Wholefood Plant Based Diet

What is a wholefood plant-based diet?

A wholefood plant-based diet consists entirely or predominately of plant derived foods. This focusses around a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole-grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and pulses. Ideally, these are consumed in there least processed form.

Macronutrients

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are often a very misunderstood nutrient. It is commonly believed that they will ‘make you fat’ but this is far from the truth. Carbohydrates are a very important part of a healthy diet as they are the bodies primary source of energy.

Basil pesto, pumpkin, beans, spinach and tomato with brown rice and quinoa pasta

The first thing you need to understand is that there are two types of carbohydrates; ‘simple’ and ‘complex’.

Simple carbohydrates are processed quickly and easily by the body, causing a spike in blood sugar and energy. This is often followed by a crash in energy due to the body processing and utilising it so quickly, leaving the body hungry for more. Simple carbs are sugars and are often found in processed food. It is the over consumption of this type of carbs that can lead to weight gain.

On the contrary, complex carbohydrates are made up of fibre and starch. This makes them slower to digest, more filling and they will sustain the bodies energy for longer periods, due to their slow release and no spike in blood sugar.

Dietary fibre is also super important for healthy bowel habits and cholesterol levels.

The more complex the carbohydrate the better, as they are often accompanied by other important macro and micronutrients.

Simple:

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raw sugar 
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corn syrup 
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glucose, fructose and sucrose  
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soft drink/soda 
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baked goods, cakes, biscuits 
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Complex:

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Sweet potato
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Potato
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Beans and legumes 
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Whole-grains: oats, rice, buckwheat, millet

Fibre rich fruits and vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, carrots, apples, bananas, berries)

Protein

Protein is an important and necessary part of growth and repair. Protein is required for healthy muscle and brain cells, hair, skin and nails. Although it is a necessity for bodily function, protein is one of the most over consumed nutrients in Australia. Protein deficiency is very uncommon in Australia and it is likely that if you are consuming enough food/calories from a wide variety of plant foods you will be receiving your daily requirement of protein (some exceptions apply).

Tempeh fried with tamari and nutritional yeast, roast cauliflower, black bean salsa, brown rice, peptias, cashew sour cream and smashed avocado

A diet too high in protein can be very damaging to health if sustained for a long period of time. Not only does a high protein intake mean you are consuming less carbs/fibre and fats but as protein is metabolised it produces a toxic byproduct, ammonia. In high levels ammonia is converted into urea and is eliminated from the body in urine. This puts a lot of strain on the liver and kidneys as they work overtime to detoxify and eliminate protein byproducts that exceed our daily needs. As a rough guide it is suggested that you aim to eat 1g of protein for every kg of body weight and this will be plenty to meet you daily needs.

Not only do plant-based protein sources contain an amazing variety of other incredible micro-nutrients, by opting for plant-based over animal-based protein you are avoiding many unhealthy elements found in these sources such as hormones, heavy metals and toxins, saturated and trans fat. Not to mention that animal-based foods are very acidic and lack the wide variety of vitamins and minerals founds in plant foods.

 Protein

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legumes and beans
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tempeh 
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tofu 
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nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios) 
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seeds (chia, flax, hemp, pumpkin, sunflower)

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spirallina 
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Leafy greens 
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buckwheat
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Fat

Fats are an essential part of our diet and are important for healthy brain function, hormone production and reproductive health. Like carbohydrates, fats can be broken down into categories, the ‘healthy’ fats (unsaturated fat) and the ‘unhealthy’ fats (saturated and trans fat).

Saturated fat is found in dairy foods, meat, cakes, pastries, biscuits and sweets, also deep fried food and processed packaged foods such as chips and crackers. Only a small percentage of your diet should consist of saturated fat and I would suggest choosing a healthier option such as coconut based products that contain other health benefits. Trans fats should be avoided because they do not provide any benefits (found in animal products and processed food). A high consumption of both saturated and trans fat increases your risk of developing heart disease by increasing your blood cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are found mostly in plant-based sources such as avocado, nuts, seeds and olive oil, these foods are an important part of a healthy diet, especially omega 3, an essential fatty acid found in hempseed, flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts that can promote cardiovascular health, improve brain function and is anti-inflammatory.

