How to Stay Healthy and Live Longer With a Plant-Rich Diet
Plants contain powerful compounds that protect us from a plethora of diseases and conditions. So let's eat more of them.
There's a quote I love from Michael Pollan's 2009 book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto.
To address the question of how we should eat in order to stay healthy, Pollan cuts through the nutritional noise by offering seven words of wisdom:
"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."
When you get down to it, the key to human nutrition and health could be boiled down to a single sentence. Consume a wide variety of plants on a regular basis.
Let's Just Call It a ‘Plant-Rich Diet,’ Okay?
You've probably heard the phrase "plant-based diet" before. This term tends to confuse people because there's no standard definition for it. It's vague and hard to pin down.
According to an article in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition:
Some definitions of 'plant-based diet' exclude all animal products while others emphasize that plant-based eating patterns 'maximize consumption of nutrient-dense plant foods while minimizing processed foods, oils, and animal foods.'
Similarly, the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas states the following:
Eating plant-based does not mean you can't eat meat. It means your meals are mostly plants: vegetables, whole grains and fruits. Beans, seeds and nuts are also included. Fill two-thirds of your plate with these plant-based foods. The remaining one-third should be a lean protein like chicken or fish, or a plant protein like tofu or beans.
So it might be helpful to put aside the conflicting definitions of a "plant-based diet" and simply think of it as a "plant-rich" or "plant-heavy" diet.
With this dietary approach, a person consumes plants in abundance and meat in moderation.
The Many Health Benefits of Consuming Plants
An entire book could be written about the health benefits provided by edible plants. But for the most part, it comes down to two things:
Dietary plants deliver things that help our bodies (like vitamins and antioxidants), while protecting us from things that harm our bodies (like free radicals and inflammation).
Most plants are packed with antioxidants, which we covered in the last issue. Antioxidants help our bodies neutralize free radicals, thereby reducing oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress is a major factor that contributes to the aging process and age-related diseases. It can cause damage to our cells and tissues over time. So anything we can do to reduce oxidative stress can help us live longer, healthier lives.
Here are some of the well-documented health benefits offered by specific plants.
Garlic: Has been shown to lower blood pressure in hypertensive subjects.
Green Tea: Can reduce inflammation and oxidative damage.
Blueberries: Have been found to improve memory and cognitive function.
Turmeric: Contains curcumin, which has been shown to reduce inflammation and joint pain in people with arthritis.
Broccoli: Has been linked to a reduced risk of cancer due to its high levels of sulforaphane.
Spinach: Rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, which support eye health and may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.
Tomatoes: High in lycopene, which has been associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.
Almonds: Can improve cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Cranberries: Effective in preventing urinary tract infections.
Flaxseeds: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation and support heart health.
Ginger: Shown to reduce nausea and improve digestion.
Oats: Contain beta-glucan, which can lower cholesterol levels and improve heart health.
Soybeans: Associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer and can improve bone health.
Kale: High in vitamins A, C, and K, supporting overall immune function and bone health.
Beets: Have been shown to improve athletic performance and lower blood pressure.
This list only scratches the surface. The bottom line is that a plant-heavy diet gives you extra protection from a wide range of health problems and diseases, up to and including cancer.
In closing, I leave you with a quote from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine:
"Research indicates that a plant-based diet is the cornerstone of healthy longevity and potentially the most important prescriptive tool to help patients achieve a longer life and better quality of life as they age."
How’s that for motivation?