“One should cut down on quality food and delicacies and rely mainly on economical food.” - Sun Simiao (581 AD-682 AD)
Patients regularly ask me: What do I eat in a Whole Food Plant-Based diet?… Inspired by that recurrent question, I put together a very basic shopping list to understand the main idea behind this lifestyle. As always, try to emphasize organic, seasonal and local as much as possible.
Whole Grains
There are a very large variety of whole grains to choose from, and since they are high enough in calories, they can serve as the center of your meal: brown rice (short, basmati, jasmine, black…), quinoa, oats, buckwheat, spelt, bulgur, millet, barley, whole grain polenta or coarse cornmeal, wheat berries…
Whole Grain (unrefined) Flours
There are a variety of flours to choose from, including: wheat, barley, buckwheat, spelt, rye, corn, soy, garbanzo beans, oat, amaranth…
You can also use gluten-free flours if allergies are an issue but make sure they contain only whole grains.
Pastas (egg-free)
Any 100% whole wheat or brown rice pasta. Other grains are also acceptable like quinoa, spelt and even corn or beans pasta, but make sure it is entirely whole grain).
Most of these are made from highly refined flours and therefore should play a small role in your diet.
Fruits and Vegetables
Enjoy a wide variety of fruits and vegetables! Emphasize plenty of dark leafy greens. Green and yellow vegetables are too low in calories to serve as the centerpiece of your meals, but can be added with no restriction. Starchy roots can also be the center of your meal: potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, tapioca. Since winter squashes (acorn, butternut, kabocha) are high in complex carbohydrates, can also be the center of your meal. Summer squashes (zucchini, cousa…), on the other hand, are very low in calories and cannot serve as the center of your dish. Since fruits are high in simple sugars, they should generally be limited to 3 servings a day. Fruits are easy to over consume and its sugar (fructose) can be an issue for some people at rising their triglycerides and cholesterol. If you are concerned, you can limit fruits even more.
Beans and Legumes
Enjoy ALL varieties of dried beans and lentils. Canned beans are acceptable but look for no-salt and BPA free.
Nuts, Seeds, and Dried Fruits
Any variety is acceptable but look for raw, dry roasted and no oil-added. Use nuts and nut butters sparingly as they are high-fat and high-calorie and very easy to overeat.
Omega-3 rich chia and flax seeds can be used on top of your morning porridge and replace eggs in baked goods.
Whole flax seeds are not digested so it is best to freshly grind them right before use.
Use other seeds like sesame, pumpkin, sunflower in moderation as well, specially if trying to loose weight.
Most dried fruits (with no added sugar) are acceptable in moderation. Keep in mind that they are higher in calories than fresh fruits, so if you are diabetic or trying to lose weight, emphasize fresh fruits rather than dried fruits.
Frozen Foods
All varieties of fresh frozen vegetables and fruits without added oil or dairy ingredients are acceptable.
Breads
Choose breads that are 100% whole grain with no oil added.
Enriched wheat flour, unbleached wheat flour, wheat flour, and organic wheat flour are not whole grain!
Spices and flavor “boosters”
There are many options to boost the flavor of your food without adding any fat or sugar including apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar (non-pasteurized), citrus juice and zest, garlic, ginger, mustard (no sugar added), individual spices and fresh herbs.
CHINESE MEDICINE PERSPECTIVE:
There’s no question that all these foods are natural and healthy, but it is interesting to notice that from Chinese Medicine perspective, we should adjust our diet according to its guidelines. Not only our constitution matters, but also seasons, sensitivities, energy levels and other special requirements that will be contemplated in your Chinese diagnosis. As we said, all these foods are natural and nutritive, but according to your diagnosis, you will end up emphasizing and/or increasing certain groups of foods and types of cooking, and avoiding others to achieve the balance you’re looking for. As a simple example, if you have a pale constitution, always feeling cold and craving warm drinks, with lower back pain and fatigue, you will not be benefited much from eating salads, raw food and ice cold water... (specially if you do that during winter time) On the other hand, if you have a flushed face, with hot flashes, burning urination, hemorrhoids, and thirst, you won’t feel much better if you eat a curry, spicy food, and hot spices like ginger, pepper, cloves…
These are just very simple examples not to be taken as a guidelines, but to show you the idea of balance behind eating. Chinese Medicine can be very specific in its advises, but first, you need a clear and accurate diagnosis. If you are interest in customizing your Whole Food Plant-Based diet following the Chinese Medicine perspective, just look for a qualified practitioner or get in touch with us!