An Inside Scoop into Following a Plant-Based Diet
Emily Stynes
ANutr, REGISTERED ASSOCIATED NUTRITIONIST, MSC DIETETICS STUDENT
Plant-based diets are becoming increasingly popular and well-recognised within the UK and around the world. If you are currently following a plant-based diet already or if you are interested in learning more about them and trying them out, this is the article for you!
Here we will uncover exactly what a plant-based diet is alongside its various health benefits too. ALSO, one of our lovely Milo PT’s - Hayley Woodruff, has provided us with an inside scoop on following a plant-based vegan diet alongside her active and busy lifestyle!
It is important to note that any dietary advice on plant-based diets given should be tailored to your specific nutritional needs. When considering a vegetarian or vegan diet, any existing medical conditions or medical history should be taken into account alongside the support of a registered dietitian.
Role of Carbohydrates for Endurance Training
Carbohydrates supply a relatively quick but short supply of energy to our bodies. This is because our bodies glycogen (carbohydrate) stores are limited (3). Also, the longer or harder the exercise such as rowing, the greater the demands on your glycogen stores to provide you with energy (4).
This means that in order to enhance our performance and recovery, it is essential that we replenish our carbohydrate stores before, during and after any endurance training event (4). Research has shown that not consuming enough carbohydrates for energy can decrease your performance by up to 50% (5)!
What Exactly is a ‘Plant-Based Diet?’
A plant-based diet is a diet that provides a greater emphasis on foods that come from plants with few or no ingredients that come from animals. At its core, a plant-based diet primarily consists of fruits and vegetables, plant proteins, oils, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes (1).
‘Plant-based diets’ is an umbrella term used for various subgroups which are classified below. Although each classification differs slightly, they all have one thing in common – the avoidance of meat and poultry.
Image 1. Types of Plant-Based Diets. Adapted from Melina et al., 2016 - Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets (1).
Even within these subgroups, there are also distinct forms of being vegetarian which include:
· Lacto-ovo-vegetarian (includes eggs and dairy products)
· Ovo-vegetarian (eggs and egg products, no dairy)
· Lacto-vegetarian (includes dairy products, no egg products).
As you can see, there are an array of classifications that describe a plant-based diet. If you are considering going vegan or vegetarian for your health and/or as a lifestyle choice, it is important to remember to not get too hung up on these ‘labels’ as a reflection of how ‘healthy’ you are.
During the initial stages of starting a plant-based diet, try to focus more on the idea of increasing your consumption of plant-based foods alongside a varied and balanced diet that includes modest intakes of dairy, fish and lean meat for your health and enjoyment of food, often known as a ‘Mediterranean style diet’.
Reasons Why People Follow a More Plant-Based Lifestyle
There are many reasons as to why someone may choose to follow a plant-based diet. These include:
· Ethical/religious reasons
· Environmental considerations
· Animal welfare
· Health conscious
· Personal/lifestyle choice
Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
Eating a wide variety of plant-based foods can be a tasty, affordable and nutritious way of eating! This is because plant-based diets tend to be lower in saturated fat and higher in unsaturated fat. Also, plant-based foods are high in fibre which can support a healthy gut and keep you feeling fuller for longer whilst being lower in calories.
Research has shown that the nutritional benefits of plant-based diets as well as the increased consumption of plant-based foods are associated with a reduced risk of developing long-term diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), type 2 diabetes, cancer, hypertension and obesity (2).
Interview with Plant-Based Personal Trainer - Hayley Woodruff
So, to really get an understanding of what following a plant-based diet is like, we have interviewed one of our lovely trainers at milo - Hayley Woodruff to provide us with an overview of what she typically eats alongside her active and busy schedule!
Q. Milo: Thanks for chatting with me today Hayley! To get started, tell us how long have you been a vegan for?
A. Hayley: No problem at all Emily, happy to help! It’s been about 4 and a half years now since I have been vegan.
Q. Milo: What made you decide to follow a vegan diet?
A. Hayley: Well, I never really liked meat but I also did suffer with some gut-related problems including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). I had tried various things and diets but they didn’t seem to help with my symptoms. I did also watch the well-known documentary ‘What The Health’ and although I don’t agree with a lot of the fear mongering on it, it did make me consider my diet and the foods I was eating. Also, in terms of the looking after the environment, if I was to go back to eating meat I would feel a sense of guilt and responsibility towards our environment. Now looking back, becoming more plant-based has really helped with my gut-related symptoms. I have definitely become more health conscious since becoming a vegan too. For example, I tend to check the back of packets when out shopping etc to look out for any nasty ingredients!
