1. You’ll reduce inflammation in your body.

If you are eating meat, cheese, and highly processed foods, chances are you have elevated levels of inflammation in your body. While short-term inflammation (such as after an injury) is normal and necessary, inflammation that lasts for months or years is not. Chronic inflammation has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, among other conditions.

In contrast, plant-based diets are naturally anti-inflammatory, because they are high in fiber, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients, and much lower in inflammatory triggers such as saturated fat and endotoxins (toxins released from bacteria commonly found in animal foods). Studies have shown that people who adopt no meat diets can dramatically lower their level of C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation in the body.

2. Your blood cholesterol levels will plummet.

Elevated blood cholesterol is a key risk factor for heart disease and strokes, two of the leading killers in the United States. Saturated fat—primarily found in meat, poultry, cheese, and other animal products—is a major driver of our blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol in our food also plays a role.

Studies consistently show that when people go plant based, their blood cholesterol levels drop by up to 35% . In many cases, the decrease is equal to that seen with drug therapy—with many positive side effects! People who require cholesterol-lowering drugs can further slash their cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk by adopting a plant-based diet.

Whole-food, plant-based diets reduce blood cholesterol because they tend to be very low in saturated fat and they contain zero cholesterol. Moreover, plant-based diets are high in fiber, which further reduces blood cholesterol levels. Soy has also been shown to play a role in lowering cholesterol, for those who choose to include it.

3. You’ll give your microbiome a makeover.

The trillions of microorganisms living in our bodies are collectively called the microbiome. Increasingly, these microorganisms are recognized as crucial to our overall health: not only do they help us digest our food, but they produce critical nutrients, train our immune systems, turn genes on and off, keep our gut tissue healthy, and help protect us from cancer. Studies have also shown they play a role in obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease.

Plant foods help shape a healthy intestinal microbiome. The fiber in plant foods promotes the growth of “friendly” bacteria in our guts. On the other hand, fiber-poor diets (such as those that are high in dairy, eggs, and meat) can foster the growth of disease-promoting bacteria. Landmark studies have shown that when omnivores eat choline or carnitine (found in meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy), gut bacteria make a substance that is converted by our liver to a toxic product called TMAO. TMAO leads to worsening cholesterol plaques in our blood vessels and escalates the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Interestingly, people eating plant-based diets make little or no TMAO after a meat-containing meal, because they have a totally different gut microbiome. It takes only a few days for our gut bacterial patterns to change – the benefits of a plant-based diet start quickly!

4. You’ll change how your genes work.

Scientists have made the remarkable discovery that environmental and lifestyle factors can turn genes on and off. For example, the antioxidants and other nutrients we eat in whole plant foods can change gene expression to optimize how our cells repair damaged DNA. Research has also shown that lifestyle changes, including a no meat diet, can decrease the expression of cancer genes in men with low-risk prostate cancer. We’ve even seen that a plant-based diet, along with other lifestyle changes, can lengthen our telomeres—the caps at the end of our chromosomes that help keep our DNA stable. This might mean that our cells and tissues age more slowly since shortened telomeres are associated with aging and earlier death.

5. You’ll dramatically reduce your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes.

An estimated 38 percent of Americans have prediabetes—a precursor to Type 2 diabetes. Animal protein, especially red and processed meat, has been shown in study after study to increase the risk of Type 2 diabetes. In the Adventist population, omnivores have double the rate of diabetes compared with vegans, even accounting for differences in body weight. In fact, in this population, eating meat once a week or more over a 17-year period increased the risk of diabetes by 74 percent! Similarly, in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses Health Study, increasing red meat intake by more than just half a serving per day was associated with a 48 percent increased risk in diabetes over 4 years.

Why would meat cause type 2 diabetes? Several reasons: animal fat, animal-based (heme) iron, and nitrate preservatives in meat have been found to damage pancreatic cells, worsen inflammation, cause weight gain, and impair the way our insulin functions.

You will dramatically lessen your chances of getting type 2 diabetes by leaving animal products off of your plate and eating a diet based in whole plant foods. This is especially true if you eat whole grains, which are highly protective against type 2 diabetes. You read that right: carbs actually protect you from diabetes! Also, a plant-based diet can improve or even reverse your diabetes if you’ve already been diagnosed.

6. You’ll get the right amount—and the right type—of protein.

The average omnivore in the US gets more than 1.5 times the optimal amount of protein, most of it from animal sources.

Contrary to popular perception, this excess protein does not make us stronger or leaner. Excess protein is stored as fat or turned into waste, and animal protein is a major cause of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, and cancer.

On the other hand, the protein found in whole plant foods protects us from many chronic diseases. There is no need to track protein intake or use protein supplements with plant-based diets; if you are meeting your daily calorie needs, you will get plenty of protein. The longest-lived people on Earth, those living in the “Blue Zones,” get about 10 percent of their calories from protein, compared with the US average of 15 to 20 percent.

7. You’ll make a huge impact on the health of our planet and its inhabitants.

The benefits of not eating meat extend beyond your own body. Animal agriculture is extremely destructive to the planet and is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. It is also a leading cause of land and water use, deforestation, wildlife destruction, and species extinction. About 2,000 gallons of water are needed to produce just one pound of beef in the U.S. Our oceans are rapidly becoming depleted of fish; by some estimates, oceans may be fishless by 2048. The current food system, based on meat and dairy production, also contributes to world hunger—the majority of crops grown worldwide go toward feeding livestock, not feeding people.

Equally important, animals raised for food are sentient beings who suffer, whether raised in industrial factory farms or in farms labeled “humane.” Eating a plant-based diet helps us lead a more compassionate life. After all, being healthy is not just about the food we eat; it’s also about our consciousness—our awareness of how our choices affect the planet and all of those with whom we share it. So if you’re still wondering, “Is eating meat bad for you?” The short answer is yes—for you, and for our entire ecosystem!

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. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

This article was originally published on Jan. 12, 2016, and has been updated.

The post 7 Things That Happen When You Stop Eating Meat appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Striking the middle ground between an informational how-to guide and beginner’s cookbook, Brown’s debut book, For Fork’s Sake, teaches readers how to make the switch to an oil-free, whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. Broken down into an approachable 10-day plan, Brown’s personal and professional expertise shine through in easily digestible chapters that are sprinkled with scientific research, recipe suggestions, check-lists, and engaging anecdotes. Forks Over Knives chatted with Brown about the impetus behind her new book, how to help people of all ages make the switch, and why “the great kitchen clean-out” is the most important element of a successful WFPB transition.

Why did you start eating whole-food, plant-based?

