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Written by Jessica Nelson, a Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences dietetic intern
It’s no surprise that eating a plant-rich diet can significantly improve your overall health. Plant foods are an abundant source of beneficial nutrients including vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and even plant-based protein. Eating more plants has been scientifically proven to reduce the risk of many chronic diseases associated with poor diet. These include type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, some types of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. This article will provide insight into the ways you can increase plants into your diet.
Plan Ahead and Meal Prep
Preparing your fruits and vegetables beforehand by slicing or dicing them up will make them more accessible and readily available to incorporate into to your recipes. A little prep work before the start of each week will set you up for success. Slice onions and peppers for fajitas, dice up squash to roast, prepare ingredients for a salad, or have fresh fruit washed and ready to go to add to your oatmeal, yogurt, or smoothies. Simply store them in airtight containers and add them to your dishes throughout the busy week without all the prep work!
Add Plant Foods into Your Favorite Dishes
Now that you’ve prepped your fruits and vegetables beforehand, maybe you’re unsure which dishes you can add them to. You can still make your favorite meals- think tacos, pizza, casseroles, hot dishes, spaghetti, or burgers! Simply swap out some of the ingredients for more plant-based ones, such as adding vegetables into spaghetti sauce, a cauliflower pizza crust, a veggie burger with sweet potato fries, butternut squash mac n cheese, chickpea salad, the list is endless! Once you sit down to dinner with a familiar dish, you’ll forget these secret ingredients are inside!
Stock Up on Frozen and Canned Goods
Don’t overlook the frozen fruit and vegetable section in the freezer aisle! These options can be convenient and cost efficient compared to fresh produce. The perk of buying frozen produce is that they don’t spoil compared to fresh produce and generally retain many of their nutrients. Steam a bag in the microwave or add into dishes without all the prep work! Additionally, you can purchase canned foods, such a legumes, lentils, peas, carrots, and green beans to add into your meals.
Make a smoothie
Blending up fruits and vegetables in a smoothie is a great way to bump up on extra fruits and vegetables by breaking down the fiber and adding more plants at a punch! Create a new smoothie recipe by simply blending up your favorite fruits, adding in a handful of spinach, a scoop of plant-based protein powder, and a splash of nut milk to boost your plant intake. Experiment with adding oats, chia seed, flax seed, nut butter, cacao powder, or other combinations!
Include Plant-Based Meals
Aim to consume at least one plant-based meal each week, such as having meatless Monday’s. There is a wealth of evidence showing that the Mediterranean diet, which focuses primarily on consuming fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, unsaturated fats and oils, and whole grains provides significant benefits and reduces the risk of several health conditions. You might be surprised to learn that incorporating plant proteins into your meals can be easy and delicious! Some ideas are lentil chili, vegetable lasagna, chickpea curry, quinoa stuffed peppers, and black bean enchiladas. Not only will you improve your health, but you’ll reduce your carbon footprint and help protect our planet!
Prep Plant-Based Snacks
To help yourself eat more plant foods have snacks on hand and ready to go when you’re in a hurry. Some easy and tasty options are fruit skewers with yogurt dip, whole grain pita with hummus and celery sticks, dates stuffed peanut butter, roasted chickpeas, homemade granola bars, and trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit.
What's your favorite way to include plants in your day?
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