Plant-Based Nutrition

There has been a lot of light shed on plant-based diets over the past few years, following the production of documentaries, such as “What the health?”, “Cowspiracy” and “The Gamechangers” (all available on Netflix). Combined with advocation from public figures, such as Sir David Attenborough, plant-based nutrition has gained a lot of traction over the past decade.

There are various reasons that lead people to opt for plant based diets, including;

• ethical considerations / animal cruelty
• environmental considerations “going green”
• health considerations

The focus of this blog and the latest edition (Challenge 4) in the CrossFit Leyland Team Challenge  is very much on the latter and the undeniable health benefits of including plant based foods in your diet.

What does a plant based diet include?

“A plant based diet is based on foods derived from plants, including vegetables, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, seeds and fruits, with few or no animal products” 

The Association of UK Dietitians (Plant-based diet: Food fact sheet)

If you remove the biggest stigma around vegetarian diets (i.e. choosing not to eat meat) and focus instead on what the addition of plant based foods in your diet can provide you with, you may be pleasantly surprised. The first thing about plant based foods is they come from the ground! They aren’t created in a factory and processed with all manner of preservatives, they are grown naturally (granted this process is sped up in non-organic produce). Plant based foods are nutrient dense and wholesome. Generally speaking, someone following a plant based diet will spend the majority of the time in the supermarket aisles nearest the entrance that contain all the fresh foods (fruits, veg, salads) and less time in the middle aisles that contain long dated items in tins and packets that may sit on the shelves for months. Even better, they may choose to grow their own, or shop local and visit farmshops and green grocers.

By incorporating more plant based foods in the diet and replacing processed foods that are loaded with unhealthy fats, salt and sugar, there is every chance body composition and health will improve. There has been a vast amount of research conducted comparing plant based and non-plant based diets. One such study published in the Journal of hypertension in 2016, found that vegetarians had significantly lower (34%) incidence of high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, inflammation and insulin resistance compared to non-vegetarians. Many other studies have shown that subjects following a plant-based diet are less likely to be overweight compared to those who are not. One study published in the Nutrition and Diabetes journal, found that overweight subjects following a whole-food plant-based diet for one year, lost 9.25 pounds (4.1 kg) on average. This may well be due to the fact that whole-food, plant-based diets typically include foods that have a low glycemic index (GI), which are digested more slowly and thus provide a feeling of fullness for longer. Compare this to processed foods that are typically high in sugar and consequently high on the glycemic index, and it is no wonder that this leads to over-consumption. High GI foods are digested fast, resulting in a spike in energy, leaving the body craving more food shortly after. Simply making the switch over from processed / refined / calorie-dense foods to whole-food / plant-based / nutrient-dense foods will result in a more favourable energy balance, without necessarily having to study the glycemic index, or weigh foods out at every meal.

Do I have to stop eating meat?

In short, no. Of course, there are many people who follow plant-based diets who do not eat meat at all, vegetarianism and veganism has grown significantly in recent years, but that doesn’t have to the case. The pescatarian diet is considered to be one of the healthiest diets around and is predominantly plant-based with the addition of fish. There are many people in 2021 who now have a greater awareness of the dangers of eating too much red meat on cardiovascular risk factors and opt to reduce the amount of meat that they include within their diet. Sometimes referred to as ‘Flexitarian’, meaning they have a flexible approach to their diet and include meat and animal products from time to time. This is very much personal preference and it comes down to what is important for you personally.

With any changes to the diet it is first of all important understand why you want to make changes (it may just be for points on challenge 4!) and second to think about a gradual, sustainable change, rather than making drastic changes. Start small and try to find whole foods and plant-based foods that you like and can include in your daily meals. If the thought of not eating meat everyday is a scary proposition, then experiment with the odd meat free meal and see how you find it. Most importantly, find what works for you.

Good luck team!