Healthier Path To The Modern Plant Based Diet

By Cheryl Fagras

Plant based diets have been all the rage, especially in the last decade. For many different reasons, people have made the choice to ditch animal based products for plant based ones.

As so many people are choosing to eat plant based, for whatever reason, here are some guidelines to help ensure it is healthier.

• Try to eat fruits and vegetables that are organic. The official green and white organic symbol sometimes means something and other times it does not. It is best to find food as local as possible, ideally buying it from a locally known farmer. This can be done by either buying directly from the farm, at a farmer’s market, or from the local co-op.  Another option is for people to grow their own food. Synthetic chemicals are proven to be harmful to humans, animals and the environment. Also much of the commercially grown organic produce is nutrient deficient. These things do matter.

• Don’t be fooled by new foods being called “plant based”. These new products are created using biotechnology, gene editing, 3D printed DNA, (DNA that is not found in nature), genetically modified yeast and artificial intelligence. It is far from natural or healthy. Global food giants and chemical companies are well aware of food trends are capitalizing on them.

• Be aware that the non GMO labels do not cover foods made from plants or plants themselves that have been genetically altered using CRISPR technology. It has been approved for use in food labeled as organic by the USDA. Many call it GMO part 2. There have been no safety studies done to determine how eating this unnatural food affects animals or humans. Companies utilizing CRISPR technology include Bayer (Monsanto), Syngenta and DowDupont. There is also the unanswered question of how it will affect the ecosystem.

•  Many will say eating a plant based diet is healthier. Well, that depends on what ones diet actually consists of. Processed foods, candy and pastries do not come from animals but that doesn’t mean these things should be included in a plant based diet. Drinking soda pop, alcohol, or coffee drinks heavily infused with natural or artificial sweeteners will do your body no favors, plant based diet or not.  Consuming synthetic or processed foods or beverages burden your body and hinder health. 

So go forth and create your best healthier version of a plant based diet.