Experts agree that the future belongs to plants. Awareness of food’s impact on the health of your body and the planet is growing and is causing more and more people to cut out or limit their consumption of animal products entirely.
Healthy plate
Nutritionists emphasize the important role of vegetables in your diet.
An important addition to the dish are moderately consumed vegetable oils, such as olive or rapeseed oil. The said tablet also emphasized the value of drinking water and physical activity.
Where to get protein
In the traditional diet, meat and dairy products are usually the main sources of protein. Meanwhile, for health reasons, nutrition experts recommend limiting the consumption of meat, especially red and meat products, such as cold cuts. So where do you get protein from a plant-based diet?
You should primarily focus on legumes, grains (such as rice, oats, millet, wheat, spelt, and rye), nuts, and seeds. Pseudo grains such as amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa, sesame seeds, chia seeds and sunflower seeds also contain proportionately high amounts of protein.
By combining various plant proteins, such as legumes with grains, you will get all the amino acids you need. It is enough to eat protein from different sources throughout the day.
Substitution, not exclusion
Plant-based diets should not be treated as sacrificial. It is more important to replace animal products with plant products, and you have plenty to choose from. The main thing is that the diet is balanced, colorful and tasty. Then it will be useful for you full of nutrients. Skillful preparation of dishes is something that can be learned.
It should be remembered that vitamin B12 supplementation is recommended in vegetarian and vegan diets. Additionally, for better absorption of iron, it is worth combining foods rich in this element with vegetables and fruits rich in vitamin C.
Food influences everything
The country’s culture still believes that children need meat and other animal products to grow. This is a popular myth. A plant-based diet can be introduced at any stage of life, and the absence of animal products does not mean poor health or reduced energy.
The best proof of this are successful professional athletes such as ultramarathoner Scott Jurek or bodybuilder Jim Morris, who emphasize that giving up animal products does not stop them from training. Against. A balanced plant-based diet is suitable for people who put in a lot of effort every day (for example, physical labor), as well as pregnant women and young children.
In addition, by preparing vegetable dishes instead of meat and dairy, we can reduce the negative impact on the environment. Industrial farming and consumption of animals are among the main drivers of the global climate crisis, accounting for at least 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Every step towards a more plant-based diet makes sense – it helps to restore the Earth’s biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save thousands of species of plants and animals.
Befriend vegetables
It is worth adjusting the classes to the age and capabilities of the young vegetable lover, but under no circumstances should you ignore his opinion or invite him to be ready. Active participation in the preparation of food gives the child the feeling that his opinion counts and satisfaction with the prepared dish is the best seasoning that will save you from whining at the table.
Let’s talk about what’s on our plate – where does food come from, how is it produced, what else can be cooked from it, – says Joanna Lotkowska. – Children are interested in the world and issues that directly concern them. This is evidenced by the huge interest in the next edition of the nationwide educational program PREPARE Better Better World, initiated by the Knorr brand, which is aimed at changing the eating habits of the smallest.
The campaign, aimed at primary school children, proves to students that even a small change on their plate has a huge impact on the environment. The campaign also shows parents and guardians that children understand a lot, even when it comes to global phenomena, they want to learn and are open to change. And where better to start them, if not in your own kitchen and dining room?
