How to Select and Store Radishes

Classic red radishes are available at supermarkets year-round, but check farmers markets in spring and early summer for a slew of vibrant varieties. Select very firm radishes with bright leaves; skip any with leaves already removed, which makes it trickier to gauge freshness. (If you really prefer bagged radishes that have already been trimmed, give them a gentle squeeze to be sure they are very firm.)

Storage: Remove the leaves and clean the radishes as soon as you get them home. Left attached, the greens will continue to draw moisture from the root. Separated from their greens and stored loosely in a bag, radishes will keep for about a week in the fridge. (Don’t clean the delicate leaves until you’re ready to eat them, which you should do within a day or two of purchase. Keep reading for tips on how to use the greens.)

Radish Varieties

There are dozens of radish varieties. Here are a few favorites to experiment with in the kitchen.

Table Radish

North America’s iconic radish is easy to find, making it great for everyday snacking.

French Breakfast

Slightly sweet and mild, the French Breakfast radish is a white-tipped oblong beauty that was first cultivated in the late 19th century.

Easter Egg

Easter Eggs are small, round radishes that, appropriately, come in festive shades of red, pink, white, and purple.

Watermelon Radish

The Watermelon Radish is an heirloom-variety beloved by chefs. It reveals its bold fuchsia flesh when sliced.

How to Use Radish Greens

Like radish roots, radish tops boast plenty of vitamin C and glucosinolates, compounds that may protect against cancer, so don’t toss them. Snip off the greens when you get home, and then either refrigerate or rinse well and prepare as you would kale or chard.

Toss radish greens into veggie-packed pastas and stews, swap them for basil in plant-based pesto, or blend them into smoothies for added nutrients and zing.

Prep Tips

• For extra-crisp texture, drop raw radishes in an ice water bath before slicing and serving.
• Use a mandoline to shave radishes into super thin rounds, and add them to salads or crudités platters for pretty presentation.
• Not into the peppery bite of raw radishes? Try roasting, stir-frying, or sautéing and pureeing into velvety-smooth soups. Cooking radishes tames their heat while retaining some of their trademark crunch.

Do You Need to Peel Radishes?

No, you don’t need to remove the skin from radishes, but always give them a good scrub to remove dirt and any residue.

Easy Quick-Pickled Radishes

Just a handful of quick-pickled radishes will jazz up sandwiches, veggie burgers, tacos, and more. To make this simple yet flavor-packed DIY condiment, just soak radish slices in 1 cup vinegar and ¾ teaspoon sea salt (plus spices, if desired) for 1 hour, then drain.

Radish Recipes

Ready to get cooking? Try one of these fresh and tasty radish recipes from Forks Over Knives!

• Spinach Tabbouleh Salad with Watermelon Radish Recipe
• Lemony Spring Pea Toasts
• Root-to-Leaf Radish Pasta
• Rainbow Veggie Slaw Wrap
• Green Soup with Spring Greens Mix
• Lettuce Cups with Roasted Radish and Farro
• Vegan Bean Gorditas
• Savory Oatmeal with Asparagus and Peas
• Linguine with Root Vegetable Ribbons

Learn more essential kitchen skills and become a plant-based home chef in 90 days with the Forks Over Knives Cooking Course!

The post How to Use Radishes from Root to Leaf appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

1. Lead by Example

Forget about being pushy or preachy. “Just because someone is told about the benefits of plant-based diets doesn’t mean they are emotionally ready to let go of their old eating habits,” Gemme says. Instead, let others take notice of your newfound energy and excitement. Make it about you, not them, she suggests: “Have a heart-to-heart conversation with loved ones (don’t do it at mealtime!) to explain why you are making this change for yourself.”

