What is plant-based eating?

This article is the responsibility of Compal

Whether for health reasons, environmental concerns, respect for animal life, religious beliefs, or even economic reasons, more and more people are opting for a plant-based diet, centered around plant-based foods. This is a growing trend, with 11.9% of the adult population in Portugal having already adopted this type of diet.

different diets plant baseddifferent quotes

Some argue that the concept of a plant-based diet should exclude animal products. However, the broader view is that the focus is on plant-based products, which may or may not be supplemented by other animal-based foods. So there are different types of diets. plant based –according to the needs or commitments of those who adopt this style of eating– which more or less exclude products of animal origin. Are they:

• Vegan or strict vegetarian – excludes all products of animal origin, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy products (such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter), and honey;
• Vegetarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian – excludes animal products such as meat and fish, but includes eggs and dairy products;
• lacto vegetarian – excludes animal products such as meat, fish and eggs, but includes dairy products;
• ovo vegetarian – excludes animal products such as meat, fish and dairy products, but includes eggs;
• piscitary – excludes meat, but includes fish, eggs and dairy products;
• flexitarian – the diet is predominantly based on products of plant origin, but occasionally or in small amounts includes products of animal origin.

Discover several vegan recipes!

This is a trend that is justified, since there are strong fundamentals that support it:

• Environment: a plant-based diet generally allows for lower greenhouse gas emissions, less use of land for pasture and crops, and water, and also promotes the prevention of biodiversity loss;
• Access to food: with existing farmland, it is only possible to feed the world’s growing population a nutritious diet if we see a widespread shift towards diets plant based;
• Nutrition and health: this type of diet, when implemented well, appears to be protective against coronary heart disease, reduces the risk of cancer, and is associated with lower risks of obesity and diabetes.

What products stand out in a plant-based diet?

More than simply reinforcing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, legumes, cereals or fruits and oilseeds, diets plant based they seek to make their diet more and more complete and diversified.

The more restrictive a diet is in terms of animal products, the greater the search for nutrient balance. In this search, legumes are a strong ally due to their richness and nutritional quality (not forgetting their lower environmental impact), given their composition of carbohydrates, fiber, phytochemicals and proteins. But also in food. plant basedvariety is important.

Regarding protein, in Portugal the consumption of food sources of this nutrient exceeds the recommendations by 13%. That said, it is important to change the paradigm and bet more on quality and not so much on quantity. And how can this be done?

A plant-based diet mainly includes foods whose protein sources are of low biological value, compared to protein sources of animal origin. For example, legumes, despite being excellent vegetable sources of protein, are incomplete in the variety and amount of amino acids they provide. However, this difficulty can be overcome by eating a varied diet:

• which includes different plant sources of protein, such as legumes, whole grains, seeds and nuts;
• which contemplates the inclusion of plant foods that provide complete proteins, such as soybeans, quinoa and amaranth;
• that promotes “smart” combinations, such as legumes with cereals, such as beans and rice or cereals with pasta, so that they provide all the essential amino acids.

Discover different recipes with chickpeas!

Health improves with food plant based

Adopting a plant-based diet appears to have a wide range of health benefits. From helping to control weight and prevent disease to improving physical and mental well-being, investing in these types of diets has results, as mentioned above in the “Nutrition and Health” rationale.

the importance of the Mediterranean diet

Without denying the consumption of meat, fish, dairy products and other foods of animal origin, the Mediterranean Diet turns out to be an example of how a diet based on products of vegetable origin is advantageous for the human organism. Highly focused on fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and the search to adapt both meals and ingredients to the availability of seasons and regions, the versatility and diversity of this eating pattern leads to the consumption of high levels of protein, vitamins, and others. nutrients adequate to the needs.

In addition, the use of aromatic herbs and other ingredients that enhance the flavor of recipes helps reduce salt consumption, another direct health benefit. For all these reasons and others in the social, cultural or productive agricultural field, the Mediterranean Diet ended up being considered by the UN Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, in December 2013, after the candidacy of Portugal, Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece , Italy and Morocco.

How to switch to a feed plant based?

Normally, it is not necessary to radically change your lifestyle to start having a more plant-based diet. It is enough to reduce the consumption of meat and fish, trying to progressively replace these protein sources with other foods that maintain nutritional balance.

In addition, you must also:

1. Focus on vegetables and eat them in abundance, starting your main meals with a soup and filling half the plate with vegetables and legumes;

2. Increase the number of vegetarian meals throughout the week. These, in addition to including vegetables, must be based on legumes (such as beans, chickpeas or peas) and cereals (such as wholemeal or mixed bread, rice, pasta and wholemeal couscous);

3. Increase your fruit intake and eat at least 3-5 servings per day;

4. Include oilseeds and seeds in your snacks and recipes;

5. Favor the use of unsaturated fats, such as olive oil.

Remember: a diet plant based It’s not just about consuming more plant-based products. A balanced and varied diet should always continue to be favored. Therefore, even if they are of plant origin, you should limit the consumption of foods and drinks with a high content of fat, sugar and salt.

Portugal is rich in healthy recipes and sustainable ingredients, produced with care and that do not need thousands of kilometers to reach our doorstep. For example, the tomato, one of the symbols of the Mediterranean Diet, is an ingredient that can be present on the Portuguese table from the first course to dessert, including the glass of drink. This is attested by the different Compal versions available, including the most recent Gaspacho, by Henrique Sá Pessoa, which adds strawberries to tomato and other vegetables.

Do not forget: legumes should be part of your eating routine, and the Compal da Horta range can be an ally through its practical canned beans, cereals and peas.

As we have seen, if you adopt the principles of a diet as typically ours as the Mediterranean Diet, you will already be effectively adopting the principles of plant based in your everyday life.

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