Q. Milo: Wow, that is some journey to becoming a vegan! Sounds like a lot of factors have influenced your decision to follow a plant-based diet. Tell us a bit about the types of meals you eat that are plant-based at home?
A.Hayley: Well I really like tofu (I even eat it raw!). I often cook roasted vegetables as my base and I also make my own seitan which is high in protein and low in fat. I also just try to ensure that I keep my plate as colourful as possible! During the summer, I enjoy chickpea salad, butternut squash and in the Winter I like to batch cook meals like stews, curries and soups.
Q. Milo: What would be your favourite vegan meal?
A. Hayley: Mmm, that’s a tough one… I would probably have to say fried, marinated tofu flavoured with soy, ginger, chilli alongside an Asian style salad with papaya and rice which is a great staple! I also really do enjoy making my own seitan with lots of Mediterranean veg alongside a side salad.
Q. Milo: Sounds delicious! What kind of supermarkets and food products do you shop in and buy?
A. Hayley: Aldi and Lidl are great supermarkets for vegetarian and vegan products! They do a delicious soya-based, vanilla custard yoghurt which I like to add frozen berries and a scoop of protein as a dessert or snack. Co-op also have a greater plant-based range (even vegan milk chocolate cookies that are to die for!) as well as Sainsburys, Waitrose, Asda etc.
I also love the Heinz or Hellman’s version of vegan mayo which you can get in any of the bigger supermarkets. In terms of meat substitutes, Linda McCartney products are great to have handy and you can store them in your freezer too. I also feel like lots of places are stepping up their vegan range of foods and products especially brands such as ‘Taste and Glory’ and ‘Quorn’ have a great vegan/vegetarian food range! When I do go grocery shopping, as a general rule if I can’t spell the word I stay away from it!
Q. Milo: How do you find preparing home-cooked, plant-based meals with a busy and active lifestyle?
A. Hayley: I feel that it doesn’t have to be that complicated to eat well on a plant-based diet. There are so many options available now. A simple wrap with falafels, houmous and lettuce or mixing tofu with peppers and cucumber is really not that time-consuming. Following a plant-based diet is also not as expensive as it perhaps used to be or as people may think.
Q: Milo: Do you feel that turning to a more plant-based diet has made you more health conscious and knowledgeable about nutrition in general?
A.Hayley: 100% - I’ve since had an increased interest to better understand about food and nutrition when making daily food choices. But I don’t demonise other diets. I do think that you can still eat poorly and processed foods while being a vegan and that there are still ‘unhealthy’ vegans out there.
Q. Milo: Do you take any nutritional supplements?
A. Hayley: Yes I certainly do. I take B12 like everyone on a vegan diet should do since it is mostly found in animal foods. I also take vitamin D with vitamin K for bone health, especially during the winter months but also all year around. I take magnesium for muscle recovery and a daily multi-vitamin with vitamin C to for immunity.
Q. Milo: Is getting enough protein on a vegan diet ever a concern for you alongside your training?
A. Hayley: No, not at all. The idea that you can’t get enough protein on a vegan diet compared to eating animal proteins just simply isn’t true. With my higher protein needs due to my active lifestyle, I just ensure that I am increasing the amounts and variety of plant proteins in my diet. This includes tofu, soya-based foods and products, wholegrains as well as protein powdered supplements that I add into yoghurts and smoothies. Adding tofu onto high-protein, plant-based pastas such as red lentil pasta and black bean spaghetti is also a great way to get enough protein in on a plant-based diet.
Q. Milo: How do you find the vegan options when eating out?
QA. Hayley: In London I feel that the vegan options in restaurants are excellent! Maybe outside of London it gets a little bit more difficult but I find that people are very accommodating. I am also not a fussy eater so I am happy to have a simple salad or chips if need be once in a while!
Q. Milo: What would be your biggest tip for someone who is thinking of following a more plant-based diet?
A. Hayley: In regards to being a vegan anyway, veganism can be “bad” if you don’t know why you are doing it and what you are doing. It’s been an interesting journey for me learning more about becoming more plant-based. But, it is also trial and error! Do your own research or seek support like you would do with anything else. Also, don’t force yourself into foods that you don’t enjoy, try other alternatives instead and go from there.
Milo: Thanks very much Hayley!
Keep an eye out for the second milo blog series outlining the top 8 main nutritional considerations needed when following a plant-based diet for your health and training goals!
References
1. Melina V, Craig W, Levin S. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Vegetarian Diets. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. 2016 Dec;116(12):1970–80.
2. Harland J, Garton L. An update of the evidence relating to plant-based diets and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and overweight. Nutrition Bulletin. 2016;41(4):323–38.