2. Cook Together

Research shows that kids who help prepare their own meals are more likely to eat them. Try familiar veg foods and use the kitchen as a classroom. “Explain to your children that everything they are eating came from a plant,” says Amy Johnson of the food blog Mrs. Plant in Texas. She recommends starting with quick snacks, such as loaded apple slices. Spread sliced apples with a bit of nut butter and have kids add toppings such as dried berries, raisins, and cinnamon. From there, move on to more involved recipes, such as oil-free spaghetti sauce.

3. Nerd Out

Educate yourself about plant-based nutrition (watching the Forks Over Knives film is a great place to start) so you’re ready to field questions. “Explaining to my kids why we eat the way we do helps them stay focused on our family and our personal health goals, and not on what other kids do,” says Cory Warren of the Lean Green DAD podcast and website. “We talk a lot about the sugar from fruits versus processed white sugar, and they get it.”

4. Meet Halfway

No need to cook two separate dinners or have anyone go hungry. “Make meals that can easily be served to both plant-based eaters and omnivores,” Johnson advises. Think loaded baked potatoes and make-your-own pizzas. Or set out beans, rice, grilled vegetables, corn, and the like, and let everyone customize their own burrito bowls with add-ins of their choice. (They might just surprise you by skipping the meat and cheese.)

5. Call in the Experts

Family members who aren’t interested in your nutrition wisdom might readily accept it from strangers, especially considered pros, notes Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. “Give them a book, and to make sure they actually open it, flag a page or two with a Post-It note saying, ‘I thought of you as I read this chapter.’ They will go over it 16 times to see what brought them to mind,” Barnard says.

6. Make It fun

Rather than pressuring little ones into cleaning their plates, use positive reinforcement and occasional “parental marketing,” Warren says. “I find that saying things like, ‘Wow, look at those muscles, buddy!’ after they eat a certain vegetable or fruit really lights them up,” he explains. “Or, ‘Did you know that Hulk eats green broccoli?’ It works every time.”

Photo by Tosha Lobsinger

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post What to Do When Your Loved Ones Aren’t on Board with a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Cauliflower Is Packed with Nutrients

Like its cruciferous cousins broccoli and cabbage, cauliflower contains cancer-fighting compounds called glucosinolates (which also impart its trademark pungent odor). It also packs a good amount of fiber, with 2.1 grams of fiber in 1 cup of ½-inch pieces, and 12 grams in a head. And it’s abundant vitamin C—1½ cups contains about as much vitamin C as an orange—so it’s ideal for boosting immunity in the chilly months ahead.

How to Select and Store Cauliflower

You can buy fresh or frozen cauliflower year-round, but it’s most plentiful in fall and winter. Choose compact heads with bright leaves that have not yellowed or wilted; store tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to five days. To save on prep time, grab precut florets or cauliflower “rice.” Just remember: They lose freshness faster than whole heads.

Notice light brown specks on the cauliflower in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator? Don’t panic. Brown spots are most likely a sign of oxidation caused by bruising and can be sliced or shaved off for prettier presentation. 

Vibrant Varieties

There are hundreds of varieties of cauliflower around the world and dozens in North America alone. Check farmers markets and specialty grocery stores for colorful heirloom varieties, which taste similar to standard white kind but boast bonus heart-healthy vitamins. The following are some of the most eye-popping.

Cheddar

Named for its bright orange florets, this variety boasts a significant dose of beta-carotene.

Graffiti

Anthocyanins, the same antioxidants found in blueberries, give this variety its stunning purple hue. It retains this hue during cooking, whereas some other purple varieties do not. 

Romanesco

This crunchy, green-spiraled beauty—also called Roman cauliflower—dates to the 16th century.

Fioretteo 

Both the slender stems and tiny florets of this sweet “flowering” variety can be eaten.

How to Cook with Cauliflower

Here’s how to get creative in the kitchen with this incredibly versatile vegetable.

Blend It

When cooked and blended, it makes a velvety-smooth substitute for dairy to thicken soups, stews, and sauces (think béchamel and Alfredo). For a fresh twist on mashed potatoes, steam florets and puree them with a splash of vegetable stock.

