The Power of Choice to Eat Right

By Dr Christiana Leimena

Coming up, is National Vegetarian Week (10–16 of May). But what is its purpose? What might it achieve?

Let’s begin with you and your food choices, and what might a change of diet do for you. We live a privileged life in this country, spoiled with myriad of choices of everything from toothpaste to cars. But especially foods and processed food products. The smorgasboard includes whatever cultural flavour you desire, and whatever food definition you fall into, be it carnivore, omnivore or herbivore. And if your basic preference is to eat more plant foods, then your options run from fruitarian, vegan, lacto-ovo-vegetarian, lacto-vegetarian, ovo-vegetarian, pescatarian to flexitarian.

The vegetarian diet has risen in popularity recently with more restaurants offering wide vegetarian/vegan menus. There’s also a rise in the number of actual vegetarian and vegan restaurants. The choice to go vegetarian or vegan is driven by a variety of motivations. The trend to “saving the planet” is an increasingly popular one, especially among younger people, and has led to an increased motivation for veganism.

And there are many great options for those transitioning to a no-meat diet, such as Veggie Delights, V2 Foods, Beyond Patties, Impossible Burgers, Lamyong soy-based foods and Gardein Golden Fish Fillets, to name but a few. The question is, does dining on this smorgasboard of mock meats encompass what it means to be a nutritionally healthy plant-eating, and/ or planet-saving activist? (1)

There is plenty of evidence of the physical and mental health benefits from removing animal products from one’s diet. A vegetarian/vegan diet has demonstrated benefits, including lowering the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and the severity of inflammatory disorders (1, 2) . But a vegan diet doesn’t automatically make for a healthful diet. There are still important intentional food choices to be made by the vegan/vegetarian-oriented person. It is not just about cutting out meat from your diet. For example, one can be a vegetarian/vegan but still consume mostly foods that are highly processed, high in sugar, salt, unhealthy fats and imbalanced in nutrition (3) . We have the power and privilege of choosing how we can eat more healthfully as a vegetarian or vegan, or as any one of the variations mentioned above. And that comes down to motivation and purpose.

The whole-food, plant-based diet takes in veganism with a new approach in returning the intent of going back to the basics to eating whole-plant foods. Vegetables, fruits, legumes and beans are created with a plethora of levels of textures, colour and hardness, and contain numerous anti-aging (4), and anti-inflammatory properties (6).

They can be enjoyed in their wholeness, with the accompaniment of grains and herbs that enhance their flavour. Having plant-based whole-foods in a rainbow of colours on your plate reduces inflammation (6,7) and cholesterol levels (8), renews your gut microbiome (9,10), reduces the risk of cancer development (2), and slows aging (4).

During Vegetarian Week (and beyond), take up the challenge of choosing a more balanced and colourful food platter, one that contains more whole-food choices and meets the recommended 5–6 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit per day 11 . If you aren’t a vegetarian, try it just for this week. You have nothing to lose when it comes to investing in your health. With your choice you have the power to make positive changes for a life-changing experience.

For more information on Vegetarian Week and good food choices, or for article references and sources, go to our health page at sydney.adventist.org.au/ ministries/wholistic-health.