Plant-Forward or Plant-Based: Is There a Difference?
Actually - Yes!
Plant-Forward is an umbrella term that is used to refer to a lifestyle that includes a variety of eating patterns, such as plant-based, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean and others that focus on eating more fruits and vegetables and limiting or eliminating animal protein. The term Plant-Based is used to describe the foods (or diet) that are derived solely or mostly from plants.
The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Department of Nutrition) (Harvard) have defined Plant-Forward as follows: “A style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, foods from plant sources - fruits and vegetables (produce), whole grains, legumes (pulses), nuts and seeds, plant oils, and herbs and spices - and reflects evidence-based principles of health and sustainability.”
What Does This Mean?
This means that by adopting a Plant-Forward lifestyle, you commit to eating less meat in general and increasing your fruits and vegetables. It may not be that you eliminate animal products completely, but fruits and veggies will be at the center of your plate. You’re know as a “Flexitarian”. Remember Plant-Forward doesn’t necessarily mean that animal protein won’t show up for dinner - but if it does show up, it won’t be seated at the head of the table.
Proponents of Plant-Forward
The CIA and Harvard have created an initiative called “Menus of Change”. Menus of Change works to integrate “optimal nutrition, public health, environmental stewardship and restoration, and social responsibility concerns within the food service industry”. This is a huge endeavor that encompasses food choices, our health and the health of our planet. There’s even a national leadership summit that’s held each year.
At the core of Menus of Change are the Principles of Healthy, Sustainable Menus. These 24 Principles provide menu and recipe guidance to chefs and others in food services and include concepts that focus on food and ingredients, many of which can easily be incorporated into our own daily life:
Think produce first
Make whole, intact grains the new norm
Limit potatoes
Move nuts and legumes to the center of the plate
Choose healthier oils
Use poultry and eggs in moderation
Serve less red meat, less often
Reduce added sugar
I challenge you to take a closer look at your food choices - not only what you eat, but what you serve your family. See if there are any changes you can make that might get more plants on your plate. Look at the Principles included in Menus of Change, and see if there are any that you can incorporate into your daily meal choices. Then, take stock and see where you are in a couple of weeks. Do you feel different? Are you sleeping better? Was it easy or hard to make these changes? Do you want to keep at it?
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