Plant power As the food trend heats up, more families are exploring and adopting a plant-based diet BY LORI ORLINSKY
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hat happened in Amber Burosh’s bedroom is playing out across the country in one scenario or another. Her 4-year-old daughter, Delaney, snuck in. “She was scarred for life and told me the next day she was never eating meat again,” Burosh says. Burosh was watching a documentary on food that triggered their move to plant-based eating. “She convinced her sibling to do it too, and the rest is history for our family.” This year, plant-based eating is all the rage and its popularity is predicted to continue growing for families. In fact, a new study from Nielsen reveals that 40 percent of Americans are now making an effort to eat plant-based foods, like the Burosh family. While there is no set definition of a plant-based diet, this way of eating focuses on consuming plant-derived whole foods that are unrefined and minimally processed. This means no dairy, poultry or meat products, and no artificial sugars besides what’s naturally found in fruits. The aim is to eat foods in their healthiest and most natural state. Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grains and nuts are the dietary staples. While research suggests that plant-based eating may reduce the risk of certain cancers and diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, and lead to overall weight management, many families are turning to the plant-based concept to make a lighter environmental footprint. Shifting to more plant-based foods, they feel, is essential to combating climate change, soil, air and water pollution, and other problems caused by industrial livestock production. Another reason: more families are turning to plant-based diets