Rachael Brown: Even from a young age I had high cholesterol. My dad had high cholesterol, too, and I watched him take medications that had lots of side effects. I really didn’t want to take medication so I’d go on stints of cutting out cheese and eggs, but would always eventually come back to them. Then I read The China Study and it made so much sense to me. My family and I ate whole-food, plant-based and no-oil for 17 days, and when I got my blood work done after that, my cholesterol had dropped 50 points. My doctor said, “Whatever you’re doing, keep doing it, because I couldn’t get your cholesterol to do that with medication.” That was 12 years ago now, and we haven’t looked back.

What spurred you to write this book?

RB: For the last 10 years I’ve been working in the wellness realm doing massage and a pain-neutralization technique that helps relieve chronic pain. Once COVID-19 hit and I couldn’t [take clients] anymore, I got my plant-based nutrition certificate from the Center for Nutrition Studies. I’d always wanted to write, and I’d talked with a lot of people who wanted to make the WFPB change but they didn’t have the practical information on how to do it. You could find long scientific books or straight-up cookbooks, but not much in the middle, so I tried to come up with something that would be a quick and easy guide for people curious about this lifestyle. This was my COVID project, really, and I’m glad something good came out of that time!

In your book you talk about “HAPPY” food. What is that?

RB: The acronym for “whole-food, plant-based, no-oil” doesn’t really roll off the tongue. So I was trying to come up with something that would be more memorable and stand in contrast to “SAD,” the standard American diet. So I landed on “Healthy and plant powered, yay,” or “HAPPY” food, as a fun way for people to remember it’s healthy and plant powered.

How would you reassure someone who wants to make the WFPB transition but is worried they won’t enjoy it?

RB: I think my best advice is to remember that your taste buds change after [just a few weeks] of eating differently. They actually mold themselves to whatever you’re eating. Kids learn to eat whatever you give them, so if they’re used to fries and chicken nuggets, that’s just a learned thing, not something that will last forever. In some ways my kids adapted better, easier, and earlier than me or my husband did because we had more emotional ties to certain foods. For them, they didn’t have as many of those connections to break.

What are some of the health improvements your kids have seen since going WFPB?

RB: One of the biggest differences was not having acne in middle and high school. Their friends were like, “What are you doing? How do you not have acne?” And it was all about the food they ate. They noticed if they had pizza or fries with their friends that they would break out, so they just stopped. My son also does blood work twice a year because he has the same issue with cholesterol as I do. When he was super young he already had carotid artery plaque, but after going WFPB he went from needing medication to having cholesterol that was below normal. We haven’t forced our kids to do this, though. We always say, “We eat this way at home, but you can eat however you want with friends.” In the long run they’ve chosen to stick with this lifestyle because it makes them feel better.

Your book talks about getting older parents or grandparents on board with a WFPB diet. Tell us more about that.

RB: Honestly, [talking with the older generation] has been the bigger struggle, which is funny, because unlike kids, they have the ability to read the information and fully process it. But they do have a lot more years of eating comforting foods that they’ve been told are “healthy.” I think a lot of older people would love to get off medications that they have to pay for or that they have side effects from, and 10 days on a HAPPY diet is all you need to start seeing changes in your health. But I think older people often can’t envision it because they think a meal is not a meal without meat. To get them on board I recommend making a similar type of comfort food but doing it plant-based, like lasagna, so that they won’t even realize they’re eating differently. It’s a good introduction to a lifestyle that often seems really foreign.

It’s common to hear that eating WFPB is more expensive, but is this actually true?

RB: I often hear people say, “I couldn’t eat like that; I don’t have a Whole Foods near me.” When you really stop and break it down, the meats, cheeses, ice creams, and processed snacks are the most expensive things at the grocery store. Showing people you can fill your cart with vegetables, potatoes, beans, and nuts and still come out ahead is something they have to see for themselves, and something I highlight in the book. I personally love Jeff Novick because he talks about creating meals around SNAP programs where you can eat plant-based for $2.50 a meal. You can get these ingredients at a dollar store if you need to. It’s really not necessary to have a specialty store. In fact, it’s the opposite once you give it a try.

Walk us through the 10-day WFPB plan in your book.

RB: In the beginning I give people information to answer the question, “Why should I even do this?” The first part is for learning what this lifestyle is all about from both an environmental and health perspective. Then the next step is “the great clean-out,” as I call it. Just think of it as Marie Kondo–ing your kitchen to get rid of all the extra stuff that you don’t need, to set yourself up for success over the next 10 days. There’s some recipe ideas and tips on finding what works best for you and your family. Then it gets into some of those bigger issues like, “Now I need to go to a potluck; what do I bring?” or, “Now I need to go to a work event at a restaurant. What do I do?” Or, “My parents or grandparents are asking, ‘How are you doing this to yourself or your kids? Are you going to survive?'”

What’s the best advice you can give to someone who’s struggling to transition to a WFPB lifestyle?

RB: I think the key is to really commit to the kitchen clean-out. If you have to leave your house and go to the store to get a bag of chips or a chocolate bar, it’ll put an additional obstacle in your way. It’ll make it so much easier to succeed. Once you’ve done that for a short period of time and you begin to feel all the benefits, then it’s a lot easier to maintain. But if you only go halfway and are still eating your non-vegan snacks, you’re not going to notice the benefits and feel motivated. However, I do think that what matters is what you do 90% of the time. It’s important to give yourself grace if you splurge a little or fall off the bandwagon. Just be committed to jumping right back on.

What do you hope readers take away from your new book?

RB: That anybody can do this. I want people to understand that it’ll just make your life simpler, really. You’ll be saving the planet. You’ll save money. You’ll feel better. Simple as that.

The post For Fork’s Sake: Rachael Brown’s New Book Makes Whole-Food, Plant-Based Eating Easy for Families appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Recent scientific research is putting old biases to rest and proving once and for all that these tasty tubers deserve a spot on your plate. From fueling your brain to building muscle mass, take a look at how potatoes and their starchy counterparts are an essential component of a nourishing whole-food, plant-based lifestyle.

In this article you’ll find:

• What Are Starchy Vegetables?
• Is Starch Bad for You?
  • Starchy Veggies and Blood Sugar
  • What About the Glycemic Index?
• Are Potatoes Bad for You?
• Comprehensive List of Starchy Vegetables
• Comprehensive List of Non-Starchy Vegetables
• The Bottom Line

What Are Starchy Vegetables?