Recommended Fats

nuts (macadamias, walnuts, almonds, pecans)

seeds (chia seeds, flaxseeds, hempseed, pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)

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nut butters 
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peanuts 
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coconut 
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avocado 
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How much of each should you consume?

A good guide to follow is 80 10 10. Your dietary intake, should consist roughly of 80% carbohydrate, 10% protein and 10% fat. Use this idea as a guide to plan your meals.

Micronutrients

Iron: necessary for the transportation of oxygen in blood to muscle tissue and cells around the body.

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spirulina 
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dried figs 
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tempeh 
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green leafy veg (kale, spinach, etc.)
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beetroot 
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Zinc: for healthy hair, skin and nails. Zinc is important for gut health, immune system function and wound healing. It is also an antioxidant.

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pepitas 
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almonds
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hemp seeds 
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lentils
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oats 
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quinoa
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Calcium: essential for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Calcium also plays a role in blood clotting, muscle contraction and nerve function.

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tahini (sesame seeds)
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almonds 
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leafy greens (bok choy, kale)
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white beans 
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dried figs 
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oranges
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seaweed
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Vitamin B12: essential for blood, brain and nervous system function.

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nutritional yeast 
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tempeh
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miso
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seaweed 
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spirulina
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mushrooms 
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fermented foods 
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Note: these foods contain low levels of B12 and are not always bio-available. The most reliable source is via supplementation (methylcobalamin is the best form).

The highest source of B12 is found in animal products. B12 is produced by bacteria found in the large intestine. Unfortunately this is below the small intestine where B12 is absorbed and is not a reliable source for humans. The main source of B12 for animals which are herbivores is from eating their own faeces and soil matter (as B12 is synthesised by bacteria it is also found in soil and other areas which promote bacterial growth). For thousands of years humans have gotten their B12 from fragments of soil left on fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately due to chemical herbicides and pesticides B12 levels are low and we are now washing our fruits and vegetables better then ever. This means we are no longer consuming adequate levels of B12 which is why it is important to supplement B12. Now you may be thinking well why don’t I just eat the animal source then? Chances are that the animals have been supplemented too. With todays meat industry, and factory farming, many animals are being locked away in sheds where they don’t have access to grazing fields where they naturally digest soil. This means farmers are having to supplement their stock as well. So doesn’t it seem easier to just skip the middle man and avoid all they other bad stuff as well (hormones, trans fat, antibiotics, cholesterol and more)?

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad, with a sweet citrus dressing.

Foods I try to eat daily:

⁃ hempseed

⁃ chia seeds

⁃ peptias

⁃ bananas

⁃ berries

⁃ leafy greens (try to add something green to every meal)

⁃ beans and lentils / tempeh

⁃ fresh fruit

⁃ nuts - mixed variety

Things to avoid:

⁃ Processed and packaged food

⁃ Meat replacements (processed ‘fake’ meats)

⁃ Refined sugar and ‘simple’ carbohydrates

⁃ Dairy

⁃ Meats (esp. processed)

Meal suggestions

 Breakfast

Smoothie topped with buckwheat granola packed with nuts and seeds
Overnight oats - with chia, flax and hemps seeds

Green Smoothie, topped with buckwheat granola, berries and banana

Sweet Chilli Inspired Pumpkin Salad (recipe here)

Dinner

Vegetable curry with chickpeas
Stuffed sweet potatoes
Buddha bowl, a variety of cooked and raw foods, leafy greens, roast veg, tempeh, lentil, quinoa, rice, cucumber, carrot, beet

Lunch

Avocado on sourdough toast with tomato, cucumber and sauerkraut
Salad with all the leafy green vegetables, roast sweet potato/pumpkin/beetroot and tahini dressing
Stir-fry vegetables served with rice/quinoa or rice/pulse noodles

Buddha bowl with roast sweet potato, potato, carrot and beetroot, sautéd asparagus and spinach, mashed peas, quinoa, pepitas and fresh herbs

Health, DietDemi GreenFebruary 18, 2020plantbased, vegan, wholefoods, fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, carbohydrates, fat, protein, micronutrients, macronutrients, diet, health, lifestyleComment