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We can be vegan for ethics AND take care of our health. My hope is that plant-based becomes much more than a buzzword and that we eventually embrace its true meaning.
Plant-Based is the new buzzword, it’s everywhere lately, not only with food
but also in household products like laundry detergent and men’s body wash.
My Instagram feed is ablaze with flashy headlines about Impossible Nuggets
and the McPlant finally making its U.S. debut.
I went vegan in 2016, and the amount of vegan and plant-based food products
that have since emerged is astounding. This market growth is music to the
vegan community’s ears because more McPlants means less McChickens and
spares more animal lives every day. Maybe these new products are the little
push someone needs to go vegan, making the potential for a more plant-based
world incredibly exciting.
But what is the real driver behind all this buzz? Will plant-based be
another diet trend or will it evolve to what it needs to become—a food
revolution that saves our planet and health?
As a recovered chronic dieter-turned-nutritionist (a.k.a. forever food label
reader), I’ve seen a lot of marketing buzz words. As public awareness grows
about a certain diet or healthful nutrient, the food industry jumps in to
capitalize on the trend. Maybe you remember the popularity of Fiber One
products about a decade ago, or more recently, the high-fat trend showcasing
Bulletproof coffee. Although it’s awesome #plantbased is trending, we must
be aware that most companies are slapping this phrase on everything to sell
products, not to save animals or improve our health.
Not too long ago, vegan treats were limited to sorbet, French fries, and
Oreos. Now, with many more plant-based food products, it’s very easy to eat
a highly processed, yet although animal-free, diet. New vegans and anyone
open to a plant-based diet must learn that there is a big nutritional
difference between an Impossible Burger and a homemade black bean burger.
A plant-based diet is one that includes mostly, if not all, foods derived
from plants. This includes vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts and
seeds. If you extend this definition to whole food, plant-based, then we are
talking about foods that are unprocessed or minimally processed. It seems
that the food industry has taken the liberty of reforming plant-based to
mean “does not include animal products,” which is essentially vegan, but
they don’t want to label it as such (that’s another topic altogether). As
much as we want to believe otherwise, just because a food is vegan doesn’t
mean it’s healthy.
If we don’t hold strong onto what eating plant-based really means and why
it’s important, we will not come out healthier from this trend, despite what
we are persuaded. And companies selling plant-based products continue to
profit without having to lean into vegan values.
Choosing to go vegan or eat plant-based is about saving animals, the planet,
and improving public health. Let’s support companies and products who care
about the same things we do. We can get excited about new plant-based fun
foods while eating mostly whole foods. We can be vegan for ethics AND take
care of our health. My hope is that plant-based becomes much more than a
buzzword and that we eventually embrace its true meaning.
Jaré Cervantes is a Nutrition Coach and Main Street Vegan Academy Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator who specializes in plant-based nutrition, meal planning, and body re-composition. She operates Heroic Strength with her husband Saul, a personal trainer, helping people build healthier habits so they can look and feel their best. You can follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for high-protein plant-based recipes, awesome workouts, and adventures around Los Angeles.
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