Vegetables are categorized into two main groups—starchy and non-starchy. Starch is a type of complex carbohydrate that is made up of glucose molecules (sugar) that form during photosynthesis. When consumed, the digestive system breaks down the starchy vegetable to its glucose building blocks for use as energy throughout the entire body. Apart from fueling cellular functions, starchy whole foods are a critical aspect of a good diet because they often contain a hearty dose of fiber. Fiber not only promotes healthy gut bacteria and regular bowel movements; it’s also been heavily linked to healthy BMIs and a host of other health benefits.

There are three main types of starch:

• Rapidly digestible starch (RDS): Primarily found in highly processed foods, including white rice, white bread, and sugary snacks. (Interestingly, potatoes have been found to be high in RDS only while hot and freshly cooked; as they cool, much of their RDS transforms to SDS.) The body rapidly breaks down the glucose molecules present in RDS and uses it for energy, which can quickly spike blood sugar levels.
• Slowly digestible starch (SDS): This type of starch has a more complex structure than RDS, which means it’s broken down into glucose by the body at a much slower pace. These foods provide plenty of energy but they don’t spike glucose levels in the bloodstream as quickly as RDS. SDS exists in cereal grain, whole grain bread, cooked and cooled potatoes, legumes, and root vegetables.
• Resistant starch (RS): This type of starch isn’t digested in the small intestine. Instead it’s fermented in the large intestine and cultivates beneficial gut bacteria without spiking glucose levels in the bloodstream. Common sources of RS include raw bananas, partially milled grains, corn flakes, and other cooked and cooled items like whole grain bread.

Is Starch Bad For You?

Starch is not bad for you. In fact, starch is an essential part of our diets, as it’s broken down into glucose that every cell of the body (especially the brain) uses as fuel. But not all starchy foods are equal: Ultraprocessed foods are typically high in rapidly digestible starch and added salt, sugar, and fat, while lacking essential nutrients. By contrast, starchy whole plant foods—such as fruits, legumes, whole grains, lentils, and the veggies listed below—come packaged with vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Health experts agree that fiber plays an important role in preventing heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and constipation. The Mayo Clinic recommends that women eat between 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day. A medium potato baked with the skin on contains 4 grams of fiber, making it an excellent source of this crucial dietary component.

From a cooking standpoint, starchy foods are also beneficial for whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) eaters because they can be used to thicken soups or add creaminess to sauces without using fatty animal products or oil. Foods rich in SDS or RS keep your stomach satiated for longer so you don’t overeat or experience an energy crash that can occur when you consume foods rich in RDS.

While starchy vegetables contain more calories per pound than non-starchy vegetables, they’re much lower in calories per pound than highly processed foods and animal products, and their ample fiber content will keep you feeling full for longer. This concept, known as calorie density, is central to why a whole-food, plant-based diet is so effective for losing excess weight: It allows you to eat large volumes of food without exceeding your caloric needs. Your body will simply know when it’s time to stop noshing.

Starchy Veggies and Blood Sugar

One reason that starchy vegetables (especially potatoes) get such a bad rap is that people with diabetes are often cautioned against eating carbohydrate-rich foods because they have the potential to spike blood sugar. However, high blood sugar is not the cause of diabetes—rather, it’s a symptom of insulin resistance, which is caused by excess dietary fat in the body. This excess fat prevents the uptake of glucose into cells to be converted into energy and instead keeps it circulating in the bloodstream. Fatty foods, not starchy foods, increase insulin resistance and can drastically worsen the symptoms of diabetes over time. Learn more about insulin resistance here.

What About the Glycemic Index?

You may have heard of the glycemic index (GI) as a method for measuring whether a food will spike your blood sugar. But recent research calls into question the reliability of this metric for determining whether certain foods are healthy for people who have diabetes. The glycemic index doesn’t take into account the quantity or type of macronutrients in a food, the presence of other foods in the same meal, the status of your gut microbiome, or your level of insulin sensitivity, as Robby Barbaro, MPH, and Cyrus Khambatta, PhD, explain in Mastering Diabetes: “Starchy vegetables tend to be higher on the glycemic index; however, they don’t spike your blood glucose if you eat them in combination with other fiber-rich foods, allowing you to eat them in abundance as part of a very healthy, low risk diet. …The glycemic index is a good indication of how energy-dense foods are which can be helpful in planning out your pre- or post-meal insulin, but they’re not a perfect system for planning out healthy eating.”

Are Potatoes Bad for You?

While they can certainly be prepared in unhealthy ways—such as oil-drenched french fries or salty potato chips—potatoes in and of themselves are not unhealthy; in fact, they’re incredibly nutritious and are foundational to a whole-food, plant-based diet.

Still, because of misconceptions around starch, many nutritional studies have categorized potatoes as unhealthy, grouping them with fruit juices, sweets, candy, and soda. But new research is correcting the record. A study published in Frontiers in Nutrition in May 2022 analyzed the nutritional composition of potatoes and more than 2,400 other carbohydrate-rich foods, measuring the ratios of fiber, potassium, sugar, and sodium. They found that “in all cases, starchy vegetables including potatoes were far removed from candy, sweet bakery goods, sweetened beverages, sugars, snacks and sweets.”

To put it simply: Potatoes are more nutritious than you think.

“Starchy vegetables are often not even viewed as vegetables and are routinely removed from high-quality food categories in nutrition research,” says lead author Adam Drewnowski, PhD, researcher at the Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington. “That view is now challenged by the new nutrient profiling methods. Now that we have formal measures of carbohydrate quality that we can agree on, it is time to put starchy vegetables back where they belong. There is no need to demonize ‘bad’ vegetables when the American diet could do with more produce of all kinds.”

Potatoes are a perfect example of why, when your diet consists primarily of whole plant foods, there’s no need to worry about eating for specific nutrients. One medium-size russet potato baked with the skin offers 25% of the Food and Nutrition Board’s daily recommended intake of potassium, 35% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin C, and 40% of the daily recommended intake of vitamin B6, along with 4 grams of fiber. Although potatoes might not come to mind when you think of protein, they are a decent source of the macronutrient (4.5 grams per potato), and an April 2022 study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found potato protein to be just as effective as milk-based protein in building muscle mass.

