Practical help in putting together a plant-based diet

Meal Schedule

Yes, timing matters!

​It is vital to remember that food does not absorb properly if it rots in the stomach or intestine. If digestion of one meal does not complete before the next food is eaten, the chemical interactions and rotting will release poisonous elements which are absorbed into the blood stream. 

The most vital aspect of your diet is choosing a schedule for meals that allows 

• enough time (at least 5 hours) from end of one meal to the start of the next; 
• enough time for digestion, before you go to sleep; 
• as far as possible, regularity from one day to the next. 

Revise the golden rules under nutrition, if you can't remember them. 

Nutrition

Menu

If you are not yet sure if a plant-based diet is a good idea, I would like to remind you of the records of ages in the Bible. Before the flood, God only listed plant-based foods as appropriate to eat. During this time, people became so old that most of them died just short of a 1000 years old. Yes, you read correctly. You can go and look at the verses in the Bible - people became really old.

After the flood, when most plants and foliage had been destroyed in the flood and had not regrown fully, God made a provision by providing a list of clean animal meats, but note that the age of people drastically decreased directly after this provision had been made.

Articles such as listed on our Resources page, can be helpful in answering some of these questions. One thing is for sure - our bodies don't need meat to survive.

But we have to ensure that we eat sufficiently of the plant-based foods in order to be healthy. Keeping in mind that there are various things to AVOID eating, let us focus here on good things to include in your daily meal plans.

• Let breakfast be your biggest meal. Your stomach can cope with larger quantities of food after a good, long rest period. If you made sure that your last meal yesterday was at least 2-3 hours before sleep time, and you rested your digestive tract completely after that meal, then you will be ready for a good sized meal at breakfast time.
• You cannot drive cross-country and fill up the tank at the end of the journey. For the same reason, filling up your energy and nutrient requirements at the beginning of your day's activities, is the only way to meet all the body's needs.
• Fruit provide quick boosts in energy, which is necessary at the beginning of the day. Keeping in mind that it is best to separate fruits and veggies, you will do well to make breakfast a fruity meal, and keep veggies for later in the day. However, vegetables take longer to digest, so be sure not to eat vegetables for supper if you choose to have a 3rd meal in the day. Since we are eating at 8am and at 3pm, veggies for our late lunch, works just fine. Also good to note, is that fruit should be minimized (i.e. smaller portions) for people with diabetes or obesity. Any other conditions where a person often has high blood sugar levels, warrants limiting fruit portions. Neutral fruit, like tomatoes, cucumber, olives, coconut, and avocado, can be enjoyed without any concern for raising blood sugar levels.
• There are things you can add to meals to boost the nutrition of that meal, complete the requirements for fatty acids, amino acids and all other components necessary. These add-ons also ensure that you remain satisfied all the way until the next meal. Items like nuts, seeds and leafy greens are vital to include daily if you want to maintain a snack-free schedule and meet all nutrient requirements. They are versatile and you can include them in various forms, shapes and flavours.
• Protein is often a concern on a plant-based diet. But it need not be. Almost all plant-based foods contain some protein. Combining 2 different grains with 1 legume, provides a complete protein. Any 3 grains together also provide a complete protein (amino acid chain). So adding legumes and multi-grain varieties to your diet, takes care of the protein question. Not to mention the wonderful varieties of nuts and seeds which contain good proteins.

All this considered, you may ask: okay, what do I put on a plate?
A good formula for breakfast is:

1. Multigrain porridge - oats, spelt, barley, sorghum, millet, etc... enjoy the variety and explore different recipes
2. a generous serving of fruit (variety is good but not too many different kinds in one meal) - remember to limit sweet fruits in the case of diabetes, but be sure to increase neutral fruit portions
3. whole-grain bread with varied toppings (nut or seed spreads, sugar free fruit preserves, tomato and avocado, etc.)
4. 2-3 table spoons of ground up seeds (e.g. linseed, sunflower seed, pumpkin seed, etc.)
5. Plant-based milk of your choice (please have a look at this link for questions about soy milk and its perceived dangers).

A good formula for lunch:

1. Multigrain or at least whole grains of some kind (e.g. brown rice, whole grain pasta, potatoes with skins, etc.) Explore different grains. Quinoa and Buckwheat and Barley and the likes, are all wonderful for variety.
2. Beans and legumes are great to include in meals at least 3-4 times a week. They are so versatile - have a look at recipes for inspiration. From stews to patties to "meat balls", the options are endless.
3. Veggies are essential for our diet. God added vegetables once Adam and Eve could no longer have access to the tree of life. They contain enzymes which are vital for life. Vegetables contain different nutrients when cooked vs when raw, so be sure to vary it and eat both raw and cooked varieties.
4. Include neutrals. Neutral foods include all fatty fruits, like avo/coconut/olives as well as certain neutral fruits such as cucumber, tomatoes, and all lettuce and herb varieties. Sprouts of all kinds are also neutral foods. These add super nutrition and bulk up the meal without any risk of excessive calories. In fact, on a plant-based diet, one can sometimes struggle to keep up with calories, so eat these freely.
5. Remember to add oils, but be sure to use them raw when ever possible. Try to pick out cold-pressed oils and add them to food after removing from heat source. Raw oils have wonderful nutrients and calories which are great to add. Cutting out all meat and dairy will cut away huge quantities of calories from your diet, so you can make up for these with healthy nuts, legumes, oils and grains.

If you include all these components together in each respective meal, you will likely find that you can eat a breakfast and a late lunch, with no difficulty maintaining 2 meals per day. If you choose to have a third meal for the day, it should be light, consisting of e.g. fruit and bread, and it should be very small. I like to explain to my daughter that at night we only eat a snack and only if we can safely do this more than 5 hours after lunch. Another good option for night time is a drink such a serial coffee (Barley Cup is my favourite) with plant-milk.

I hope this formula gives you a starting point for planning meals... Share your comments and experiences below.