Grill It

Hearty slabs of grilled, roasted, or seared cauliflower are all the rage at upscale restaurants around the country. Make your own by trimming the bottom of the stem, placing the head cut side down, and slicing from top to bottom into 1-inch-thick slabs. Read more about prepping “steaks” out of this and other veggies: How to Make Veggie Steaks.

Make Wings

Brush florets with Buffalo sauce for a plant-based variation on hot wings. Try our popular recipe for Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites.

Rice It

When riced, it can stand in for traditional rice in any recipe. To make your own, simply box grate a head, or blitz florets in a food processor with a grater blade. Try it in Rainbow Cauliflower Rice Salad.

More Cauliflower Recipes to Try Today

Feeling inspired? Check out our collection of Tasty Vegan Cauliflower Recipes. 

The post Ingredient IQ: Cauliflower appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Essential Tips 

I’ve stuck by these rules for many camping trips and have always eaten well.

Know Your Setup: A cast-iron griddle can be handy for grilling over a campfire. Check if your campground has campfire restrictions, and, if so, be sure to bring a portable propane grill or camp stove.

Make a plan: Plan how you’ll prepare each meal, down to the ingredient, and pack plenty of healthful shelf-stable snacks just in case your gear malfunctions: trail mix, energy bites, nut butter, whole-grain crispbread, crackers, and precooked rice or quinoa.

Veg Out: Unless you’re going backpacking, allow yourself some fresh or frozen vegetables. Yes, their dehydrated and freeze-dried cousins weigh less and save space, but when you’re out in the woods, nothing beats munching on crunchy carrots, juicy cucumbers, and loads of veggies grilled in foil packets. Plus, anything frozen will double as ice in your cooler.  

Prep at Home: Do as much as you can before hitting the road: Wash and chop veggies, pre-measure seasonings, cook a hearty soup or stew (and freeze it in small batches to defrost and reheat at your campsite). In the evening, when your omnivorous companions throw their hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill, you’ll have an even easier dinner ready to go.

Get Inspired: Forks Over Knives Readers’ Go-to Vegan Camping Meals 

Not sure what to cook? Consider some of these camp-friendly cooking suggestions, crowd-sourced from the Forks Over Knives audience.

Confetti Quinoa: Violet Hurley says she likes to cook quinoa and mixed veggies together, adding garlic, ginger, black pepper, and liquid aminos. “So good next to the campfire,” Hurley says.

Grits: “We love grits for breakfast,” says Rebecca Wold. “I mix mine with diced potatoes, chives, and onion.” She tops it off with some ketchup.

Chickpea Salad Wraps: Paloma Lucia makes a “chickpea salad,” mashing together chickpeas, avocado, and turmeric. Then she simply spreads hummus and roasted red peppers on whole wheat wraps, adds the chickpea salad, and rolls them up.

Carrot Dogs: “I steam large carrots until they are the consistency of hot dogs,” says Ginjah Gardner. Once at the campsite, she grills the carrots and serves them on buns with relish, ketchup, and mustard.  With this FOK Carrot Dogs recipe, you can prep and marinate the carrots at home, then pack them in your cooler so they’re ready to grill at your destination.

Hearty Stew: A warm cup of stew pairs perfectly with crisp nights. Reader Nate Castro stews canned chickpeas and lentils in whole peeled canned tomatoes, adding sautéed greens.

Oatmeal: Ginger Bracamontes Connelly makes her own oatmeal packets, with quick oats, oat bran, chia seeds, “and all sorts of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.” 

Lentil Bolognese: Liz Shread likes to add lentils or chickpeas to pasta for a simple, satisfying dish that offers fuel after a long day of hiking. To try this yourself, cook whole-grain pasta and lentils or chickpeas at home; pack in separate containers. (Alternatively, you can skip cooking lentils or chickpeas and instead purchase low-sodium canned versions, which are already cooked.) Pack an oil-free marinara sauce. When suppertime rolls around, combine lentils (or chickpeas), pasta, and marinara in a large cast-iron skillet over the campfire, and warm until heated through. 

Potato Scramble: When it comes to vegan camping, potatoes—great for breakfast and dinner—are a must. Char Schlorke likes to make a potato scramble, with red- and yellow-skinned potatoes, cut into cubes; canned black beans; and chopped onions and bell peppers. “Sometimes we add mushrooms, asparagus, or corn,” Schlorke says. She cooks it all up in a large cast-iron skillet over the fire, and serves it with avocado and salsa.

Chips and Salsa: You can’t go wrong with this classic combo, which Nikki Angel says is one of her go-to vegan camping snacks. She tops hers with beans for an even more satiating snack. Try Chef AJ’s simple recipe for Baked Tortilla Chips to make ahead and bring along. 

Zucchini and Portobello Mushrooms: “I marinate portobello mushrooms overnight in liquid smoke,” says Cathy Hedding Staelgraeve. She cooks the mushrooms alongside slices of zucchini (seasoned only with salt and pepper) in a cast-iron skillet over the campfire. “Mmm.” For more ideas on how to grill veggies over a campfire, check out our article on How to Make Veggie Steaks.

Grilled Corn on the Cob: “I love grilling corn in the embers,” says FOK contributor Lisa Esile “I soak whole cobs of corn in water first (husks on), then wrap them in aluminum foil and throw them in the embers for 15-30 minutes, depending on how hot the fire is. We do this after dinner while we’re sitting around the campfire. They’re a yummy evening snack, and there is always plenty leftover for the next day.” Also check out Grilled Corn on the Cob with Chipotle Lime Rub.

Campout-Friendly (Mostly) Make-Ahead Recipes from Forks Over Knives 

Make the following travel-friendly dishes ahead of time and free yourself up for some quality time with Mother Nature.

Mexican Chocolate Brownies

Who needs s’mores when you can have these?

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

These wholesome, tasty granola bars are great for breakfasts and snacks.

Easy Baked Beans

Make the barbecue sauce at home, and transport to campsite with canned beans for maximum portability.

Pumpkin Seed Granola with Millet and Oats

This deluxe homemade trail mix is healthier than the kind you’ll find at most grocery stores. Bake it at home and tuck it away in your backpack.

Pineapple-Cucumber Salad

This sweet, juicy salad is just the thing to rejuvenate you while you’re roughing it. Prep ahead of time and pack with ice or frozen food.

8-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Chili

There’s nothing better than chili by the campfire. Make it ahead; freeze in small batches for easier thawing; then heat it on the camp stove.

Vegan Cheesy Crackers

These yummy crackers taste great eaten plain, or served with toppings such as: hummus, tomato slices, olives, cucumber slices, avocado, and sprouts. Kept in an airtight tin or plastic bag, they’ll stay crisp for up to 10 days.

My Mama’s Potato Salad Recipe

Setting up camp can be time-consuming and often comes after a long drive. This creamy potato salad from Chef Del Sroufe is an easy and delicious first-night meal combined with a few greens and/or grilled veggies.

Summer Squash Veggie Skewers Over Edamame Quinoa

This ginger-infused savory soy sauce marinade with toasted sesame seeds tastes heavenly on grilled veggie skewers. Make it at home and brush over skewered veggies at the campsite.

Lunchbox Chocolate Chip Cookies

These travel-hardy chocolate chip cookies are oil free and packed full of classic chocolate chip flavor. Keep them in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Basic Veggie Burger Recipe

Pre-made burger patties provide a quick and scrumptious meal. Just throw them on the grill, and enjoy!

The post How to Eat Whole-Food Plant-Based While Camping appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Selecting and Storing Artichokes

Look for artichokes at farmers markets during their peak season from March to May, or in supermarkets year-round—the majority of North American artichokes grow in Central California, thanks to its mild summers and winters.

Choose artichokes with thick, bright leaves that “squeak” when you squeeze them. The smaller the artichoke, the sweeter it will be. 