Comprehensive List of Starchy Vegetables

Not sure what counts as a starchy vegetable? Here’s a list of the starchy veggies you’ll most commonly find at the grocery store:

• Acorn squash
• Butternut squash
• Cassava
• Corn
• Green peas
• Kabocha squash
• Lima beans
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes
• Taro
• Yams

Comprehensive List of Non-Starchy Vegetables

Balance out your plate with these tasty non-starchy vegetables for a well-rounded diet:

• Artichoke
• Artichoke hearts
• Asparagus
• Beets
• Brussels sprouts
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
• Green beans
• Hearts of palm
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions
• Peppers
• Radishes
• Rutabaga
• Salad greens (chicory, endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress)
• Sprouts
• Summer squash
• Sugar snap peas
• Swiss chard
• Tomato
• Turnips
• Zucchini

The Bottom Line: Starchy Vegetables Are Your Friend

Starchy vegetables are a critical aspect of a healthy diet because they offer energy, fiber, and key nutrients that our bodies rely on to thrive. A WFPB diet rich in starchy veggies and other whole plant foods is one of the most effective tools for managing your weight, preventing heart disease, reducing your risk of certain cancers, and living longer.

Not sure where to start? Check out our recipe roundup of 47 Spectacular Spud Recipes to Supercharge Your Day!

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 Are Potatoes Good For You? Everything You Need to Know About Starchy Vegetables appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

What Are Nightshades?

There are 2,500 species of flowering plants known as nightshades within the Solanaceae plant family.

Some of the most commonly consumed nightshades include:

• Bell peppers
• All chile peppers (e.g., jalapeño, habanero, poblano) and spices sourced from chile peppers (such as paprika, chile powder, or cayenne)
• Eggplant
• Goji berries
• Potatoes (but not sweet potatoes)
• Tomatoes and tomatillos

The Benefits of Eating Nightshades

Edible nightshades are some of the most nutritious foods around and have been consumed as part of healthy diets for centuries, says Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN.

“Hundreds of studies have found benefits from eating these foods. In particular, tomatoes have garnished a great deal of research documenting benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory benefits and reduced risks of diseases such as prostate cancer and heart disease,” says Palmer. “They have also been linked to skin and bone protection.”

Meanwhile capsaicin in chile peppers may promote hair growth and reduce your cardiovascular and cancer risk. And potatoes are loaded with mood-regulating carbohydrates and muscle-building protein.

Are Nightshades Poisonous to Humans?

Members of the Solanaceae plant family contain alkaloids, including solanine, a natural insecticide. Solanines in belladonna, the so-called “deadly nightshade,” can cause delirium, hallucinations, and even death. However, the nightshades we commonly consume contain nowhere near high enough levels to cause similar harm.

“There is not enough scientific support documenting that people need to avoid nightshades due to alkaloid content,” says Palmer.

That being said, potato sprouts and areas of the potato that have turned green from sun exposure contain higher concentration of solanine and, therefore, should be avoided. Symptoms of solanine poisoning include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or hypothermia, headaches, and a slow pulse or breathing.

Do Nightshade Vegetables Cause Inflammation?

Search the internet for the word nightshades, and you’re bound to stumble on plenty of articles warning about inflammation and arthritis pain. But no research has turned up evidence that nightshades affect the joints.

“There is a lot of urban legend and misinformation about nightshades being perpetuated over the internet and social media,” says Palmer. “Some people believe that they should avoid nightshades to reduce inflammation for arthritis benefits. However, studies have found that many nightshade vegetables reduce inflammation levels in the body.”

It’s worth noting that the Arthritis Foundation put nightshade vegetables, namely bell peppers, on its list of “Best Vegetables for Arthritis.” Red and yellow bell peppers contain the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin, which could reduce your risk of developing inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, tomatoes and peppers are excellent sources of bone- and cartilage-preserving vitamin C, with a single bell pepper containing more than 150% of the Food and Nutrition Board’s daily recommended amount. Eggplants, meanwhile, are rich in anti-inflammatory anthocyanins as well as the essential trace element manganese, which is important to bone formation.

“The scientific evidence [regarding nightshades and inflammation] isn’t very strong at this time,” says triple board-certified rheumatologist Micah Yu, MD, who also practices integrative medicine. “Maybe in 10, 20 years, we’ll have more evidence.”

Yu notes that there’s no test to determine whether someone might have a sensitivity to nightshades. If you suspect nightshades are an issue for you, he suggests keeping a food diary and seeing whether certain foods correspond with your inflammatory symptoms or other adverse reactions. You can try avoiding a food to see if symptoms improve, then reintroducing the food to see if symptoms return. If they return, it’s reasonable to continue avoiding the food, and consult with a registered dietitian.

Nightshades and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

At least two studies have suggested potatoes could aggravate inflammatory bowel disease. Both were performed using mice, not humans.

In one study from 2002, researchers isolated solanine and the glycoalkaloid chaconine, present in potatoes, to test intestinal permeability and function. They concluded that levels of solanine and chaconine typically found in potatoes can adversely affect a mammal’s intestine and exacerbate IBD.

In a 2010 study, mice were fed deep-fried potato skins. Researchers found that deep-frying the potato skins increased glycoalkaloid content and that glycoalkaloid consumption significantly aggravated intestinal inflammation in mice representing two models mimicking human IBD (interleukin 10 gene deficiency and dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis).

But the data are limited, says Vanita Rahman, MD, clinic director of Barnard Medical Center. “We know animal studies don’t always translate into meaningful results in humans, so it’s really hard to draw any conclusions about human health, as far as inflammatory bowel disease.”

Before eliminating nightshades altogether, Rahman recommends talking to a health care provider and exploring whether anything else could be contributing to IBD symptoms. Keep in mind that certain nightshades–potatoes and eggplants–are rich in fiber, which has been linked to a reduced risk of developing IBD and greater quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis.

“The bottom line is [nightshades] really are nutritious vegetables that contain a lot of important nutrients for us,” says Rahman. “They have a lot of health benefits. So, most people should consume them in ways that they find enjoyable.”

Nightshade Recipes

There are plenty of opportunities to reap the health benefits of these delightful fruits and vegetables. Check out these roundups of favorite recipes from Forks Over Knives to get you started.

Awesome Vegan Eggplant Recipes

From baba ghanoush flatbreads to vegan eggplant parm to ratatouille, these recipes showcase eggplant’s melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

Potato Power: 47 Spectacular Spud Recipes to Supercharge Your Day!

It’s easy to see why potatoes are so universally beloved. Transform humble taters into impressive entrees, savory side dishes, delectable vegan “cheese” sauce, wholesome homemade bread, and more.

28 of Our Favorite Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper Recipes

Brighten your kitchen and delight your taste buds with these colorful and creative bell pepper recipes.

Plant-Based Recipes to Make the Most of Tomato Season

Harness the ripe, juicy goodness of fresh tomatoes for full-flavored soups, bruschetta, grain bowls, marinara, and more.

