it is time to stop eating, and why you generally don’t have to worry about overeating if you are consuming whole plant foods.
If you use my basic template and play around with portion sizes, you will find what works for you. Of course the volume of food you need varies based on height, weight, activity level, etc. Don’t be concerned if at first you find yourself a little less energetic or hungry. Recognize that it will take time to get it right. Keep at it, and once you find the right balance, you will feel satisfied and have more energy than ever before.
Remember nobody is perfect, and you don’t have to be! That is the beauty of our food choices. One bad food choice won’t harm you. Work for an overall healthy eating pattern, and you can allow for mistakes.
Tweaks and Additional Guidelines
After you have this down, you can tweak your template even more to get more diversity in your diet. Diversity of plants in the diet is tied to a healthier gut microbiome and overall healthier life. This also makes meals more fun and never boring.
Within the guide of the 4 food groups: whole grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits, here are some tweaks I personally try to incorporate:
- Include some kind of greens with each meal (spinach, kale, collards, cabbage, bok choy, arugula, fresh herbs, etc)
- Add some kind of starchy vegetable with each meal or a couple times a day (sweet potatoes, potatoes, turnips, beets, carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, pumpkin, butternut squash, etc)
- Eat at least one serving of cruciferous vegetables a day (broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, etc)
- Eat at least two servings of plant-based omega-3s (flaxseed, chia seeds, hempseeds, walnuts)
- Include berries at least once a day
- Enjoy lentils at least once a day as one of my legume servings (just because I love them so much!)
- Include a rainbow of colors. Try to get as many colors in each day as possible and definitely shoot for all colors within a week.
- Include as many different spices as you can as these have health benefits and also make everything taste good!
My Cooking Style and Background
I am not a gourmet chef, I wouldn’t even call myself a great home cook. I love cooking, but I hate complicated recipes because I want easy and fast meals. If it involves much more than chopping, cooking, and eating, I’m probably not doing it. The point of me saying this is to emphasize that anyone can do this.
There is a connotation that being vegan is hard because you have to cook and prep a lot. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Cooking vegan food is no more difficult than cooking animal based foods. In fact, I would argue that plant-based foods are easier to cook and some of the best candidates for batch cooking, which can dramatically improve the convenience of your daily eating pattern. Plus cleanup is so much easier!
The recipes I share in this blog may not always be the prettiest, but they will taste good and be easy to prepare. My method of cooking starts from this template of the main four food groups: whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruit. Simply mix and match from these categories to build an endless array of meals.
Another misconception surrounding vegan food is that it is boring, but there are literally hundreds of combinations you can try. In fact, since becoming vegan 4 months ago, aside from eating leftovers, I scarcely repeat the same recipe, I just make them up as I go. And again, I’m not a trained chef or even that skilled in the kitchen, I simply throw things together and add seasonings to taste.
Great Plant-Based Resources
If you’re still needing a little bit of help, especially if you are concerned about making sure you are getting a balanced and nutrient-dense diet, you can check out my Resources page. But I’ve picked out a few of my favorites below.
I love Dr. Greger’s “Daily Dozen” which is a list of foods to try to fit into your day. If you only do this, you’ll be ahead of the game because to fit everything in, you will most certainly crowd out the less healthy foods from your plate. You can make your own checklist to mark these off, but you don’t have to, Dr. Greger has a free app that allows you to do just that. He even includes notes about portion sizes to help you out further.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is another great, science-based resource. PCRM has a great template for their “power plate” you can use, which is basically how I divide my plate as well. Try their free 21 Day Vegan Kickstart plan. It includes tons of recipes and ideas for helping switch to plant-based eating. And 21 days is a perfect amount to start building the habit of healthy eating.
I also like following Dr. B’s advice of including as much diversity as possible on your plate. Dr. Bulsiewicz is a gastroenterologist who has a wonderful book called “Fiber Fueled” which explains why the more varieties of plants you eat the better. He recommends shooting for at least 30 different types of plants every week.
There are so many different tools to help you switch, these are just a couple of my favorites. Let me know in the comments if you try out any of these ideas and how it goes!