Stored in the fridge, artichokes will last up to five days.

How to Trim and Prepare an Artichoke

Trimming an artichoke removes the woodiest outer layer, for easier cooking and eating. Here’s how you do it. 

How to Eat an Artichoke

Artichokes can be eaten raw or cooked. To eat one, pluck off each leaf, dip it into your preferred sauce (Vegan Creamy Italian Dressing, Ranch Dressing, and Tahini Dipping Sauce are all good options), and slide between your teeth. Discard the purple leaves in the center and the fuzzy choke underneath. What remains at the bottom is the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth heart. 

How to Cook an Artichoke

There are several methods for cooking artichokes. 

Steam Them

Trim artichoke. (See above for trimming instructions.) Place in a steamer basket in a saucepan. Add water to saucepan to just below basket. Cover pan and steam 25 to 40 minutes, or until the leaves are tender. 

Grill Them

Trim artichoke. (See above for trimming instructions.) Scrape out choke using a metal spoon; then cut artichoke in half lengthwise. Steam artichoke halves (see above for steaming directions) until leaves are nearly tender. Place cut-side down on a grill. Cover. Grill 5 to 10 minutes.

Boil Them

Trim artichoke. (See above for trimming instructions.) Bring a medium or large pot of water to boiling. Place trimmed artichoke in water. Reduce to a simmer. Cover. After about 20 minutes, remove using tongs. Place on a plate. Give one of the leaves a tug. If it comes off easily, it’s done cooking. If not, return artichoke to boiling water and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Once it’s fully cooked, drain and serve.

What Are Baby Artichokes?

Baby artichokes, which are actually fully grown miniature artichokes, have softer leaves and no choke, making them easier to prepare. Try trimming and halving them, then sautéing, roasting, or grilling for a crowd-pleasing treat.

How to Use Artichokes in Recipes

Artichokes are an easy add-on ingredient: Toss chopped artichoke hearts into spring vegetable stews, pile them with cherry tomatoes onto morning avocado toast, or swirl them into creamy plant-based risotto. Add them to homemade pizza. Or jazz up pastas and salads with frozen artichoke hearts, which have less sodium than their canned counterparts.

Forks Over Knives Recipes to Try

• Potato and Artichoke Heart Pasta Salad
• Dairy-Free Spinach and Artichoke Dip
• Broccoli Pasta Salad with Red Pepper Pesto
• Quinoa Primavera
• Penne with Artichokes, Leeks, and Lentils
• Vegan Niçoise Salad Bowls

For more guidance in healthy cooking, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Ingredient IQ: Artichokes appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

How did you make the connection between diet and disease?

After my dad succumbed to diabetes and eventually passed away, I picked up Caldwell Esselstyn’s Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. The chapter that rang out to me was called “Moderation Kills.” My father was “moderate.” He didn’t smoke. He didn’t drink. He ate meat, but not all the time. He ate sweets, but not all the time. Nutrition was never really emphasized in my training, but as I read more—T. Colin Campbell, Dean Ornish—I started questioning the way I was practicing medicine. I had this “aha” moment where I realized that we don’t have to be prisoners of disease.

When did you start incorporating plant-based education into your cardiology practice?

I ended up taking a chance and telling a patient, who was referred to me for a complex coronary procedure, about nutrition. He followed my advice, came back, and was like, “I feel better, Doc!” Then I told another patient and another and another, and they all had benefits. And I was thinking, OK, this is the direction I need to go. 

What stands out most about the integrative program you developed?

It includes a monthly two-hour conversation, predominantly with patients, but it has boasted attendance from physicians, pharmacists, and other health professionals wanting to learn more about the role of nutrition in contributing to and treating cardiovascular disease. There’s also a physician- and dietitian-led cooking class, and a kitchen-basics course that teaches patients how to cook affordable, bulk plant-based meals.

Any other upcoming projects you can share with us?

