I’m interested to hear your arguments against following a plant-based (plant-forward) diet. I don’t mean vegan or vegetarian, but essentially an omnivore diet that’s centered on whole plant foods (whole-food plant-based, WFPB) and sometimes adds animal-based and ultraprocessed foods.
I’m surprised WFPB is not more common yet. Everyone agrees that eating mostly plants is optimal for health. The healthiest eating patterns (Mediterranean, dash, vegetarian…) are all based on plants. The appeal of WFPB is that it’s not restrictive, you can eat anything overall, as long as your meals are mostly plant-based and you include a large variety of vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and legumes.
Some of the possible reasons:
- You don’t want to stop eating meat daily (either you like it / think you need it daily for nutrition)
- You don’t want to / can’t stop eating ultraprocessed foods often
- You prefer a low-carb diet (You’re persuaded carbs are bad for you (or everyone in general) so you do something like keto/LCHF. I feel this could be a common reason, but this position is losing popularity and most keto people quit it after a few months.)
- You don’t have time to plan a new diet thoroughly (learn how to do WFPB)
- You lack time to cook so you have to stick to what is convenient
- Don’t know how to cook (and few WFPB ready / takeaway meals are available)
- You don’t agree with the benefits of WHPB
- You don’t care what you eat (not true if you follow this subreddit)
Eating mostly plants is not optimal for your health and everyone does not agree this. A balanced diet with varied sources of nutrition is optimal for your health.
I don’t adopt a plant based diet because there is no reason to do so. It would be a disadvantage to remove or restrict meat. Meat is a good source of complete proteins, it is satiating and tastes great.
I ate a plant-based diet for 2 years & it wrecked havoc on my health. I was cold all the time, my hormones were out of wack, I struggled with fatigue/brain fog, and I had to opt out of family meals. I think a properly planned wfpb diet has its benefits but it is definitely not a one-size-fits-all.
I’m healthy keto because of my type two diabetes, it helps my numbers stay down. Having said that, I get to eat a lot of low carb high fiber vegetables. I eat a salad everyday for lunch, or broccoli stir fry with olive oil or brussel sprouts with olive oil. For breakfast I try to eat avocados with hummus and lemon half the time and plan yogurt the other half. And then half my dinners per week are tofu based. And I try to limit red meat and processed meat. So I think as far as keto goes I’m pretty WFPB friendly! The only issue for me is, is dietary fat or carbohydrate intake responsible for insulin resistance? That is the question for me as a type 2 diabetic
Was vegetarian for a decade, tried plant based after that… nutritionally couldn’t sustain it. Wish I didn’t need to eat animal products but the choice was that or not function. I spend a LOT of money trying to buy as ethically as possible instead.
Because animals are excellent for eating shit tons of plants and consolidating the nutrients into their meat. I also much prefer the taste and have a much easier time digesting meals where most the protein is animal based
Surprised how many people completely skipped over OPs description of a WFPB diet as being omnivorous with an emphasis on plant foods and immediately jumped to why they can’t give up meat altogether.
Reducing meat consumption from 2 to 3 meals a day (which is not uncommon on the SAD) to 3/4 meals a week and increasing consumption of pulses and legumes is a common features in the diets ranked top 4 in the 2022 overall healthiest diets list (Mediterranean, DASH, flexitarian and MIND).
To answer your question OP I am trying to embrace a WFPB diet (specifically Mediterranean) and I would say the main challenge is not so much not knowing how to cook but learning how to structure a meal that’s not centered on meat. I would assume this is common in people who grew up like me eating a standard meat & 3 veg diet where the meat was the star of the show.
I am certain I need more protein to not be in bad shape, and that amount of protein through plant sources is its own form of unhealthy.
Effectively, I’m very, very tall, and heavily plant-based diets make me thin enough that my health suffers; joints hurt, connective tissue fails, I take damage, and I don’t heal well, plus I’m usually sick.
Weightlifting, protein, and as many vegetable calorie sources as I can find after those first two; that’s what’s kept me healthy.
In one word? Protein
Complex version. Plant based diet is nearly impossible to achieve your macro and micro nutritional goals. You miss out on the loads of vitamins your body needs unless you’re eating damn near perfectly and even then you will still likely need to supplement.
They’ve also discovered that plant-based protein is not a complete protein ( i think there’s like an exception or 2 but the vast majority aren’t) meaning even if it’s the same amount in grams compared to animal base protein it doesn’t have the same amino acids your body needs.
I was speaking in terms of a regular person trying to achieve the 2000 calorie diet and getting efficient macros and micros. Now take an athlete such as myself who needs almost double the protein the average person needs, The amount of supplementation and sheer volume of food I would need to consume to meet my micro and macro nutritional needs would be absolutely absurd.
Not everyone agrees eating mostly plants is optimal for health. Our species evolved eating mostly whole animal foods. Egypt is an excellent example they developed agriculture and seed oils and the archeological records show they suffered from heart disease.
Plants are full of defense chemicals and most of the nutrients are locked inside those defense chemicals and indigestible fiber.
There is no macronutrient requirement for carbohydrates. But there is a requirement for protein and fat. Animals provide complete proteins in the most bioavailable form. The fats from animals are an appropriate ration between saturated and unsaturated.
Why haven’t more people adopted a whole food plant based diet? Because it’s not what our species evolved to thrive on.