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 Should You Avoid Nightshades? A Look at the Research appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Summer picnics usually go hand-in-hand with hot dogs. But were you aware that processed meats can increase your risk of dying? Replacing bacon, hot dogs, and sausages with healthier options like fruits will help you avoid the toxic nitrosamines found in processed meats. And fruits contain antioxidants and phytonutrients—a win, win! Furthermore, the beneficial effects of fruits aren’t just limited to mortality; they have also been shown to help prevent and treat some of our most common diseases.

Whole Fruit Can Help You Avoid Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes

Several studies have shown that fruits have a dose-dependent relationship with the incidence of heart disease, meaning that those who eat more fruits have a lower risk of developing the condition. Fruits have been so effective in reducing heart disease that a whole province, North Karelia in Finland, embraced the idea by changing its dairy farms to berry farms to increase fruit consumption—and improve the health—of its citizens. By replacing animal-based foods with berries, along with other healthful changes, the region went from having one of the highest rates of heart disease in the world to one of the lowest within a generation.

Fruits have also helped patients all over the world lose weight and lower cholesterol. Fruits, contrary to popular belief, can also reduce your risk of developing diabetes. I often hear of patients who avoid eating fruits because of the sugar content, but these patients could not be more mistaken. While fruits do contain sugar, they have not been shown to worsen existing diabetes when consumed in their entirety, as opposed to being consumed as a juice, which concentrates the sugar to high levels. Fruit juice can increase body weight and the risk of diabetes. In contrast, the fiber content in whole fruit offers a protective effect by slowing digestion and absorbing the sugar load. In fact, fruits have recently been shown to be beneficial for people with diabetes. Eating fruits is healthy for people both with and without chronic illnesses, but unfortunately, too many people don’t eat enough of them.

Fruit Is Health Food, So Eat Generously

I, too, was once guilty of only eating just a single piece of fruit per day. When I was a child, my favorite fruit was the banana, and I would eat a single banana every day, perhaps like many of you. After eating my daily banana, I thought I had fulfilled my daily need for fruit, and the idea of eating more than one banana per day was almost heretical. But I was wrong. The adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” should not be taken literally. Eating multiple servings of the same fruit is both safe and encouraged! Scientific studies have shown that eating 20 servings of fruit daily is safe, and even more fruits could be consumed since there is likely no upper limit to healthy fruit consumption. I now eat several bananas in one sitting.

Another major reason I hear people cite for not eating fruits is their perceived lack of fun when compared to a prepared dessert, for example. In fact, fruits can be extraordinarily fun to prepare, present, and eat. A berry medley, peach cobbler, and a fruit salad are all great options for an outdoor picnic. In terms of fruit variety, there’s no better season than summer, with its bountiful array of choices like plump apricots, decadent cherries, ripe peaches, succulent nectarines, juicy melons, and sweet berries of all sorts.

Eating a single fruit a day leaves a lot of healthful opportunities still on the table, both figuratively and literally. With so many easy options to have fun and be healthy with fruits, there is no reason to hold back from eating more of them this summer. What are you waiting for?

(Photo by Mastering Diabetes.)

The post Why You Should Have a Fruit-Filled Summer appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

If you grew up on milk mustache ads that equated strong bones and peak athletic performance with drinking milk, you may have a nagging worry that ditching dairy means you’re jeopardizing your bone health. But does the science bear out those concerns? Read on for a breakdown of the role calcium plays in bone health, plant-based sources of calcium, and practical tips for preventing osteoporosis.

DO YOU NEED TO DRINK MILK FOR CALCIUM?

“The natural source of calcium is plants,” says Neal Barnard, MD, FACC, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and author of Your Body in Balance: The New Science of Food, Hormones, and Health. “That’s where the cow gets it. … This whole idea of milk for bones is a marketing program. All of our biological cousins—chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans—they don’t eat ice cream, they don’t eat yogurt, they’re not eating Velveeta sandwiches, and they also don’t have osteoporosis.”

GET OUR FREE 20-PAGE ULTIMATE PLANT-BASED BEGINNER’S GUIDE

“When you look around the world, especially in places like Asia and Africa where they don’t historically consume dairy, every culture has found a place to get calcium in their diet,” says Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN. “It shows that it is possible to have healthy bones without dairy.”

That’s a good thing, because numerous studies have linked dairy to increased health risks, including asthma; heart disease; and breast, prostate, and endometrial cancers.

VEGAN SOURCES OF CALCIUM

In a February 2020 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, a review by Harvard Medical School’s Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, and David Ludwig, MD, PhD, concluded that calcium can be obtained from plant foods—and that the majority of scientific evidence doesn’t support the common belief that eating dairy reduces bone fractures.

Just like a cow’s favorite meal—grass—absorbs calcium from the soil, so do leafy greens, such as Brussels sprouts, collards, and mustard greens, making them rich sources of the mineral as well. Other foods, such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and soy foods including tofu, provide calcium in smaller amounts that add up.

Some foods are better sources of calcium than others because high levels of oxalate, a natural substance in food that binds to calcium during digestion, can interfere with absorption. Great sources of absorbable calcium include broccoli, kale, bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, watercress, calcium-set tofu, and fortified plant milk.

Because of high oxalate levels, the bioavailability of calcium is lower in spinach, beet greens, and Swiss chard. That’s no reason to avoid these foods; they provide plenty of other beneficial nutrients. “You can never go wrong making a resolution to include an abundance of green leafy vegetables in your diet,” Barnard says. “They bring you calcium and so much more,” he says.

DO YOU NEED A CALCIUM SUPPLEMENT?

Taking a supplement is not the best solution for protecting bone health, says Katherine Tucker, PhD, director of UMass Lowell’s Center for Population Health and a professor of nutritional epidemiology who has studied bone health for more than 20 years. The calcium in foods is more effectively used by the bones because it comes packaged with other important nutrients that work in concert. Studies on calcium supplementation have yielded mixed results; some studies have even linked calcium supplements to increased risk of heart disease and heart attack. “The best thing you can do for your bones is to have a healthy diet that includes all of the nutrients you need,” Tucker says.

DO VEGANS HAVE MORE FRACTURES?

A large observational study published in November 2020 found that vegan and vegetarian participants had more bone fractures than the meat eaters. The authors used data from the EPIC-Oxford study. Utilizing data on 55,000 people, mostly women, collected over more than 17 years, this study found that the vegans had around 20 more bone fractures per 1,000 people than meat-eaters over a 10-year period.

