FOOD IS THE
SOLUTION WHAT TO EAT TO SAVE THE WORLD 80+ RECIPES FOR A GREENER PLANET AND A HEALTHIER YOU
M AT T H E W P R E S COT T Foreword by Academy Award–winning director James Cameron
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CONTENTS FOREWORD by James Cameron . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x
INTRODUCTION Food Is the Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
PART ONE:
OUR PLANET Earth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Air . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Fire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
PART TWO:
OUR PLATES Breakfast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Soups, Stews, Salads, and Sandwiches . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Main Dishes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141 Sides and Extras . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187 Desserts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217 Shopping for a Better World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 257 Citations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
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BETTER YOU, BETTER WORLD MICHAEL GREGER, MD, FACLM
At sixty-five, my grandmother was given a medical death sentence. Suffering from end-stage heart disease, wheelchair-bound, and out of surgical heart bypass options, her life was basically over. Then she heard about Nathan Pritikin. Born in 1915, Pritikin was an inventor, nutritionist, and longevity researcher—one of our country’s earliest “lifestyle medicine” pioneers. At forty-two, after being diagnosed with heart disease himself, Pritikin began his search for treatment, eventually publishing his findings in his (now renowned) book The Pritikin Diet, and later opening the Pritikin Longevity Center, offering diet and lifestyle coaching with the goal of preventing and reversing disease. So when my grandmother, nearly on death’s door, heard of Pritikin, she reached out, eventually coming to follow his program. So what exactly was Pritikin’s plan? His extensive research centered primarily on a low-fat, plant-based diet rich in fruits and veggies, beans, nuts, legumes, and whole grains. Just as we now know that eating more plant-based foods plays a critical role in preventing and reversing environmental catastrophes, we also know plant-based diets can play a central role in overall health and wellness by preventing and reversing many of the diseases that plague us most. Topping the list for the leading cause of disability and death in the U.S. is heart disease: America’s number-one killer and the same disease that caused my grandmother to reach out to Nathan Pritikin. And high cholesterol levels are thought to be a primary cause of this leading killer.
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This may help explain why a plant-based diet, which is free of cholesterol and saturated animal fats, has been so successful in preventing and treating the disease. Indeed, plant-based diets are the only type of diets ever proven not only to help prevent heart disease but also to reverse it in the majority of patients. Following heart disease is cancer, America’s number-two killer. Here, too, the balance of evidence suggests that a whole-foods, plant-based diet may help prevent, treat, slow, and in some cases even reverse cancer progression. As the American Institute for Cancer Research concludes, “The research shows one thing very clearly: we all need to eat more plants and less meat.” Some reasons why plant-based diets may be so effective include lowering cancer-promoting growth hormone levels, methionine intake, inhibiting angiogenesis, intercepting carcinogens, and increasing fiber and antioxidants. Additionally, eating lots of fruits and vegetables (e.g., nine daily servings) may boost detoxifying enzymes, lower inflammation, and make for healthier bowel movements, ridding the body of excess estrogen and cholesterol. It’s no wonder populations eating diets centered on whole plant foods have lower cancer rates. Another major health threat here in the United States is diabetes. And, as is the case with heart disease and cancer, plant-based diets may successfully prevent, treat, and even reverse type 2 diabetes—including in children. Excluding meat, milk, and other animal products may reduce the risk of diabetes and gestational diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity, boosting hormone-binding
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proteins, helping to prevent obesity, and reducing exposure to heme iron, dioxins, and PCBs. Eggs may be particularly risky: eating only one egg a week is associated with nearly double the odds of getting diabetes. And fish, especially salmon, is one of the primary sources of PCBs and other industrial toxins, which may also play a role in the development of diabetes. On the other hand, many plant-based foods appear to be protective. Beans may be especially beneficial when replacing meat or refined carbs, such as white rice. By eating plant-based and living a healthy lifestyle, up to 95 percent of type 2 diabetes cases are avoidable. Of course, simply preventing disease is not the only goal of good nutrition. Everyone, whether eating a plant-based diet or not, ought to be sure to get enough (but not too much) protein, calcium, and iron, for example. Vitamin B12 is one important supplement for those eating plant-based diets. B12 is made by neither animals nor plants, but by microbes. And B12 deficiency may occur without supplementation. Thankfully, there are safe, cheap, convenient sources available widely. The simplest regimen is to take 2,500 micrograms of the cyanocobalamin form of B12 once a week. Omega-3 fatty acids are also essential. Plant-based sources of omega-3 include flaxseed or chia seed, walnuts, and algae-based DHA supplements, which are bioequivalent to fish oil omega-3 but without the harmful industrial pollutants often found in fish oils. Combined with even minimal supplementation, plant-forward eating has been definitively shown