For me the meat is the core of every meal. I’m always looking to hit a protein goal for the day. No breakfast, protein shake after gym, maybe tuna or chicken sandwich for lunch, then steak, eggs, and broccoli for dinner a lot of the time.
Outside of the broccoli the only plant-based food I eat regularly is apples and mandarins.
I put fibre powder and multivitamins in my protein shake. The fibre has made a big difference to my guts so its def needed if you’re not eating enough natural green fibre.
Also I hate eating huge salads, I find them incredibly unsatisfying.
Overall my diet probably isn’t the healthiest but my caloric intake is where it needs to be and I’ve been in good shape my whole adult life (mid 30s now so early days I know). I have had people who are not in such good shape pass comment on my diet while they munch down a big salad and I just keep my comments to myself…
Histamine intolerance/MCAS. My severe environmental allergies did not evolve/manifest as food intolerances until I switched to about 90% plant based. I believe it was already in motion, not due to the diet, but nevertheless many plant based foods give me full body itching and asthma. I do eat many plant based things but can’t seem to replace meat with soy. I absolutely love soy based meat but after 2 months of MCAS it was apparent it worsens my asthma. I know there are other replacements but even soy was significantly more expensive than the moderate amount of turkey, chicken, and salmon. I imagine the more niche replacements are even more expensive. I have a super fast metabolism and have to eat so much to break even. I eat much less meat nowadays.
As you said, it’s not restrictive.That would be the top reason for me, and the top reason I recommend to my patients (I’m a registered dietitian and work with eating disorders/disordered eating/intuitive eating).
More specifically:-you have the flexibility to eat whatever you want. Feel like eating a veggie/vegan meal? Go for it. Your family is hosting a steak dinner? No problem-restaurants and travelling - you get to try the local specialties wherever you are. Comes back to the flexibility thing. Food is a big part of the travel experience for me - can’t imagine not having a bratwurst in Germany or cheese in France or lobster on the East Coast. -animal-source foods are nutrient dense -in general meat is great for protein, iron, zinc; dairy for protein and calcium; fish for protein and omega 3s. There are many more specific examples for certain species and nutrients.
Vegan/vegetarian diets aren’t automatically healthier. Diets containing animal-source foods aren’t inherently unhealthy either. It’s not a black or white thing, there’s a lot of nuance.
On the environmental piece: yes, animal-source foods have a higher carbon footprint, contribute more greenhouse gas emissions, require more energy water and land…generally speaking plant-based diets are better for the planet. But there are examples where rearing animals is an excellent use of the land, for example in hilly areas or on certain soil types where crops would be impossible to grow but animals can graze just fine (thinking of cows in alpine meadows for example). So again it’s just not straightforward. There are ways to source meat, fish and seafood in more environmentally-friendly and ethical ways. I think it’s great to get people to think more plant-forward, but I don’t see humanity giving up meat altogether. Food is also about culture, history and tradition and for all of history humans have eaten animal-source foods. In general smaller animals have a lesser environmental impact (think chicken vs beef, small fish like sardines or herring vs tuna).
But if the whole environmental piece adds too much stress to your food choices then put that aside and eat what you like. You can make efforts elsewhere to lessen your environmental impact (reducing the amount of waste you generate, or taking public transit instead of driving for example.)
Haven’t touched on the animal welfare piece but I feel that depends on how you personally feel about eating animals. It just comes down to a personal decision, and that’s for every individual to evaluate for themselves.
Hope this answers your question :)
I essentially eat this way but I still have small servings of meat each day (2-4 ounce portions). However, almost never processed meat and I limit my red meat intake to less than 3 servings a week (less than 18 oz a week). I do tofu some nights instead too. Seafood alot, poultry toozBesides that my diets heavily based in alot of servings if vegetables and fruits, legumes and rice and potatoes.I enjoy a few snacks that I wouldnt say are “ultra processed” but coconut milk ice cream or dark chocolate etc.
I have not read any compelling evidence that giving up meat in and of itself is necessary for health. Giving up red meat, high fat cuts of meat and processed meat, yes!Poultry and fish? No. Especially if its not types with high mercury.
I have always had meat in my diet and as someone whose very active, I feel like it is a very solid protein source for me that I enjoy cooking with.It is easier to get enough complete protein in smaller servings with meat. And you get B vitamins, iron, zinc etc. is bioavailable forms and decent amounts.I dont see myself changing that but Im always open to having tofu nights or keeping my portions of meat relatively small.
Fat from animal sources like eggs, meat and dairy are underrated. They double the heart felt satisfaction of having had food. And makes one feel content. Of course this need to be in moderation on top of some whole food plant based or otherwise.
Eg:butter+ coffee, olive oil+ eggs + salad, egg omlet with cheese. The satisfaction of having this kind of meal is on another level however little fat you may add. Otherwise plant based food is boring.
I tried plant-based for a year after having eaten a reasonably healthy omnivore diet for most of my life. I basically ate vegetables and pooped all the time, and gained significant belly fat for the first time in my life (I think due to constantly spiking my insulin with carb-heavy meals). I would always be hungry just two or three hours after eating my previous meal.
I now eat a low carb diet with lots of low carb vegetables, high in fat and protein, much of it from animals. I try to get plenty of fiber. I feel pretty good and I’ve lost some weight. I can do a fast day now and then with ease, since I’m fairly well adapted to burning fat for fuel.