We’re working with the hospital administration on a much more robust plant-based dietary program for inpatients, in addition to a culinary medicine program for the resident physicians of the future. We’ve also started videotaping our cooking sessions with the intent of making them available to Kaiser Permanente members across Southern California and in other regions.

What’s the biggest obstacle patients report after leaving the hospital?

I often tell patients that there is no wrong way to start. If someone likes to take small steps, I encourage them to keep it simple and start with a large salad before each meal. If someone has a “jump in feet first” personality, I speed their transition to get to a no-salt, no-oil, no-sugar, whole-food, plant-based diet. The goal is to get to the finish line. Some may get there faster than others, but the key is to progress toward an ideal diet.

What other heart-healthy lifestyle changes do you recommend?

I stress the importance of rest—in the form of intermittent fasting, sleep, or meditation or prayer. And I encourage activity—not necessarily structured exercise, but purposeful movement, keeping the body in motion through walking, gardening, taking the stairs. I also encourage patients to laugh. Laughter has profound therapeutic benefits that add to resiliency and health.

Dr. Batiste’s Energy Boosters

In addition to following a whole-food, plant-based diet, Dr. Batiste makes it a priority to stay active. Here are a few of his favorite post-workout meals and snacks.

• Green Smoothies: Blend blueberries, frozen cherries, unsweetened almond milk, banana, and broccoli or kale, plus tofu or navy beans.
• Southwest Salads: “I enjoy the combination of brown rice, black or pinto beans, pico de gallo, lettuce, hummus, and, if I have a little more time for preparation, seasoned jackfruit,” Batiste says.
• Lentil Bowls: Batiste loves Ethiopian-style lentils over brown rice, quinoa, or wild rice and a bed of greens.

To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. For meal-planning support, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post Meet Columbus Batiste, MD, the Plant-Based Cardiologist Changing Hearts and Minds appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

“My mom went 100 percent plant-based over 40 years ago (before I was born), so I was raised as a lifelong vegetarian. She not only showed me that food is the best medicine but also taught me everything I know about how to make fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes the superstars of delicious family meals. Now, I’m passing on the gift of a plant-based diet and cooking to my own daughter, Gemma.” —Jolia Sidona Allen, via email (pictured, with mom and daughter)

“I started mostly on my own, with not much interest from my family, but my mum worked really hard to try to understand it and help me. She ended up making her famous chocolate cake recipe vegan just for me!” —_katnip_17_, via Instagram

“My mom does something very simple: She never says anything negative about my choosing not to partake in the meat/dairy/egg selections at family gatherings. She just accepts me for who I am and what I believe in.” —Joannah Smith Petroski, via Facebook

“[My mom] became vegan a year after I did (she was 61, I was 22) and is now more intense than me!” —mlm_unicorn_queen, via Instagram

“When I decided to switch to a plant-based diet, my mom made sure to take me to health food stores so I could get the food I needed, and she would wait patiently for me to read all the labels. She provided me with vegan cookbooks, made me special vegan meals, and took me out to vegan restaurants.” —kathryncberlin, via Instagram

“My mom has been quietly observant of the things that I’ve been making and eating, so that when I come [for a visit], she has them ready for me. She doesn’t make a big deal out of it even though she doesn’t see eye to eye with me.” —berryfeliz, via Instagram

“My mom learns how to say all the weird new food names, like keen-wha and ah-sigh-ee.” —ar_doubleu, via Instagram

“My mother was an avid organic gardener before ‘organic’ was even in our vernacular. She taught me how to cook and preserve whole foods. She lived into her 90s.” —Laura Miller, via Facebook

“My mom passed away in 2017. She battled ovarian cancer for three years. I watched her suffer through chemo, and nothing worked. When she passed it rocked my world because she was my best friend. Nine months later my dad passed from a heart attack. … I went through some depression and grieved over a year. After seeing them both suffer in their health and not making good choices, I decided to make a change in my health and lifestyle. At 42 years old, I started walking and eating mainly vegetables and fruit. I’ve lost over 40 pounds and I just finished my first-ever 5k.” —Tonya Chandler Garrison (pictured, with mom)

