Class One
Stocking your Plant Forward, Whole Foods Pantry
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Introduction to Whole Food, Plant Forward Eating
"Eat whole foods, mostly plants."
"Eat whole foods, mostly plants."
This simple phrase helps us remember the key foods for good health. Let's break it down:
Whole (i.e. unprocessed) - food that is in, or close to, the form it is found in at the farm or in nature.
Plants - fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes (beans, lentils)
Why focus on these foods?
Science tells us that these whole, plant foods are high in polyphenols, antioxidants, fiber and other compounds that protect against disease and promote health. Fiber is particularly important and is something we can only get from eating plants. A diet high in food-based fiber supports cognitive health, immunity, good digestion, positive mood and overall disease prevention and longevity. Aim to get >30 g of fiber per day.
Identifying Whole, Real Foods
Identifying Whole, Real Foods
How do you know if something on the grocery store shelf is a real, whole food or an ultra-processed, food-like substances? The ingredients list and nutrition facts label offer great clues!
Ingredients List Considerations:
Can you pronounce all the words on the ingredients list?
Is the ingredients list short?
Can you recognize all the ingredients listed as foods you might have in your own kitchen?
If you answered yes to two out of three of these questions, the food you're holding is likely a real, unprocessed food!
Reading a Nutrition Facts Label
Another tool to help identify health promoting food choices is the nutrition facts label. Look for foods that meet the ingredient criteria (above) and are low in sodium, saturated fat and added sugar and high in fiber.
Follow this link to learn more about how to understand and use the nutrition facts label.
Recording
Class Resources
This is a general list that does not include every whole, plant-based food. Use it as a guide and starting point. See a lot of new to you foods? Start with what you know/like and consider challenging yourself to try 1-2 new foods each week.
From the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
This is a general list. Use it to generate ideas on what to stock in your pantry and add additional items that you enjoy.
From the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Sometimes, we don't have certain ingredients on hand. Use this handy tool from the Boston Medical Center to identify options for substitution!
Cookbook Recommendations
Cookbook Recommendations
Want some great recipes? Check out this carefully curated list of our team's favorite whole food, plant-forward cookbooks.
Recipes
These recipes come together in a snap when your pantry is stocked with staple ingredients.
Every recipe featured on this site has undergone review by board certified Lifestyle Medicine dietitians to ensure its nutritional value and alignment with evidence-based healthy eating principles. We do not include detailed nutrition facts to encourage inspiration, satisfaction and freedom from calorie counting.
Questions?
Contact the Lifestyle Medicine team:
lifestylemedicine@trinity-health.org
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