Eat the rainbow

A diet that prioritises plants is now being promoted by health professions more and more often.

But what is a plant based diet? A vegan burger, a vegan cheese, vegan sausages all made in a factory? Yep technically, but have you ever read what goes into them. Very often there is very little real food, it’s all ultra processed. Look at these foods as treat foods, not your primary diet.

Don’t want to eat a vegan diet? Eat a plant forward diet. A diet of little red meat and fish and chicken more often. A plate filled with plants of all kinds that is prepared in the home or is minimally processed (with no or little artificial additives).

What does a plant forward diet look like? What are plant foods? Fruit, vegetables and grains. Grains that go past just white rice such as barley, freekeh, red and wild rice, oats, whole wheat, quinoa, millet, corn. Nuts and seeds- chai seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, peanuts. Ferments such as plant yogurt, sauerkraut, kombucha, kefir, nato, tempeh. Pulses- lentils, beans and peas.

Want to know the best kind of plant food? Spices and herbs. Often not thought of as a plant based food, but so full of the good stuff it’s ridiculous. They add so much flavour to food and almost as importantly colour.

A diet that prioritises plants of all kinds will fill your plate with colour, don’t be a beige eater. Eat the rainbow and feel the health benefits.