My Interpretation of Plant Based Eating

12 Apr

The term ‘eating plant based’ continues to gain popularity. But what does it actually mean?
I have been wanting to share this article after being ‘food shamed’ on Instagram for eating meat! This really bugged me… and I wanted to share how I approach my food and my take on eating plant based.

What is a Plant Based Diet?
“A plant-based diet or a plant-rich diet is a diet consisting mostly or entirely of plant-based foods. Plant-based foods are foods derived from plants with no animal-source foods. While a plant-based diet avoids or has limited animal products, it is not necessarily vegan.” (wiki)

How I Approach my Plate
For me, I choose to look at eating plant based as a base.
By this I mean, plants are the hero of my dish and I focus on including an abundance and variety.
However, this does not exclude meat or animal products from my diet.
Personally, my body feels best when I include meat and animal products.

I do, however, focus on moderation and quality over quantity, which is something I will discuss more below.

So, instead of meat being the star on the dish.. my veggies are! I’ll have veggies with a side of steak please! Not the other way around. This switch in roles ensures that I consume an abundance of nourishing plants to support my health.

Ethics of Eating Meat
This is a sensitive topic as I’m sure everyone has experienced in one way or another some very passionate advocates for not eating meat. First of all, I want to say that I completely support anyone’s personal decisions for eating or not eating meat.

I recently read an eye opening book called “On Eating Meat” by Mathew Evans where he thoroughly discusses the ethics of eating meat and its production. He provides the big picture: the ecology of farming, the contradictions and different approaches that can lead to effective sustainability.

Here’s some snippets that I highlighted:

“Is the cotton in my T-shirt doing more harm than wool in the broader sense? Does wearing plastic shoes have a longer-term effect on more animals than wearing leather? Just how many mice did die to grow those lentils, and did the airport you just flew out of cull birds to protect the planes – and if so, does flying mean you’re morally responsible for at least some of the deaths?”

“Equal rights means that we humans should be able to hunt, outwit, incarcerate and predate other animals, just as other animals do in nature, without individual consequence. Why should humans be the odd one out in this scenario?”

“What matters isn’t that you or I eat meat, but rather how those animals live and just as importantly, die”

I highly recommend you read this book as a meat eater or non-meat eater. It really does provide a wide perspective on the “complexity of social constructs, ecosystem harmony and commercial reality”. More importantly, it provides actionable alternatives to promote a change in market demand to positively affect the health of the world.

Buying Protein
As I mentioned before, making plants the basis of your diet will do wonders for your health. Eat meat in moderation and focus on quality over quantity.
I like to know where my meat comes from, so I buy from locals farms through markets & butcher shops. The meat is always pasture-raised (grass-fed), organic if possible (it can be difficult and costly for small farms to become certified.. which is why it is important to know where the meat comes from to have an understanding of their approach). Poultry & eggs I opt for organic & free-range. And choose wild caught fish too!

I have issues with fake alternative meats due to the monocrops and the contradiction involved. Plus, the unnatural use of chemicals and additives in these products. So, when I am eating vegetarian protein sources, I opt for natural options such as tofu, tempeh, legumes, lentils, chickpeas & seeds.

I hear many consumers say, “I can’t afford organic, grass-fed etc”. But the reality is, the majority of consumers can eat that way… if they eat less meat. Eating meat at every meal is hugely expensive. Replace some of those meals with much cheaper vegetarian protein sources and instead buy better quality meat, eating it less often! I bet you may even save money with this approach!

You do You!
I have nothing against others eating meat/not eating meat. I’m all for eating how you feel best aligns with you. However, I don’t appreciate people trying to persuade and put down others for their own dietary choices. You do you. I don’t like diet labelling and I don’t promote fitting into a strict diet criteria. I encourage eating intuitively for your body as close to nature as possible.

Has this made you view ‘plant based’ diets slightly differently now?