Part of the difference can likely be attributed to differences in body mass index, since meat eaters are more likely to be overweight than vegetarians and vegans. Indeed, in a summary of their findings, the study authors stated that the “higher observed risks of fractures in non–meat eaters were usually stronger before BMI adjustment,” noting that “previous studies have reported an inverse association between BMI and some fractures, possibly due to … the cushioning against impact force during a fall.”

In addition to having a cushioning effect, excess weight can also mean higher bone density, as Garth Davis, MD, explained in his analysis of the study, posted on social media: “The more you weigh, the more dense your bones are, because your body has to support that weight.”

Still, study authors found that vegans and vegetarians had a slightly higher rate of fractures than meat eaters, even when controlling for BMI. More research is needed to understand potential mechanisms behind this. Davis noted that the meat eaters in this study were more likely to use hormone replacement therapy than vegans, bolstering estrogen levels. Although higher levels of estrogen are associated with other health risks, including certain cancers and blood clots, they are a known protector against bone loss. Davis also notes that the paper didn’t address the quality of the vegan and vegetarian diets of the study participants.

The study’s lead author, nutritional epidemiologist Tammy Tong, PhD, said in a statement: “It is worth bearing in mind that well-balanced and predominantly plant-based diets can result in improved nutrient levels and have been linked to lower risks of diseases including heart disease and diabetes. Individuals should take into account the benefits and risks of their diet, and ensure that they have adequate levels of calcium and protein and also maintain a healthy BMI.”

MORE WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR BONES

Beyond eating a variety of plant foods, here are some steps you can take to safeguard the calcium stores in your bones and teeth.

The post Calcium and Bone Health: What Plant-Based Eaters Need to Know appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

With plant-based foods being so beneficial for the prevention and treatment of so many other diseases, it should come as no shock that they are also good for your kidneys.

WHAT IS KIDNEY DISEASE?

Kidney disease, or CKD (chronic kidney disease), refers to any process that damages the kidney. The kidneys are the body’s filter and regulator for many of the contents in the blood. When the kidneys are damaged, their ability to regulate the amount of water, electrolytes, and toxins in the blood and urine becomes impaired. This often leads to too much water, sodium, and toxins in the blood and not enough in the urine. In other cases, people have too much protein or blood in their urine. In severe cases of kidney disease, people need a kidney transplant or long-term dialysis to replace their damaged kidneys.

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WHAT CAUSES KIDNEY DISEASE?

The most common causes of kidney failure are diabetes and high blood pressure. Both conditions cause changes to the blood vessels and internal structures of the kidneys, reducing their function over time. The more uncontrolled your blood pressure or diabetes is, the more damage can be done to your kidneys. Less common causes of kidney disease include autoimmune diseases (like lupus), medications, infections, and cancers.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Unfortunately, there are no symptoms of early kidney disease. Even with moderate kidney disease, a person may not realize anything is abnormal. For this reason, it is important to have your physician perform blood and urine testing if you are at risk for kidney disease. People at risk include those with conditions that can cause kidney disease (such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases including lupus) and those with a family history of kidney disease. Some signs and symptoms of kidney disease include high blood pressure, leg swelling, foamy urine, fatigue, changes in appetite, and trouble sleeping.

PREVENTION

The best treatment is prevention, and nowhere is that truer than in kidney disease. Once your kidneys are gone, they are gone forever, leaving dialysis or transplant as the only options—and neither is as good as holding onto your own kidneys, which work to filter out excess water and toxins from the body to form urine.

BEST DIET FOR PREVENTING CKD

If you already have high blood pressure or diabetes—two of the most common causes of CKD—it is not too late: They can be controlled and even reversed by eating a plant-based diet. Foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and lentils can treat diabetes and high blood pressure and thereby prevent damage to your kidneys.

Plant-based foods are rich in fiber and antioxidants that can directly lower your blood pressure, improve glucose levels, reduce total body weight, and lower inflammation—all of which play a role in kidney disease. There is even evidence that meat-based foods cause the production of a compound called TMAO, which has been shown to directly cause CKD. Animal-based foods often are rich in other components that can be harmful to kidney function, such as sodium, fat, acid, phosphate, and excess protein.

How a Plant-Based Diet Treats Kidney Disease

If you already have kidney disease, adopting a plant-based diet is one of the best things you can do, because it targets three important health issues that contribute to the disease.

WORRIED ABOUT PROTEIN?

Many patients worry about getting enough protein on a plant-based diet, especially those with CKD. However, multiple studies have shown that people eating a plant-based diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes have no trouble getting enough protein or amino acids. Patients only run into problems if they rely solely on a limited number of foods for their calories (for example, eating just apples and nothing else, day after day).

A WORD ABOUT POTASSIUM AND KIDNEY DISEASE

High potassium levels can be fatal in patients with kidney disease and are a concern for patients eating plant foods, which are often rich in potassium. However, not all foods raise potassium to the same extent. For example, dried fruit and plant-based juices and sauces can raise potassium levels quickly and should be avoided or used with caution. Eating whole fruits and vegetables is generally safer, as they contain fiber, which helps eliminate potassium from the body with bowel movements. Plant foods also contain natural alkali, which can blunt the rise in potassium in the blood.

If you have kidney disease and are considering transitioning to a plant-based diet, it is important to have your blood checked to monitor for high levels of potassium, at least initially, and to have physician supervision. If you have high levels of potassium, you may need to adjust your diet (reducing the use of tomato sauces, for example) or your medications to help with the transition. However, many patients with CKD have safely tolerated the transition to a plant-based diet and, more importantly, have greatly benefited from it.

CKD SUCCESS STORIES

If you’re wondering whether diet can really have such an impact on chronic kidney disease, read these firsthand accounts from real people who have dramatically improved their CKD prognoses since going plant-based.

• At 73, I Went Plant-Based and Said Goodbye to Obesity, Heart Disease, CKD, and Arthritis
• How I’m Beating CKD on a Plant-Based Diet
• From 3 Percent Kidney Function to Dialysis-Free on a Whole-Food Vegan Diet

The post What Is Chronic Kidney Disease and How Do You Prevent It? appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

What Is Protein?

Let’s start with a basic definition: Protein is one of three macronutrients our bodies use for energy. (The other two macronutrients are carbohydrates and fat.) Protein is made up of 20 individual building blocks called amino acids. Amino acids are vital to our bodies—necessary for building and repairing cells, creating enzymes and antibodies, and performing other essential functions. Our bodies can synthesize most amino acids on our own, but there are eight that we cannot synthesize: These are the essential amino acids, and we easily get them from food. Read more about amino acids here.

Protein Intake: How Much We Need, How Much We’re Getting

When it comes to protein intake, there’s a surprising discrepancy between how much we need and how much we’re getting.

