There is no clear definition of a what constitutes a whole-foods, plant-based diet (WFPB diet). The WFPB diet is not necessarily a set diet — it’s more of a lifestyle. This is because plant-based diets can vary greatly depending on the extent to which a person includes animal products in their diet.

Nonetheless, the basic principles of a whole-foods, plant-based diet are as follows:
- Emphasizes whole, minimally processed foods.
- Limits or avoids animal products.
- Focuses on plants, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts, which should make up the majority of what you eat.

- Excludes refined foods, like added sugars, white flour and processed oils.
- Pays special attention to food quality, with many proponents of the WFPB diet promoting locally sourced, organic food whenever possible.

The WFPB diet is more flexible than other vegan diets. Because the diet involves a change in lifestyle, its best to gradually work your way into a WFPB diet.

Basic Principles Of A Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet

- Emphasize on whole, minimally processed foods.

- Limit or avoids animal products.

- Focuse on eating all food groups like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts.
- Exclude refined foods, like added sugars, white flour and processed oils.

- Pay special attention to food quality, with many proponents of the WFPB diet promoting locally sourced, organic food whenever possible.

Benefits of a Whole Food Plant Based diet

It Benefits a Number of Health Conditions

Whole-food diets have a higher number of plant compounds and antioxidants, which may reduce your risk of developing heart disease, certain cancers, cognitive decline and diabetes.

Plant-based diets have been shown to improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. It can help you lose weight and improve your health. Making dietary and lifestyle changes can have a lasting impact on health.

A WFPB Diet Is Good for the Planet

Switching to a plant-based diet not only benefits your health — it can help protect the environment, as well. People who follow plant-based diets tend to have smaller environmental footprints.

Adopting sustainable eating habits can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and land used for factory farming, which are all factors in global warming and environmental degradation.

Plant-based diets emphasizing local ingredients are more environmentally friendly than diets that rely heavily on mass-produced animal products and produce.

Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet Food List

What You Should Eat

Legumes
Lentils, beans, and chickpeas
Whole grains
Quinoa, wheat, oats, farro and more

Seeds
Chia, flax, sunflower & pumpkin seeds
Nuts and nut butters
Look for natural nut butters with just two ingredients
Fruits and vegetables
Fresh produce

Fats
Like olives, olive oil and avocados

What You Shouldn't Eat

Dairy Meat and poultry
Cheese, butter, milk chicken and meats

Processed animal meats

Ham, sausages, bacon etc
Refined grains such as “white” foods
white pasta, rice, and bread

Sweets & sweetened beverages,
Such as soda, and fruit juice

Processed snack food
Like chips and fried savoury snacks

Raw Vs Cooked Food

The whole point of a raw food plant based diet is to get more raw food in your diet. Cooking food destroys many of the temperature sensitive nutrients like certain kinds of vitamins. So try to cook your meals as minimally as possible.

Don’t restrict yourself to fruits and greens that you can eat raw. Just try to cook it to the bare minimum possible. Try to maximise the amount of food you eat raw. Fruits are your friends.

Especially once you start incorporating more fruits into your diet, health benefits aside, you will wonder how you ever lived without fruits in your life. A plethora of textures with these delicious flavour bombs is something that everybody good use a healthy supply of.

Is Organic Food Important?

The biggest argument in favor of organic food is the lack of pesticide residues in the produce. These have been known to cause many short and long term health issues. The problem with non-organic produce in a Whole Food Plant Based Diet is the focus on consuming raw food.

The cooking process may destroy or wash away the residues to some extent but with raw food, there is only so much you can clean it. Logically speaking, this is the biggest reason to consider organic produce if you want to follow a WFPB diet.

Beginners Guide To A
Whole Food Plant Based Diet

Basic Principles Of A Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet