It is the newest term in the practicing vegan revolution, Plant-Forward diet.
A plant-forward diet is about the movement towards including more plant-based foods and fewer animal ones in your everyday eating. While vegetarians (those who may consume dairy products and or eggs) or vegans (those who eat no animal products at all) would be included in this eating style, plant-forward eating doesn’t mean you need to shun meat entirely. It’s really about going for an increased number of meatless meals while filling your plate with more whole plant foods such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables along with pulses, such as lentils and chick peas, and nuts and seeds.
This is what we are trying to accomplish with The Practicing Vegan. We are working to get people to TRY, ATTEMPT, GIVE IT A SHOT- to eat Vegan. Baby steps like Meatless Mondays, Tofurkey Tuesdays?? There are so many products out there today that will help you have the taste of meat without eating the animal. This is better for your health, the environment and the world. You can find a list of our favorite products here.
College Campuses:
We are also working to get more and better Plant-based, Plant-forward and Vegan options onto college campuses. Our campus, The University of Hartford is fortunate to have
Aramark, our food service vendor, on our side. UHart Dining Services have taken great strides to create quality, vegan meals for our students, faculty and staff. They host a Vegan Lunch each Thursday, where they try new recipes and take suggestions from students and it is absolutely FREE!
Colleges are getting on board in staggering numbers this year. More than 1,400 four-year colleges and universities found that the number of available vegan options is at an all-time high.
The most dramatic increase was the number of schools with dedicated vegan dining stations, which more than doubled, rising from 132 to 274 schools. Roughly 70 percent of all schools now have at least one vegan option available every single day, a nearly 10 percent increase over last year.
But choosing more plant-based options is not just for personal health. A plant-forward diet supplies benefits for planetary health as well, an issue that certainly affects our future. And as our college students will be leading our future, it is with them we will advance this cause.
Consider that livestock production is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gases and climate change. Cattle not only use tremendous amounts of fresh water, but their manure also increases water pollution due to various unwanted compounds, including nitrogen, phosphate and illness-causing bacteria, seeping into ground water. Plants such as pulses, on the other hand, have a low carbon footprint and use just one-tenth to half of the water of other proteins. They also promote sustainability as they enrich the soil they’re grown in.
That said, healthful diets all have one thing in common: lots of plants. Plant foods — starchy and non-starchy vegetables, fruit, whole grains, pulses (beans and lentils), nuts and seeds — are rich in the fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that we need for good health.
New research from leading market intelligence agency Mintel on healthy diet habits in the U.S. finds that more than half of Americans are actively seeking meatless protein sources as part of their healthy living goals.
Gina Cavato, Lifestyles and Leisure Analyst at Mintel, said in a statement.
“With more protein-rich options, we expect to see consumers continue to turn to non-meat options for their protein nutrients, especially if they are cheaper and more accessible.”
The vegan diet leads 2018 as the top diet choice, with record-setting Veganuary signups, and plant-based foods topping numerous diet predictions for the year ahead.
Only a few more days left in January, why not sign up for Veganuary and give it a try!
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