Many people start a plant-based diet out of concern for their health. Maybe their doctor has told them they are at risk of heart disease or diabetes and they want to make a lifestyle change. Or perhaps they are making the switch to a plant-based diet because they want to decrease their carbon footprint on the planet or they have deep concerns about the welfare of animals. Whatever the reasons, making the change to a plant-based diet for the first time can be a daunting task. You might not be sure about where to start, what to eat, or how to successfully make the transition.
We're here to help! PurePlant is a plant-based meal delivery service, so we have a lot of success in crafting delicious plant-based meals and helping people succeed in this lifestyle choice. While it may seem daunting at first, you'll ultimately find the transition to be a rewarding one. We've put together this beginner's guide to help you learn more about the choice, offer some encouragement, and give you tips that will help ease your transition.
What Can I Eat?
This lifestyle is called plant-based for a reason: you'll be able to eat anything that grows from a plant. This includes vegetables and fruits, of course, but also nuts, seeds, legumes, grains, mushrooms, tubers, and seaweed. These are all plants and you can get all of the nutrients that you need from this list. Many people discover that eating a plant-based diet can help them lose weight, have more energy, and can even help them overcome some of the health concerns they've had in the past.
What should I avoid?
- Anything that comes from an animal. Of course, that includes meat, but it also includes eggs and milk, too.
- Refined foods. You'll see this referred to at "plant fragments" in some guides because while some of it is technically made from a plant, it's refined and changed so much that it doesn't have the same benefits of a whole food, plant-based diet. These items include flour, oil, and sugar.
How to Make the Transition
Making the initial transition from the classic American diet to one that's plant-based can be difficult, depending on where you live, the time you have, and how addicted your body currently is to those processed ingredients. Some people find the transition to be easy; maybe they live in a community where there are plenty of options for whole food, plant-based meals. Others might find resources scarce and require a little more patience and support to make the change. In either case, though, this is one of the easiest ways to make the change.
- Start by adding more plant-based foods to your diet. Start bulking up on leafy greens, legumes, and grains in your weekly shopping trip and adding them to your meals. It's easy to add a fresh, healthy salad to your evening meal or add more vegetables to your lunch.
- Next, cut out the non-plant based foods that you won't miss. A lot of what we eat is simply eaten out of habit. If you a lot of cereal in the mornings simply because it's the easiest option you have on hand, make a conscious choice to stop buying it. Instead, search for a plant-based alternative that you can make just as easily. Banana pancakes and quinoa porridge are two items you can stir up quickly in the mornings.
- Begin eating only plant-based foods one day of the week and slowly expand. This will help you phase out animal-based products without feeling like you are being deprived. By starting with one or two days a week, it won't feel overwhelming to find options that fit into your new lifestyle on those days. As you expand, it will feel easier to think of delicious meals to eat that are whole and plant-based.
Additional Tips for Beginners
Cheating Happens.
There are going to be times when you are out to eat and all of your friends order a hamburger and you just can't help yourself; you end up ordering one, too. Almost everyone who transitions to a plant-based diet ends up eating a little meat or another animal-based product somewhere along the way. Don't beat yourself up about it or throw in the towel and decide it's too hard. These temptations are going to be common, especially in the beginning. Eventually, you'll find it easier and easier to resist and one day you'll realize that none of that stuff even looks appetizing anymore. Many adherents of the plant-based lifestyle say that eventually, they find that eating animal-based foods actually makes them feel ill. So if you slip up a couple times, chalk it up to a learning experience and then get back to the plants.
Support Helps.
It's much easier to make the transition to a plant-based lifestyle when you are surrounded by people who can support you and cheer you on. If that's your family, great! If it's not, maybe your friends can join in the journey. Or if you find yourself alone on this path, look for support online. There are tons of communities on the internet that can offer you support and encouragement about your choices and help you stick to your new plan. You'll also be able to swap recipe ideas, find meal planning sites, and get questions answered by a knowledgeable community.
Find Inspiration.
Speaking of the internet, it's a wonderful resource for plant-based eating inspiration! You'll find thousands and thousands of recipes online for a plant-based lifestyle and more are popping up every day. It's a lot easier to make the switch to plant-based foods when you are cooking recipes that look and taste delicious. It's also easier to avoid meat temptation when you are drooling over something plant-based on your screen.
Our Meal Delivery Service Can Help
One of the easiest ways to make the change to a whole food, plant-based diet is through a meal delivery service like PlantPure. Our service delivers flash-frozen meals right to your door, made of healthy plant-based ingredients that are made to fuel your body and mind. It completely takes the guesswork out of going plant-based. It's perfect for busy people who want to take care of their health, and it's so fast and easy that you'll never be tempted by the drive-thru again.
Want to get started? Place an order for our meals on our website. You can order in packs of 10 or 20 to ensure you have a wonderful selection ready to eat. Dine on selections like Forbidden Orange Stir-Fry, African Stew, Creamy Garden Alfredo and so much more. Make the transition to a plant-based lifestyle an easy one and place an order with PlantPure today!
With thirty entrees to choose from, PlantPure meals are the most convenient, healthy and inexpensive delivered foods available on-line! Our meals have no added oils and are priced lower than most fast foods. Order today at: PlantPureNation.com/collections/Foods