Do you wish you had more energy? One way to boost your levels is through a healthy diet. Your body needs the right combination of vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients to function at its best — and you’ll find many of them in plants. A plant-based diet can transform your energy levels through several means. Here’s what science says about how to eat for the ultimate oomph.
What Is a Plant-Based Diet? A plant-based diet is high in whole foods that grow wild or cultivated and lower in animal-based products, fats, oils and processed foods. You don’t have to cut everything except lettuce, tomatoes and wheat — there are several varieties of healthy plant-based diets to try. What Are the Most Common Types of Plant-Based Diets? Plant-based diets originate from various cultures and for multiple reasons — not all health- related. They also play a role in many religious faiths. For example, many Buddhists consider eating meat to violate tenets of nonviolence, and Jains also avoid meat for the same reason. Even Catholics, who believe in humankind’s dominion over the animal kingdom, forbid its consumption on certain fast days. Even though your mental, emotional and spiritual health intertwines with the physical, many people who follow a plant-based diet to boost their health and energy fall into one of these categories: ● Vegans eschew all animal products, including eggs and cheese, and often avoid other products, like leather. Everything they use is plant-based. ● Vegetarians may or may not eat cheese or eggs but avoid fish and meat. ● Pescatarians consume fish but avoid land-based animals like chicken, beef and pork. ● Flexitarians have the most varied diet, including poultry and occasionally red meat. What unites these plant-based diets is that — you guessed it — plants make up most of what they eat. While there’s no set percentage, it helps to look at your dinner plate as a clock. You should reserve at least a half-hour for veggies and 15 minutes for starch. Dividing the other 15 minutes between meat and dessert, instead of featuring meat as the main course, is a simple way to reduce your consumption. Do the World’s Top Athletes Follow Plant-Based Diets? The world recently tuned into the Olympic and Paralympic games. Did you know that many top performers fuel themselves entirely with plants? Elite athletes such as Diana Taurasi and Scott Jurek embrace veganism and often bring home the gold, thanks in part to their plant-powered energy. Plant-Based Diets and Energy Low energy levels can result from malnutrition. What makes matters even trickier is you might think that you consume plenty — you might even struggle with your weight. However, malnutrition results from a nutritional imbalance, meaning you can consume sufficient calories and still lack pep. You can take supplements, which is better than nothing if your diet lacks rich plant variety. However, substances in foods work together for the best effect, and some contain phytonutrients that science hasn’t yet discovered and put into pill form. Plant-Based Diets and Nutrition You may experience health issues if your body lacks a substance it needs, even if you eat plenty. Nutritional deficiencies are like trying to build a house with wood but no nails. Things fall apart. For example, vitamin deficiencies, such as Vitamin D, are incredibly common worldwide. About 1 billion people across the globe have a vitamin D deficiency, including 35% of the adults in the United States. Those with plant-based diets often avoid such deficiencies. Plants are also among your best sources of B vitamins. One of their primary functions is converting food to energy — and you’ll find them in various leafy greens, sweet potatoes, grains and legumes. Plant-Based Diets and Calorie Control Most plants also contain a fraction of the calories of meat-based dishes. For example, adding marinara sauce to your pasta only sets you back 65 calories — topping the same dish with bolognese ups it to 259. While your weight isn’t everything in terms of your health, carrying too many extra pounds increases your risk of various diseases, including heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Being sick can definitely do a number on your energy levels. Plant-Based Diets, Your Microbiome and Mood According to recent research, the microbiome, or colonies of good bacteria in your gut, do a lot. They make 95% of your body’s serotonin and send messages via the vagus nerve, both of which impact your mood and energy. Guess what these colonies love to dine on? If you guessed the filling fibre found in plant-based foods, you win the prize. Think of your microbiome as the workers who keep your body factory running. If you treat them right with a healthy plant-based diet, everything will run smoothly, and you’ll feel happier and perkier. Tips for Getting More Plants Into Your Diet You don’t need to dine solely on salad for every meal, although adding one to your next order will help you get more plants in your diet. Here are five other suggestions: ● Add lettuce, tomato, onion, and peppers to sandwiches or wraps. ● Make homemade sauces using vegetables instead of store brands full of added sugar. ● Start meals with a clear-broth, vegetable-based soup — doing so may help you eat less overall while upping your veggie intake. ● Snack on celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and radishes with hummus instead of processed chips. ● Try adding veggies into your baking — this tip works especially well with picky little ones. Energise Yourself With a Plant-Based Diet Plant-based diets boost your energy levels by giving your body the nutrients it needs. They nourish your microbiome, help you control your weight and reduce your disease risk without restrictive dieting. Improve your intake with a few clever tricks and invite more healthy, plant-based foods into your life. For more articles from Mia check out her past articles here. Mia has also written an article on Making Your Own Moon water in our latest issue which can be purchased here.