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to prevent, treat, and reverse some of our nation’s biggest killers while improving health, wellness, and longevity. Nathan Pritikin knew this decades ago—and that would ultimately save my grandmother’s life. Pritikin actually chronicled her story in his biography: “Mrs. Greger had heart disease, angina, and claudication,” he wrote. “Her condition was so bad she could no longer walk without great pain in her chest and legs. Within three weeks, though, she was not only out of her wheelchair but was walking ten miles a day.” Thanks to Pritikin, she was able to live another thirty-one years—to the grand old age of ninety-six. His plant-based diet extended her life by nearly a full third. Indeed, debilitating, life-shortening diseases and other ailments don’t have be a normal part of aging— and they don’t have to be your future. Like many of the most pressing environmental problems, they can instead be prevented, treated, and even reversed with a healthier diet rich in whole, plant-based foods. So eat up, live long, and prosper! A founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Michael Greger, MD, is a physician, author, and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health. He’s a graduate of the Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. His book How Not to Die became an instant New York Times bestseller. He has videos on more than two thousand health topics freely available at NutritionFacts.org.
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in a nutshell • Factory farms are destroying national and global landscapes and communities. • The introduction of large-scale CAFOs negatively impacts communities’ livelihoods and well-being. • Historic areas and structures are being replaced with largescale agricultural operations. • Our alarming loss of soil due to animal agriculture is making farmlands less fertile. • Producing animal proteins requires huge inputs of land—for the animals, their feed, and more. • The Amazon is disappearing day by day to make room for more animal feed-crop production. • This is a major change in the landscape, and also loss of habitat for many native species.
Now for the good news! Eating more plant-based proteins can
help us each use less land for our diet, avoid destroying rain forests like the Amazon, and preserve local communities and landscapes. Of course, all types of agriculture alter landscapes, and there is no catchall solution, but plant-based food production tends to be less invasive than factory farms. A simple dietary shift can play a big role in protecting the earth beneath us.
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JERKED JACKFRUIT TACOS WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE Jerk is a style of Jamaican cooking that involves a super-hot spice mixture and (usually) meat. But what’s a guy or gal to do if you want that same fiery flavor without the environmental problems that often accompany meat production? Well, bring on the jackfruits! This fruit, when marinated and shredded, mimics the taste and texture of pulled pork. So this recipe offers a real culinary mashup of ingredients—tropical fruit with Caribbean meat spices in a Mexican tortilla.You’ll never think of fruit the same way again!
SERVES 2
INGREDIENTS 3 Tbsp agave nectar
PREP AND COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES
METHOD In a small bowl, combine the agave nectar, vinegar, olive oil and ¼ cup water. Set aside.
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 Tbsp olive oil 1½ Tbsp ground cinnamon 2 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper 1 Tbsp dried thyme
Combine the cinnamon, black pepper, thyme, allspice, cayenne, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a small bowl. Place a large, flat-bottomed skillet over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the spice mixture and stir for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Pour the agave mixture into the skillet and heat for 30 seconds. Add the jackfruit and stir to break up the jackfruit as it softens. Heat through, about 3 minutes, and set aside.
2 tsp ground allspice 1½ tsp cayenne pepper ½ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp salt 1 (20-oz) can jackfruit, drained
Heat a grill pan over high heat and grill the pineapple rings until lightly blackened, about 3 minutes per side. (If you don’t have a grill pan, just use a regular heavy-bottomed skillet and sear them for a couple of minutes on each side.) Warm the tortillas on the stove or in the microwave. Build your tacos using the jackfruit, grilled pineapple, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, sour cream, and cilantro. Serve with wedges of lime.
3 pineapple rings, fresh or canned 6 soft corn or flour tortillas 1½ C sliced red cabbage 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered Vegan sour cream, for serving Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving Fresh lime, for serving
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