A Complete Plant-Based Diet Food List

What exactly does following a plant-based diet mean? There are many definitions of a plant-based diet, but here we assume that the diet limits animal products, including meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy, in favour of whole, plant-based foods. Use this article to prepare a perfect grocery shopping list for your plant-based diet.

Protein

• Beans
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Quinoa
• Tempeh
• Tofu
• Seitan
• Hummus

These ingredients should be consumed liberally, so shop accordingly.

Fat

• Avocado and nuts
• Avocado, olive, and coconut oils

Fruits and Veggies

There are no forbidden fruits or vegetables. Make sure to include:

• Bananas
• Pineapple
• Apples
• Berries
• Pears
• Oranges
• Peaches
• Broccoli
• Kale
• Lettuce
• Carrots
• Asparagus
• Cauliflower
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Peppers
• Potatoes
• Zucchini
• Eggplant
• Artichokes
• Sweet potatoes
• Squash

Nuts and Seeds

No nuts and seeds are restricted. The healthiest choices are the raw, unsalted, and unsweetened variety. You can eat the following foods:

• Almonds
• Peanuts
• Cashews
• Pecans
• Macadamia nuts
• Pumpkin seeds
• Peanut butter
• Almond butter
• Sunflower seeds

Grains

• Brown rice
• Quinoa
• Bulgur
• Barley
• Oatmeal
• Farro
• Brown rice pasta

You can also occasionally use foods made with refined grains, such as white bread and pasta.

Sweeteners

• Maple syrup
• Date syrup
• Honey (not if you are on a vegan diet)

Drinks

• Coffee
• Tea
• Nut-based beverages (almond milk, cashew milk)
• Plant-based milk such as Oat milk, Soy milk, Rice milk etc
• Fresh juices and smoothies
• Wine

While there are many more items that you can explore while on a plant-based diet, we have listed the healthiest food options for you and your family. Have fun with the veg diet!

Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/plant-based-diet-food-list-sample-menu/

A Beginners Guide: Tips And Tricks To Start A Plant-based Diet

You may think that moving on to a plant-based diet is a great thing, but it can be downright overwhelming when to think about where to start. 

Plant-based diets are known for their health benefits. It is one of the most powerful steps you can take to improve your body, boost energy levels, and prevent chronic lifestyle diseases.

Let’s see a few tricks and tips which can help you to start a plant-based diet:

• Eat a lot of vegetables

Vegetables are one of the primary sources of plant-based foods. Try to fill your plate with vegetables. Make sure to choose many colorful vegetables. It can either be cooked or eaten in a raw form.

• Have a different perspective on meat and its products

Plant-based diets don’t avoid meat and its products completely. So, try to have smaller amounts and limit the use of meat and its products. 

• Include more whole grains

Whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, buckwheat, barley are nutritious and more in raw form. This is rich in nutrients and can be consumed with some yogurt and fresh-cut fruits or seeds and nuts.

• Choose greens

Greens like kale, broccoli, spinach, swiss chard among others can be steamed, grilled, braised, or even can be incorporated with other recipes. This preserves the flavor and nutrients.

• Go for good fats

Fats like olive oil, nuts, and nut butter, seeds, avocados are rich in healthy fats. These healthy fats have less saturated fats and cholesterol. Healthy fat oil can be used in recipes by replacing unhealthy oils.

• Have more servings of vegetables and fruits

Try to include fruits and vegetables in every serving of your diet. It can be added with the main recipe or as an accompaniment dish. 

• Try to have products in raw form 

Raw foods are the most nutritious form of a plant. Fruits are raw and will help to satisfy your craving for a sweet bite after a meal. It can be any fruit like apple, peach, or watermelon. Have it as a dessert.

• Have adequate water

Drinking enough water is important for maintaining the electrolytes of the body. Since most of the fruits and vegetables are rich in water. Make a count of your water intake each day.

• Build a meal

Always plan breakfast and lunch as the largest meal of the day. Include a mix of ingredients like legumes, beans, fruits, and vegetables. The evening meal should be light or eliminated if possible. Always choose foods that are easily digested for dinner and eat a few hours before bedtime to promote a night of restful sleep. Have a small sandwich or fruit. 

• Avoid processed foods

Processed foods should be completely avoided and switch to unprocessed food sources high in protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats. This will help to keep your blood sugar stable.

Having a balanced diet rich in plant sources can be one of the best diets if our goal is to live a life that is full of pleasure, sparing of physical impairment, and rich in mental health. Anyone can kickstart a plant-based following these tips and tricks.

Plant-Based Diet: Foods You Should Eat and Foods You Should Avoid

A plant-based diet includes a variety of foods and it doesn’t have a clear definition. It is more of a lifestyle. This is because plant-based diets vary greatly depending on the extent to which a person includes meat and its products into their diet.

Let’s see what are some common foods to eat and avoid during a plant-based diet.

What you can eat:

• Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables should be eaten in every meal of the day. They are naturally low in calories and give vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fruits like berries, citrus fruits, pear, peaches, pineapple, bananas, avocados among others can be added. Vegetables like kale, spinach, tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash can also be added.