How Much Protein Do Most of Us Really Need?

For the general population, getting 10–15 percent of daily calories from protein is sufficient. This is true even for people who lead an active lifestyle.

Government-issued recommendations for protein intake have varied over the years. Currently, the U.S. government’s protein RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. The World Health Organization, on the other hand, recommends 0.66 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. For a 140-pound person, the U.S. RDA translates to about 50 grams of protein a day; if that person consumes 2,000 calories in a day, 50 grams of protein is exactly 10 percent of total calories.

How Much Protein Do Most of Us Get?

Science shows that most of us already get more protein than we need. 

In 2013, the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics published the largest study to date comparing the nutrient intake of more than 71,000 non-vegetarians, vegetarians, and vegans. The study found that, on average, vegetarians and vegans get 70 percent more protein than they need every day (70-plus grams), while non-vegetarians get even more than that (almost 80 grams). 

Without even trying, you are most likely getting more protein than you need—whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore. Protein deficiency is almost exclusively seen in people suffering from a calorie deficiency. In these cases, the concern should be getting more calories and more of all nutrients—not just protein.

Can Athletes Get Enough Protein on a Vegan Diet?

Generally speaking, athletes can easily get enough protein on a whole-food, plant-based diet, and they don’t need to consume protein powders or bars—or even focus on eating whole foods with high concentrations of protein, such as beans—to do so. As Alona Pulde, MD, and Matthew Lederman, MD, write in The Forks Over Knives Plan: “Athletes do require more protein (and all nutrients) than sedentary people, but there is no evidence that they require a higher percentage of protein compared to other macronutrients in their diet to perform more optimally.” In other words, most athletes just need to eat more food, period. 

In an interview with Forks Over Knives, Garth Davis, MD, author of Proteinaholic, noted one situation that might be an exception: “The only time I’ve seen where [proportionally] more protein truly seems to help seems to be in a situation where you’re on a calorie deficit and you’re trying to prevent muscle mass loss,” says Davis. “A bodybuilder cutting for a bodybuilding competition … [will] want a higher percentage [of their calories to come from] protein … to preserve the muscle mass.” 

Living Proof: Plant-Based Athletes on the Rise

If you have any doubt that a plant-based diet can provide you with enough protein to become a high-performing athlete, you needn’t look far for living examples, such as bodybuilder Robert Cheeke, ultra-endurance athlete Rich Roll, ultra-runners Matt Frazier and Fiona Oakes, and the many elite athletes highlighted in the new documentary film The Game Changers. 

Looking for more tips to thrive athletically? Check out Cheeke’s Top Tips for Plant-Based Athletes and Rich Roll’s article Slaying the Protein Myth.

Plant Protein vs. Animal Protein

We’ve established that vegans get more than enough protein, but do meat and dairy somehow offer qualitatively “better” protein than plant sources? Not by a long shot. 

The Dangers of Animal Protein

It might seem wise to err on the side of getting too much protein. But doing so poses health risks, particularly if you’re consuming animal protein: A growing body of research demonstrates a link between animal protein intake and serious health problems, including cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

A 2018 study of more than 81,000 people found that regular meat consumption was associated with a 60 percent increase in the risk of heart disease. High consumption of animal protein was associated with early death in a 2019 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Another  2019 study found that white meat is as cholesterol-raising as red meat. In a cohort study published in 2014, high protein intake, especially from animal sources, was associated with elevated risk of developing type 2 diabetes. And despite a common assumption that eating more protein can be helpful in achieving weight-loss goals, eating animal protein is actually associated with weight gain. 

“Animal protein is a major cause of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation, and cancer,” says Michelle McMacken, MD, director of the Adult Weight Management Program at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue in New York City. “Contrary to popular perception … excess protein does not make us stronger or leaner. Excess protein is stored as fat or turned into waste.” 

There may be hormonal ramifications, as well: A 2022 meta-study reviewed 27 interventional studies in which participants were assigned to low-carb, high-protein diets and found that, on average, such participants saw a 17 percent decrease in their testosterone levels.

Can Excess Plant Protein Be Dangerous?

The adverse effects of consuming high quantities of animal protein are well-documented. Is it unhealthy to consume too much protein from plants?

This is an area in need of more research, but Davis speculates that plant protein could accelerate aging the same way that protein from animal products does. “There is quite a bit of sense in the science of aging that protein is a big driver of aging,” Davis says. “Is it just that it’s animal protein? Well, it appears that it’s leucine, specifically, and maybe some other [amino acids] like methionine. It happens that meat protein is higher in leucine and methionine than plant protein is. But if you’re going to keep pushing plant protein enough, you’re going to get enough leucine where you get that same effect,” says Davis. 

Do Vegans Need to Combine Foods to Get Complete Proteins?

There’s no need to combine specific plant foods to ensure your proteins are “complete.” Your body breaks down the amino acids in foods and builds them up into complete proteins all on its own. “Any single whole natural plant food, or any combination of them, if eaten as one’s sole source of calories for a day, would provide all of the essential amino acids and not just the minimum requirements but far more than the recommended requirements,” writes Jeff Novick, MS, RD. Read more about The Myth of Complementary Protein.

Plant-Based Protein Sources

You can get all the protein you need simply by eating a whole-food, plant-based diet. You don’t need to expend any extra effort to ensure you’re getting enough protein or any other macronutrient or micronutrient. As Drs. Pulde and Lederman write in The Forks Over Knives Plan, “You should not worry about how much protein you’re getting any more than you should worry about the perfect number of breaths you take in a day.” 

Whole plant foods that have high concentrations of protein are beans (including soybeans and tofu and tempeh), lentils, and other legumes; bulgur; nuts; and seeds. But as vegan ultramarathoner Matt Frazier writes in The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, “It’s not just tofu, beans, and nuts that pack the protein in a plant-based diet. Indeed, just about everything else in whole-food, plant-based diets—grains, veggies, everything except most fruit—has a protein content at or above 12 to 15 percent of total calories. Put it all together, and you get a diet that provides you with plenty of protein—even as an athlete.” 

What Are the Best Sources of Protein?

The bottom line: The best sources of protein are whole plant foods, which provide ample protein without any cholesterol.

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. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post The No-B.S. Guide to Plant-Based Protein appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

We all by now have heard of family or friends that have gone “vegan” or have adopted a “plant-based diet.” Others may even know people on a “whole-food, plant-based diet.” Some of this terminology is relatively new; some of it has a longer history. Further confusing things is how these terms are quickly evolving and often mean different things to different people. But what do these terms mean to most of us today? Let’s take a deeper dive.

