What do we mean by plant based diet?
We mean foods containing plant sterols and stanols such as vegetables (all varieties), pulses e.g. peas, beans (haricot, cannellini, butter beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, black-eyed, adzuki), lentils, nuts, soya, tofu and fortified plant based spreads: (benecol/bertoli/olivio/danone/minicol/reducol) and drinks including milks such as almond, cashew and coconut milk.
Plant based foods provide a plethora of vitamins and minerals including Vit C, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Selenium and cholesterol lowering fibre. They work by preventing absorption of cholesterol in the gut and by reducing the inflammatory process of atherosclerosis (fatty plaques that occlude the flow of oxygenated blood around the arteries; thus increasing risk of Stroke, Myocardial Infarction, Coronary Heart Disease)
Further evidence suggests that 25g of soya per day can help Low Density Lipoprotein (Bad Cholesterol) clearance by preventing cholesterol synthesis and release of apoB lipoproteins (used to make LDL) from the liver. Moreover Soya is now linked with helping reduce hot flushes during the menopause.
Ultimately Plant based foods are very filling thus keeping us fuller for longer and help to keep blood sugars stable thus prevent snacking throughout the day.
Substituting some of the saturated animal fats we eat with unsaturated plant based foods is a great step forward in helping prevent or manage various public health diseases such as Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes and Cancers.
Why not add a little more plant power to your festive season?
Add a tin of butter beans to your soup or casseroles…..or any beans will do really.
Nut Roast recipe
Try our Quickie plant protein packed winter warming nut roast followed with a healthy bowl of stewed apples and cinnamon covered in layers of thick natural soya yogurt of soya custard….a healthier alternative to a stodgy, fatty pudding this Christmas season.
Ingredients
- 2 slices of granary/seeded bread, (made into bread crumbs)
- A few good handfuls of crushed mixed natural nuts (any type!)
- 3 mushrooms
- 1 chopped carrot
- half a courgette
- (or a good handful of your favourite veg)
- a can of baked beans
- 2sp of herbs, (e.g rosemary and thyme)
- 1/2 tbsp of olive oil
- Salt and pepper to season
Method
- Cut up your carrot in small bits and boil until soft. While doing this make your bread crumbs, either by hand or a blender and chop the mushrooms and courgette into small bits (they will cook in the oven)
- Mix the chopped veg and boiled carrots in a bowl, add the mixed nuts and baked beans, mix well.
- Put the mixture into a loaf tin, (remember to grease the tin first)
Set the oven to about 200°c. Put into the oven for 40 to 50 minutes.
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