A plant-based diet means that the majority of the food you eat comes from plant, not animal sources. You do not have to be a vegan or vegetarian to follow a plant-based, you just need to fill most of your plate with vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Switching to a plant-based diet has been proven by doctors, including John McDougall, MD, Caldwell Esselstyn, MD and Joel Fuhrman, MD, to help prevent and treat heart disease without the use of medication.
Step 1
Eliminate or drastically reduce your consumption of animal products. Meat, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs all contain saturated fat and cholesterol, which clogs your arteries, raises cholesterol and leads to heart disease. If you want to keep animal products in your diet, think of them as a side dish as opposed to the main course and try to only consume one animal food per day.
Step 2
Eat as many leafy green vegetables as possible. This includes but is not limited to kale, collard greens, spinach and romaine lettuce. Leafy greens should be the foundation of a strong plant-based diet and will provide your body with vitamins, minerals and fiber. They contain extremely low amounts of fat, so they will not clog your arteries or contribute to heart disease.
Step 3
Aim to eat a minimum of 25 g of fiber each day by consuming ample amounts of high-fiber foods like beans and whole grains. Fiber, specifically soluble fiber, lowers your bad cholesterol, or LDL, and reduces your risk for heart disease. Beans are particularly high in fiber, with one 1/2-cup serving of black beans providing 6 g of fiber.
Step 4
Don't be afraid to eat nuts, seeds and avocados. Although these foods do contain fat, it is heart-healthy plant-based monounsaturated fat, which can actually lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk for heart disease. Moderation is key with these foods, though. A 1/4 cup of nuts or seeds or 1/4 of an avocado three to four times each week will give you all the monounsaturated fat your body needs.
Tips and Warnings
- If you love dairy products and refuse to give them up, try switching to nonfat versions. This will help reduce your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol.
References
- "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease"; Caldwell Esselstyn, MD; 2007
- "The McDougall Program"; John A. McDougall, MD; 1990
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fiber Start Roughing It!
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Black Beans
- "Eat to Live"; Joel Fuhrman, MD; 2011