What Is the Difference Between a Vegan Diet and a Plant-Based Diet?

A plant-based diet predominantly consists of plants; most people use the term to refer to a 100 percent plant diet, but some people include small amounts of animal products. A vegan diet totally eliminates all animal products.

Donald Watson coined the term “vegan” in 1944 to describe someone who fully abstains from all animal products for ethical reasons. It followed that a “vegan diet” completely eliminated animal-derived foods of all kinds, 100 percent of the time. Over time, more and more people have started to adopt the vegan way of eating for reasons other than animal welfare (such as health and the environment), and today “vegan diet” is commonly used to describe a diet that excludes animal products, regardless of motivation.

With a plant-based diet, the vast majority of food comes from plants. The term originated in the health science community, where it was more appropriate than “vegetarian” or “vegan.” First, the term is divorced from any ethical connotation; and second, it doesn’t mean “never eating meat” or “never eating animal products.” Consumption of very small amounts of animal foods can be inconsequential when speaking of the health benefits of a diet, an important nuance for science that is not captured by the term “vegan” or “vegetarian.”

What Is a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet?

A whole-food, plant-based diet—which is what Forks Over Knives advocates—is centered on whole, unrefined or minimally refined plant foods and excludes or minimizes meat, dairy products, eggs, and highly refined foods such as bleached flour, refined sugar, and oil. A person eating this way will eat mainly fruits, vegetables (including tubers and starchy vegetables), whole grains, and legumes.

The “whole-food” part of “whole-food, plant-based” has become increasingly relevant, as highly processed vegan foods have become more widely available, making it possible to eat a vegan diet while eating very few whole plant foods. Simultaneously, for marketing purposes, many manufacturers have begun labeling these highly processed vegan foods as “plant-based.” This has effectively made “plant-based” and “vegan” synonyms when it comes to food labeling. Foods sporting the “plant-based” label are generally vegan; whether or not they’re healthful is another issue.

Can You Be Vegan and Whole-Food Plant-Based?

Yes! It’s not just possible but common to be both vegan and whole-food, plant-based! Many people adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet and, after experiencing dramatic health benefits, become interested in other reasons for avoiding animal products, such as the environmental impact and ethical issues surrounding factory farming. We’ve also heard from vegans who gave up animal products for ethical reasons and, after some time, decided to adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet for their health.

How We Got Here: A Brief History of “Plant-Based”

In 1980, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, was at the National Institutes of Health researching the potential therapeutic impact of a low-fat, high-fiber, vegetable-based diet on cancer. Campbell sought a succinct term that encompassed this eating pattern without invoking ethical considerations. Thus the term “plant-based” was born into the world of nutritional science. A few years later, after testifying against the supplement industry, Campbell appended the “whole-food” modifier to clarify that it was whole plant-foods, not isolated nutrients, that had health-promoting effects.  

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. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

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Fortunately, more and more physicians are recognizing the health benefits of plant-based nutrition, and a growing number are making it a central part of their practice. If you’re apprehensive about broaching the subject with your doctor, read on for some expert tips to make sure you get the support you need—plus a roundup of databases to connect with plant-based health care providers around the country.

Tell Your Doc You’re Assuming Responsibility for Your Health

“When physicians hear this, which they rarely do, they get excited and they’re more open to a conversation,” says Scott Stoll, MD, board-certified specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and co-founder of the Plantrician Project. Make sure you come armed with resources, like a list of documentaries that have inspired you or evidence-based reviews such as the official position paper on plant-based diets from the world’s largest organization of nutrition professionals, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Avoid Asking Doctors About Their Own Dietary Choices

“Most physicians will think this is taking it too much to the personal level, which could make them feel defensive,” McMacken says.

Switch Doctors if You Run into a Brick Wall

If you’re encountering skepticism and pushback from a doctor who’s not convinced about the benefits of a WFPB diet, move on. “You’re in control of your health, and you need to find a physician who respects and honors your choice,” Stoll says.

Search Online Plant-Based Doctor Directories

So where should you start looking for a plant-based doctor? For starters, if you’re not already involved in the Forks Over Knives Official Plant-Based Community on Facebook (or a local group focused on plant-based eating), the time to join is now. The support you’ll get from these groups is tremendous, and you can often ask members who live in your area if they have recommendations.

You can also tap online directories. While many of them allow you to search by your location, you can also find experts who are licensed to practice telehealth medicine in certain states.

Here are four to keep on your radar.

Plantrician Providers

Formerly known as Plant-Based Docs, the Plantrician Project’s free search tool lets you search for plant-based health care providers globally. “We want to serve as a bridge between people looking for health care professionals who are passionate about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine,” says Stoll, a co-founder of the site. The registry includes not only medical doctors but also a variety of other health experts, including physical therapists, exercise physiologists, and health coaches.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM)

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s Find a Doctor database is an easy way to find help around the world, and you start by answering whether you’re looking for a local provider or somebody who offers telehealth services. You’ll then be directed to provide more specific information to narrow your search.

Love.Life

Founded in part by co-founder of Whole Foods and plant-based advocate John Mackey, Love.Life is an online-based practice made up exclusively of providers board-certified in lifestyle and functional medicine. It doesn’t matter where you live in the United States, as telehealth is the name of the game here, and your search will yield specific practitioners who are licensed in your state. Some even practice internationally.

Kaiser Permanente

This health care organization deserves credit for advocating a plant-based diet for everybody, staff and patients included. In fact, many of its medical centers run a 21-Day Plant-Strong Challenge in which all staff are encouraged to try a WFPB diet during that time. All of this means that you’re more likely to find a pro-plant-based doctor at this organization than others. To find Kaiser Permanente physicians near you, browse its doctor directory.

Team Up with a Plant-based Dietitian or Health Coach

Other professionals who can help you optimize your health on a plant-based diet include dietitians and health coaches. “While they’re not physicians, they can help educate you about making changes, especially if your doctor isn’t familiar with this eating plan,” McMacken says. Plantrician Providers database includes such professionals, and the Physicians Committee recently launched its Preferred Dietitian Referral, a database that allows you to search specifically for US-based dietitians who have expertise in plant-based nutrition. You’ll find experts who can meet in person as well as those who provide telehealth services.

Share Your Success

Whether you’re meeting with a doctor for the first or the 50th time, make sure you share how good you feel on a WFPB diet. “This can be a potentially great opportunity to influence somebody who directly sees your results over time,” says Stoll, who adds that he’s met many physicians whose interest in plant-based nutrition was sparked by their patients’ transformations.

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.

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