30/07/2007
Eating a varied mix of foods makes good common sense. When you look at what you eat, is your plate mainly based on animal foods?
We may not be aware of it, but animal based foods play a big role in our current eating habits – and that isn’t a problem if you choose wisely. Lower fat dairy products and lean meat and fish provide important nutrients. However, there is increasing research to show that diets that incorporate a high amount of plants-based foods can be protective against certain diseases. It makes sense to consider what these benefits are and how we can slowly introduce more plant based foods.
1. Plant based diets provide adequate protein
By following a plant based diet this does not mean cutting out all animal foods, it just means eating a little less. Just a small amount of lean meat, fish or dairy products easily provides the amount of protein you need each day. Instead you can eat more of the vegetable protein sources such as beans, pulses and cereals – and when you mix them together as in a jacket potato and baked beans, you could a good quality of proteins.
2. A plant based diet is a heart healthy diet, as it can help to lower cholesterol
A plant based diet will be lower in saturated fat (animal fats), which are responsible for raising bad LDL blood cholesterol. In addition, recent research has shown that a plant based diet including a combination of the following foods can have a cholesterol-reducing effect as part of a healthy diet:
- Plant sterols (you can get these in 100ml bottles, spreads and yogurts)
- Soya foods (soya milks, soya beans, soya nuts)
- Soluble fibre (porridge oats, beans and pulses)
- Nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts).
3. A plant based diet rich in vegetable protein lowers blood pressure
A diet rich in fruit and vegetables has been proven to help lower blood pressure. In addition, an extensive study among 4,680 participants in four different countries (Japan, China, UK and US) showed that the consumption of vegetable protein (from nuts, seeds, soya, beans and pulses) has a blood pressure-lowering effect.
4. A plant based diet helps keeps weight under control
A plant based diet helps you manage your weight and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. It’s a plan that is made up mostly of vegetables, fruits, pulses and cereals — all of which are low in fat and therefore low in calories. Plant foods are also high in fibre, which makes them naturally filling. This, in turn, tends to curb your appetite for high-calorie, fatty foods. So, over time, a plant-based diet — which contains fewer calories and more nutrients — can help you to achieve a healthy weight.
And then there’s the glycaemic index (GI). The concept of GI has been researched for decades, mainly in the field of diabetes and heart disease. Studies have shown that healthy low GI foods (such as beans, lentils, porridge, pasta, fruit and vegetables, nuts and seeds) can help maintain healthy blood glucose (sugar) levels. This in turn has a beneficial effect on your health and may even prevent conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.
Carbs that cause a slow steady rise in your blood glucose are called low glycaemic carbohydrates – these may have beneficial effects. Low glycaemic carbs will be more slowly digested, they will sit in your gut for longer, and cause much slower rises in your blood glucose. These help to fill you up and can delay hunger pangs.
What about soya?
Soya has remarkable nutritional properties. It is naturally low in saturated fats and is rich in polyunsaturated fats with a good ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids too. The combination of high quality protein with this excellent fat composition makes soya an ideal addition to any diet. What’s more it is also completely free of lactose and can help to lower cholesterol levels too.
Mango Trifle Shots
This looks really attractive in angled glasses so you can see the different layers, or even use coffee cups and saucers to serve, with a biscuit on the side. (You can substitute all the mango ingredients with strawberry if you like).
Serves 4
8 sponge finger biscuits, broken into 4
1 fresh mango
100ml (4 fl oz) smoothie containing mango
2 pots of Mango and Peach soya alternative to yogurt
Amaretto (optional)
25g (1oz) toasted flaked almonds
Method
- Place biscuits in a shallow dish and pour over the smoothie (if using amaretto, substitute 1 dessertspoon of smoothie and replace with amaretto), leave for 10 minutes, mixing biscuits around to soak up the liquid.
- Take one side off the mango, plus the edges and dice, use the other side sliced for decoration.
- Empty the soya yogurts into a bowl and add the diced mango.
- Place biscuits in the base of each glass.
- Spoon over half the yogurt and mango mix
- Repeat method 4 and divide any remaining smoothie between the glasses, top with remaining yogurt mixture. Leave to chill for 1 hour.
- Serve with the sliced mango and toasted flaked almonds.
More information:
www.vegsoc.org
www.govindjinutrition.com
www.giplan.com
www.bdaweightwise.com
By Azmina Govindji RD, This Morning Nutritionist
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