Plant foods, or should we say protective plant foods, include grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables. They contribute variety, colours, textures and flavours to your diet, but they are also important sources of valuable nutrients, which will provide you with many health benefits.
What are the health benefits of a plant- based diet?
Research has shown that diets largely based on plant foods including Mediterranean, Asian and vegetarian diets, offer a number of nutritional benefits. These include lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher levels of fibre, antioxidants and phytochemicals, therefore contributing greatly to the prevention of many chronic diseases.
There is strong evidence that a high plant food intake is associated with a decreased risk of heart disease. Studies show vegetarians have lower blood cholesterol levels and lower rates of high blood pressure than non-vegetarians.
Lower rates of prostate and colon cancer can also be attributed to people who enjoy a vegetarian diet, as can lower rates of type 2 diabetes. And yes, as a group, vegetarians are likely to have a healthier body weight than non-vegetarians.
You don't have to be a vegetarian to benefit from plant foods...
Non-vegetarians will also reap the benefits of enjoying a diet rich in a variety of plant foods. Research has shown that when people follow a nutritionally balanced diet that is high in fruit, vegetables and wholegrains, even if they eat moderate amounts of animal products including low-fat dairy foods, will benefit from a reduced risk of heart disease and other chromic degenerative diseases.
So, why not enjoy some 'meat free' meals each week by replacing some or all of the meat with nuts, legumes or firm tofu in stir-fries, casseroles, salads, rice dishes and burger patties. As an example, mashed or whole red kidney beans make a great addition to pasta sauces, Mexican meals and burgers made with mince.
Lovely Legumes
Many people don't eat enough of these true superfoods because they don't know how to cook them. However, legumes are found in more foods than you may think.
You can buy many tasty ready-made legume foods including hummus dips (made from chickpeas), baked beans, minestrone soup, felafel balls (made from chickpeas), dhal (made from lentils) and Mexican foods (often contain red kidney beans). Pre-cooked, canned legumes are also a great time saver that can be incorporated into many meals including salads, soups, casseroles, stir-fries, burger patties and pasta sauces.
Best of all, legumes provide a great source of fibre, protein, carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and they have a low GI.
