Whole Food Plant-Based Diet

A pattern of eating that optimizes the intake of plant-based whole foods, while reducing or eliminating the intake of processed and animal products.

 

This pattern is focused on eating from these food groups: whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds along with herbs and spices. Plant-based foods are high in fiber, rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients, low in calories and saturated fats and free of cholesterol.

 

Food groups and nutrients to limit or to eliminate on WFPB diet include meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, eggs, most processed oils, refined grains, added sugars, saturated fats and cholesterol.

 

If you are not ready to go fully plant-based, don’t be dissuaded to start eating plant-based. The more plant rich whole foods you eat, the more benefits you get from the diet so aim to incorporate as many plant-based whole foods as you can while focusing on minimizing intake of animal products and ultra-processed foods.

 

People who eat plant-based diets have lower risk of various diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity and more.

 

Now even large health organizations are advising to shift towards eating plant-based. The new Canadian Food Guide has taken dairy out as a category and recommends water as choice of drink while having half of the plate be filled with fruits and vegetables, a quarter with whole grains and the other quarter with protein while suggesting,

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"Choose protein foods that come from plants more often".

 

The Eat-Lancet report by the peer reviewed journal The Lancet also recommends shifting towards eating plant-based and incorporating diversity of plant-based foods. The World Health Organization focusing your diet on fruit, vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils and beans), nuts and whole grains while limiting saturated fats, refined sugars and salt intake.