Nutrition & Foods: Eating for Health & Balance +Buying Guide

Remember, the key to success with this balanced eating plan is to focus on whole, minimally processed foods while prioritizing plant-based sources. By incorporating a diverse array of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, along with thoughtfully selected animal products, you’ll be well on your way to optimizing your health and well-being.

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Science

Embrace a Balanced 80/20 Plant-Based Diet for Optimal Health

Are you ready to take control of your health and well-being with a balanced, nutrient-rich diet? Join us as we explore the benefits of an 80/20 plant-based eating plan that emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods (NOVA levels 1-3). This approach to eating is not only great for your body but also promotes a more sustainable and conscientious relationship with food.

Throughout this guide, we’ll provide practical tips and recommendations for shopping at local stores like Costco and Natural Grocers in Spokane, WA, making it easy for you to incorporate these healthy eating habits into your daily life. Embracing a balanced, plant-forward diet is more accessible than you might think!

A special thanks to Precision Nutrition for the beautiful infographics! Also, thanks to Samantha Cassetty Nutrition & Wellness for the panel on 80/20 eating, and to Dr. Emily Leeming’s “Second Brain” Substack for the panel on plant diversity.

Why Eat This Way?

Modern diets are often packed with highly processed foods full of sugars, unhealthy fats, and additives that contribute to health issues like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. By focusing on whole and minimally processed foods, we can improve our metabolic health. This means our bodies can process nutrients effectively, maintain stable blood sugar levels, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Understanding the 80/20 Principle

The 80/20 principle in this context refers to the balance between plant-based and animal-based foods in your diet. Here’s a breakdown of what this means:

“What types of foods do you eat on an 80/20 plant-based diet?“

This panel’s text from: Cassetty, Samantha. “Here’s Why an 80/20 Plant-Based Diet Is the Healthiest Way to Eat.” Samantha Cassetty Nutrition & Wellness, 9 Nov. , link to post, accessed 5/18/

An 80/20 plant-based diet is a healthy mix of plant foods and other foods. Many people think of veggies when they think of plants, but you eat a much broader spectrum of foods on a balanced 80/20 plant-based diet. I think of an 80/20 plant-based diet as very similar to the Mediterranean diet in terms of the proportion of plant foods to other foods. Here are a handful of the foods you’ll eat on an 80/20 plant-based diet.

• Nuts
  • Almonds
  • Cashews
  • Walnuts
  • Pecans
  • Pistachios
  • Peanuts

• Seeds
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Hemp seeds
  • Chia seeds
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Flax seeds
  • Sesame seeds

• Whole grains
  • Oats
  • Brown rice
  • Quinoa
  • Popcorn
  • Whole wheat breads & cereals
  • Sorghum

• Fruits
  • Blueberries
  • Apples
  • Strawberries
  • Pears
  • Peaches
  • Mangoes
  • Kiwi fruit
  • Dried fruits

• Non-Starchy Veggies
  • Leafy greens
  • Asparagus
  • Kale
  • Mushrooms
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Spinach
  • Zucchini

• Starchy Veggies
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Spaghetti squash
  • Potatoes
  • Butternut squash
  • Canned pumpkin

• Pulses
  • Black beans
  • Lentils
  • Chickpeas
  • Peas
  • Kidney beans
  • Pinto beans

• Plant-based oils
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Avocado oil
  • Sesame oil
  • Walnut oil
  • Flaxseed oil

• Animal foods
  • Eggs
  • Poultry
  • Grass-fed beef
  • Seafood
  • Greek yogurt
  • Cottage cheese

What are the benefits of an 80/20 plant-based diet?

The best part about an 80/20 plant-based diet, besides the tasty food, is how it makes you feel. Here are some of the benefits you can expect:

Improve Gut and Metabolic Health: Eating a variety of plant foods boosts gut health, which in turn supports metabolic health. A diverse gut microbiome helps regulate inflammation, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.

Feel Better in Your Body and Clothes: Plant foods like pulses and whole grains support healthier weight outcomes. Studies show these foods can help with weight management.

Boost Happiness and Well-Being: A diet rich in fruits and veggies is linked to higher levels of happiness and well-being. Nutrient-rich plant foods can enhance mood and energy.

Increase Energy and Sleep Better: Good eating habits can improve your sleep quality. Diets high in fiber and low in added sugars are associated with better sleep and fewer disturbances at night.

Gain Control of Your Health and Eating Habits: Filling up on wholesome plant-based foods helps you feel satisfied and reduces cravings for unhealthy snacks. This leads to more mindful eating.

Enjoy Youthful-Looking Skin: The antioxidants and healthy fats in plant foods protect your skin from damage and help slow down aging.

“Plant diversity without mental arithmetics”

This panel’s text from: Leeming PhD., Emily “Why I’m over the ’30 different plants a week’ for gut health” Second Brain (Substack) 30 Aug. , link to post, accessed 5/18/

Eating a variety of different plants is great for our health, and makes complete rational sense that it supports our microbiome as well. Our gut bacteria like to feed on different types of fibre and polyphenols, so providing them with a range of different plant foods means that there’s a variety at their table too. Instead of counting each plant, I prefer to think diverse – you could try this:

• Buy the pre-mixed versions: pre-mixed salads, mixed frozen berries, mixed bean cans
• Avoid food waste by stocking up your store cupboard and freezer with extra plants: jarred artichokes, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, frozen veggies
• Cook extra and freeze: Whenever you make a meal, double it and have the veggies as an extra side at your next meal or another day
• Weekly shop, try something new, change it up: At the supermarket be curious about new and different foods that you don’t normally try
• Nuts and seeds snack jar: Nuts and seeds are a great snack and fantastic for your heart health too
• Think about the ‘eat the rainbow’ advice, and try and get different colours from reds to purples, greens and oranges in your day

All actions that don’t take up any more of your headspace than they need to