2 Distinctions that will Simplify your Food Life (Part II)
Distinction #1 - Whole foods vs. Processed foods
In case you missed it, read it here
Ready for distinction #2???
Plant foods vs. Animal foods
I can talk for dayssssss about this! There is extensive research that shows us, in addition to thousands and thousands personal healing stories, that animal foods are linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes, inflammatory conditions, digestive disorders, obesity, and other imbalances in the body, while plant foods are linked to real nutrition, cancer and disease-curing agents, antioxidants, detoxification, health, restoration, energy, vibrance, and so much more!!
Animal foods are foods that come from animals, so clearly your animal proteins, dairy, eggs and the not-so-obvious animal byproducts that are hidden in many foods, like gelatin.
Plant foods are foods that come from the earth, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, legumes.
One of the huge myths about plant foods is that they do not supply you with enough protein. This couldn't be farther from the truth! Plant foods are loaded with protein, and complex carbohydrates, fiber, essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, phytonutrients, enzymes, and so much more. Animals get their protein from plants! Can you believe it! Actually, greens actually have more protein per calorie than a piece of steak! So don’t shy away from integrating more plant foods into your diet out of fear that you will be protein deficient, even if you’re trying to build muscle and get lean.
You don’t need to go vegan, or vegetarian and give up chicken/fish/meat and dairy all together. If you want to, GREAT! You will be amazed by how quickly your health will improve and how incredible you will feel. But, giving up animal foods is not for everyone, and that is ok. What I am talking about is understanding that plant foods are healthier and offer so much more to your body than animal foods, and if we can take in MORE plant foods, while still eating animals we are making a big improvement. Think about ways to eat more plants than animals, or start by replacing your animal foods with plant foods 1-2 times per week….ever heard of #MeatlessMonday??
When you eat plant foods, especially vegetables, fresh is better than frozen and raw is better than cooked. Raw fruits and vegetables are living foods and offer the highest amount of nutrients. When you cook your food, you kill many nutrients from the heat, and when you overcook your food (and you lose the rich bright color in the food), it becomes devoid of nutrients. Try to have as many raw vegetables and other plant foods as possible each day. Add vegetables to all other dishes you are making, hide your greens in your shakes and smoothies….get creative to get them in. When you do cook them, cook for only 3-5 minutes to keep the color and crunch.
If you are interested in learning more about the MANY benefits of plant foods, I have some documentaries for you to check out (all available on Netflix):
- Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead (1 & 2)
- Food Matters
- Vegucated
- Forks over Knives
- What the Health
- In the defense of Food
- What the Health
There are many others, as well as books, but these are fantastic and on point. Also check out the photos I’m attaching that illustrate some of the key nutrients that are often thought of only coming from meat and dairy products - like protein, calcium, iron, magnesium, etc.
Happy eating!
