Some people experience an immediate and dramatic improvement when they give up animal foods and their toxins, but the truth is that, along with the toxins, animal foods have been providing important nutrients which must be replaced with food from plants.
Giving up animal products and consuming only plant food does not guarantee good health. Optimal health requires choosing and balancing high-quality plant foods every day. There are a number of effective eating plans for general good health as well as treating specific conditions.
Dr. Michael Greger’s Daily Dozen is a plan that is easy to follow. The number in parentheses indicates the number of daily servings. You can see more specific information here.
- BEANS (3): baked beans, soybeans, chickpeas, peas, kidney beans, lentils, tofu, hummus
- BERRIES (1): grapes, raisins, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, strawberries
- OTHER FRUITS (3): apples, tomatoes, avocados, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, melon, lemons, limes
- CRUCIFEROUS VEGETABLES (1): broccoli, cauliflower, kale, arugula, brussels sprouts
- GREENS (2): spring greens, kale, spinach, swiss chard
- OTHER VEGETABLES (2): carrots, sweet corn, zucchini, garlic, mushrooms, onions, pumpkin, sweet potatoes
- FLAX SEEDS (1): 1 tablespoon daily
- NUTS AND SEEDS (1): peanut, almond, brazil, walnut, pumpkin seed, sunflower seed
- TURMERIC (1): 1/4 teaspoon daily, plus any other spices you love
- WHOLE GRAINS (3): brown rice, quinoa, wild rice, oats, whole wheat pasta
- LIQUIDS (5): water, coffee, tea, hibiscus extract
- EXERCISE
When I switched to plant-based living after a lifetime of meals planned around a main course of meat, I immediately felt positive effects and found it surprisingly easy, even fun, to change my habits and explore new ways of enjoying food. Fruit and Stuff is a collection of some of the many things I have learned since I started the journey.