• Nuts and seeds

Nuts and seeds are good in healthy fats and add calories to the diet. Nut butter is also beneficial and works as a good additional supplement for a plant-based diet. For example, almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, natural peanut butter, and tahini can be included in the diet.

• Legumes

They are the natural plant sources of protein. Legumes like peas, chickpeas, lentils, peanuts, black beans can be incorporated into any recipe or can be prepared alone with slight seasoning.

• Plant-based protein

Plants can also be a good source of protein. There are tofu, tempeh, seitan among others which are made by fermentation of plant sources. These fermented products are good for gut bacteria too.

• Dairy alternatives

Alternatives for milk include coconut milk, almond milk, cashew milk. These are completely plant-based and give a good amount of protein.

• Vegetable oils

Vegetable oils are also known as healthy fats. For example: olive oil, avocado oil, canola oil, rice bran oil, coconut oil. These oils are flavorful and contain saturated fatty acids which are good for the body.

• Whole grains

Whole grains are not refined and they contain many nutrients. They are rich in fiber too. Brown rice, rolled oats, farro, quinoa, brown rice pasta, barley, etc are some examples of whole grains. There are products like whole-grain bread, rice, and pasta which are healthy too.

• Beverages

Beverages like coffee, tea, and sparkling water are good for a plant-based diet. Coffee is rich in antioxidants that may account for many of the heart benefits. Tea and coffee are very less in calories when compared to fruit juices with added sugars.

What you can’t eat

• Meat

Red meat contains cholesterol and trans fat which can increase the risk of many chronic diseases. It also depends upon the person to choose meat or not.

• Fast foods

Fast foods like French fries, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, chicken nuggets among others contain a lot of empty calories and are bad for health. They are nutritionally poor and make us fatigued. 

• Dairy and products

Dairy products like milk and its products should be avoided. Although they are rich in protein, they add a lot of calories to the diet too.

• Processed foods

Processed foods are rich in cholesterol and empty calories. Products like tofurkey, faux cheese, vegan butter, bacon, and sausages can be avoided.

• Refined grains

Grains that are refined are polished and they lose all their nutrients. White rice, white bread, and pasta made from such grains, and bagels are nutritionally poor and should not be included with the plant-based diet.

• Sweets and added sugar

Products like table sugar, soda, pastries, cookies, candies, sugary cereals, and added sugar products won’t be suitable for a plant-based diet.

A plant-based diet is a way of eating that motivates us to eat more plant-based foods and cuts the processed and junk foods out of our diet. This list can help you to differentiate what is good and bad.

What is the Difference Between Vegan And Plant-based Diet? Find out

Vegan and plant-based diets are popular diets because of their health benefits. A large number of people are ready to switch to a plant-based options. Some people may term it as “vegan” and others as “plant-based”. While they are similar in many aspects, there are some notable key differences between them.

A vegan diet doesn’t include any animal source. It’s an ethical and environmental diet too as it prevents the slaughtering of animals for food. Plant-based diets are primarily focused on fruits, vegetables, and whole foods avoiding processed foods. It may or may not involve meat and its sources. It’s the consumer’s choice.

Vegan diets

It started with the word veganism which means living in a way that avoids the consumption or exploitation of animals and their products. It primarily focuses on vegetarian products avoiding dairy, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and honey. Many people choose to follow a vegan diet for environmental reasons too. The rearing of animals and the processing industry can create a lot of harmful emissions like greenhouse gases. 

Plant-based diet

A plant-based diet should include a healthful consumption of plant foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and healthy oils while reducing intake of less healthy plant foods as well as animal foods. The main part is having more whole foods and avoiding all the processed foods.

Difference between a vegan and plant-based diet

• A vegan diet is not necessarily as healthy as a plant-based diet, as it involves many processed and unhealthy foods like fried foods, chips, and chocolate among others which are suitable for a vegan diet.

• A vegan diet can include high-calorie vegan foods while the goal of a plant-based diet is to maximize the consumption of nutritious plant foods while minimizing processed foods.

• A vegan diet is completely vegetarian and there is no consumption of animal foods. A plant-based diet is primarily focused on whole foods, but still, some consumers have meats like lean meat and poultry occasionally.

• Vegan people avoid all the products made with animals and even boycott products made with animal testing. But plant-based diet people aren’t involved in avoiding the products or services that cause sufferings to animals.

• People adopting a plant-based diet see it as a positive food choice, but vegan as a lifestyle centered around animal rights and this extends out into other lifestyle choices like beauty, fashion, and homewares, which explains the key distinction between these two terms. A vegan diet revolves around ethics, while a plant-based diet goes for more healthy choices.

Choosing a diet is completely a personal choice. Here, the term vegan extends to lifestyle choice beyond the diet. A vegan lifestyle makes sure that no animal is harmed in any way. But plant-based diets are more personal and health concerned. Both are increasing in popularity and can be healthy when planned properly.