“I went vegetarian at 19 years old, and my mom was completely supportive. Now, at 27, I’ve been trying to transition to vegan and whole-food, plant-based, and she’s super supportive of that as well. She’s interested in learning about it and discussing it, and she always provides me with meat-free meals during holidays and get-togethers.” —Desiree Marie Kling, via Facebook

“My mom became raw-vegan and it shows! She works out like a beast, has so much energy, and looks amazing. The bar is set high and I know it’s attainable because of her.” —Debbie Estwick, via Facebook

“My mom always looks ahead at a restaurant menu to make sure there is something I’ll love.” —jamiesgotachicken, via Instagram

“My mom inspired me to go plant-based. Twenty-eight years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to help heal it with a macrobiotic plant-based diet. I learned how to prepare the food in order to support her and in the process discovered how much better I felt. She’s almost 80 years young and has been cancer-free for 25 years!” —Vicki Hill Drobnis, via Facebook

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post Thanks, Mom: Readers Share How Moms Have Supported and Inspired Their Plant-Based Journeys appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

So how did the Annals authors arrive at such a controversial stance? Referencing data from more than 100 nutrition studies, the researchers acknowledged a link between consumption of red and processed meat and increased risk of developing chronic diseases. But they went on to conclude that because the evidence was taken largely from observational research and potentially “unreliable” self-reports of food consumption, it should not be the basis of recommendations to eat less meat. 

“The statisticians’ findings are entirely consistent with what we already knew to be true, but they are issuing guidelines that recommend the opposite anyway, on the basis of their own contrived technicality: they deem their own findings highly uncertain,” writes David Katz, MD, founding director of the Yale Prevention Research Center. Additionally, Katz notes that the analyses do in fact omit several reputable trials and other key data on the dangers of eating red and processed meat.

The guidelines’ authors contended that a more reliable research method would be to only use randomized controlled trials, with experimental and control groups that show cause and effect. But, as Katz explained in a recent interview with Forks Over Knives, that’s unrealistic when studying health hazards: “Scientists who have devoted whole careers to studies of nutrition know we cannot rely solely on randomized trials. Who is willing to be randomly assigned to some diet for the rest of their life?” 

Katz imagines if the Annals authors applied the same logic to smoking: “Since there are few if any randomized trials of smoking, they conclude that they have very low confidence in the reliability of their own [observational] findings. On that basis, they publish guidelines recommending that the public simply continue to smoke.”

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has filed a federal petition against Annals to correct the record. “Abundant evidence links red and processed meat consumption to heart disease, cancer, and increased risk of premature death,” notes PCRM President Neal Barnard, MD. “Even eating just one slice of bacon a day is linked to higher risk of colorectal cancer. The majority of American adults are overweight, 30 percent have prediabetes or diabetes, and cardiovascular disease and cancer take an enormous toll, due, in part, to dietary choices that are influenced by advertisements such as this.” 

The bottom line: Eating less red and processed meat and moving to a whole-food, plant-based diet is still the best thing you can do to improve your health, prevent chronic diseases, and lower your carbon footprint.

The post Controversial New Report Recommends Eating Red, Processed Meat. The Science Says Otherwise appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

The Plant-Based Impossible Burger

Since launching in 2016, the Impossible Burger has rocketed to fame, with a demand so high it recently led to a temporary shortage. The plant-based patty, which is served at more than 15,000 restaurants and launched in select grocery stores last month, looks and tastes like a real hamburger, thanks to an iron-rich compound called heme. (Unlike the heme iron in meat, which has been linked to cancer, heart disease, and metabolic syndrome, the Impossible Burger’s heme is derived from soy.) Its saturated fat levels, notably, are similar to those of beef: “The main issue is the coconut oil, which raises saturated fat levels and is linked with higher blood cholesterol levels,” says Sharon Palmer, RDN, author of The Plant-Powered Diet, adding that the Impossible Burger provides 40 percent of the daily value (DV) for saturated fat. (That’s after its creators lightened up the formula in January 2019.) Additionally, the Impossible Burger has 370 mg of sodium—more than four times as much as a beef patty. 

