A plant-based diet may be followed for many different reasons. Some people do it for cultural reasons, while others have religious, ethical or health reasons for doing it. A well-balanced plant-based diet can meet all of your nutritional needs, but the key component of following a diet like this is knowing what your needs are and planning for them accordingly.
Types of Plant Based Diets
There are several types of plant-based diets. Vegan diets are those in which a person eats no animal-derived products. That means no meat, no poultry, no fish, no eggs, and no dairy products or honey. This type of plant-based diet is the most challenging in terms of finding the right combination of foods to meet all of your dietary needs. The second type of plant-based diet is "lacto-vegetarian." People who consider themselves lactovegetarians eat no meat, poultry, or eggs, but do eat milk and milk-derived products. Finally, "lacto-ovo" vegetarians eat no animal flesh, but do allow themselves to eat eggs and dairy products.
Plant-Based Food Recommendations
According to MayoClinic.com, a plant-based diet should include two servings of fats, such as olive and canola oils, at least two servings of fruits, four servings of vegetables, five servings of legumes, nuts and other protein-rich foods, such as tofu or soybean derived products, and six servings of grains, especially whole grains, which contain a higher amount of protein than processed grains.
Strategies and Tips
You can meet your daily requirements of protein and essential amino acids by eating a variety of plant-based proteins. These include nuts and seeds, tofu, and whole grains. Also, include plenty of iron-rich foods, such as dried beans, oatmeal, bran flakes, baked potatoes (with skin), soy beans, spinach, kale and other green, leafy vegetables. Eat plenty of foods that are rich in vitamin C or ascorbic acid as these help boost iron absorption in your body. Also, remember to eat plenty of foods that are high in vitamin D, so that you can reduce your risk of degenerative bone disease. If you are a strict vegan, make sure you eat foods and food products that are fortified with vitamin B12, or take a supplement.
How to Get Started
Following a plant-based diet opens options to explore many foods that you would otherwise have probably never have tried. As you get started, explore new recipes -- you can find many recipe books on vegetarian diets, and plenty of recipes online. Also, start by substituting the meat or animal protein in your favorite foods. An example of this is to make chili with beans instead of ground beef. Finally, you will have to learn what your specific nutritional requirements and needs are, so that you can plan your meals in advance and be sure that you are meeting all of your required nutrient, calorie and protein needs.
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