Beyond Meat’s Beyond Burger, which first hit grocery store shelves in 2016 and is now carried at fast-food restaurants such as Carl’s Jr., has a similar nutritional profile to the Impossible Burger. 

 It’s worth noting that the Beyond Burger and Impossible Burger both contain protein and fiber (beef has none), and they have no cholesterol. “This is a great gateway choice into a more plant-based lifestyle,” notes Palmer. But if improving your health is your primary reason for going plant-based, the safest choice is to avoid the Beyond Burger and the Impossible Burger. 

Ordering Veggie Burgers at Restaurants

Browsing your menu for the best bet? It can be tricky to tell if a restaurant veggie burger is healthy, let alone plant-based. Egg may have been used as a binder, and an otherwise plant-based patty could be piled high with cheese, mayo, and other fatty toppings. Will your burger be prepared on the same grill as meat products, and if so, are you comfortable with that?

To eliminate surprises, ask key questions when ordering a plant-based meal and don’t be afraid to make special requests and ingredient swaps. “Include a lot of veggies with your veggie burger, as many as they’ll give you,” advises Palmer. “Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, avocados, peppers. Enjoy it with a whole-grain bun, if possible, and have a side salad instead of fries.”

The Best Vegan Burger for Your Health: Homemade Veggie Burgers

Surprise: Homemade veggie burgers can be way more nutritious than eating a beef burger or a vegan patty from your local restaurant or grocery store. That’s because you decide which whole-food, plant-based ingredients to add and which cooking method to use, giving you total control over calories, fat, and sodium. And making your own veggie burgers can be quick, simple, and affordable. 

How to Make Your Own Veggie Burgers

The healthiest veggie burger is one you make from scratch. Here are a few favorite veggie burger recipes from Forks Over Knives that will guide you through every step of the process. Enjoy!

• The Five-Ingredient Veggie Burger
• Black Bean Burgers
• Mediterranean Chickpea Burgers
• Chana Masala Burgers
• Basic Veggie Burger
• Mexican Veggie Burger

The post Are ‘Plant-Based’ Veggie Burgers Actually Healthy? appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Although most women in the low-fat diet group did not meet their goal of getting just 20 percent of their daily calories from fat, nearly all managed 25 percent, compared with the control group’s more typical American diet of 32 percent and up. The findings so far, two decades after the trial began: Women in the low-fat diet group had a 21 percent lower risk of dying from breast cancer than those in the control group. What’s more, women in the low-fat diet group had a 15 percent lower risk of dying from any cause after a breast cancer diagnosis. (There was also an average 3 percent weight loss for women in the low-fat diet group.)

“Ours is the first randomized, controlled trial to prove that a healthy diet can reduce the risk of death from breast cancer,” says lead study author Rowan Chlebowski, MD, PhD, FASCO, from the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California. “The balanced diet we designed is one of moderation, and after nearly 20 years of follow-up, the health benefits are still accruing.”

“I have worked nearly three decades on this issue. It is satisfying to know that a dietary moderation approach, easily achievable by many—over 19,000 postmenopausal women were in the intervention group—can result in a statistically significant reduction in deaths from breast cancer, a major concern of postmenopausal women,” Chlebowski says.

While it’s impossible to say which variable—lower intake of fat, higher intake of fiber and nutrients from plant foods, or a combination of both—should take credit for the outcome, the results support prior research and a 2018 report from the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, which recommends eating less red and processed meat and more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes to protect against cancer.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path.

The post New Study: Low-Fat Diet May Reduce Risk of Dying from Breast Cancer appeared first on Forks Over Knives.