Decorate your plate with Mother Nature’s color spectrum.

“But, how do you get your protein?”

“So, what do you eat?”

“I’d just end up eating carbs.”

There are a number of misconceptions and stereotypes of a plant-based diet commonly due to lack of knowledge and awareness. In reality, many people have benefited from centering their nutrition on Mother Nature’s offerings long before it was trendy. While eating plant based may require some adjustments in your typical eating habits, you can still have your cake and eat it too!

Plant-Based Color Challenge:

One of the greatest benefits of following a quality plant-based diet, as the name suggests, is that the building-blocks of your diet are fruits and vegetables. Picture one of your typical lunches or dinners. Is your plate the shades of the rainbow or consistent in color-tone? If a splash of color and/or some variation is what you need, the addition of plant-based foods will diversify your color palette, and best of all, with this addition of color comes just as much flavor.

What’s so important about color you ask? The colors of plant foods are in accordance with the nutrients they provide. Thus, the more saturated your plate the more nutrients you are supplying yourself with!

It is important that when transitioning to or practicing a plant-based diet that you feel empowered, rather than limited.

Extra Noteworthy Health Benefits:

Eating plant-based spotlights foods that fit the bill for reducing, managing and controlling: sustainable weight, hormone and blood-sugar levels while encouraging a diet ranging mother nature’s color spectrum. Additional benefits of practicing a colorful plant-based diet via the consumption of low-fat, fiber-rich, whole foods are typically weight loss and sustainable weight management. (Small portions of plant foods yield high satiety levels) Such foods are vital for people with health issues that require monitoring hormone levels, such as PCOS, reducing the risk of diabetes and normalizing estrogen levels. In addition, food sources such as leafy green vegetables and legumes act as folate providers, assist in but are not limited to cardiovascular and reproductive health. (Let it be known that fiber is only found in plants!)

Color packed with flavor!

Color Challenge:

As a means to help you self-gage the variation and quality of your plant-based diet, Almond proposes the color test! It works like this: Right before you are about to indulge in your meal, take a second to evaluate the hues of your plate. Is it colorful? Are these colors varied? The greater the variation, saturation and the darker the colors, the more nutrients you are supplying to your body. Good job!

Taking the time to observe and note the colors on your plate is a simple, honest and effective way of tracking your daily self-health. Not to mention, as a herbivore you are only doing yourself justice to enjoy the wide, colorful spectrum of mother nature.

Tofu, an excellent plant-based protein source that can be cooked and flavored in a variety of ways!

Keep in Mind:

Remember that organization and planning ahead of time can be extremely helpful when it comes time to prepare your meals. Try cutting and preparing your produce items in advance , such as a Sunday evening, and storing them prepared in the fridge so that you are ready to go for the week.

Examples of Color Carriers:

Fruits- Berries, Papaya, Oranges, Watermelon, Pomegranate, Tomatoes

Vegetables- Especially Leafy Greens! Peppers, Carrots, Beets, Mushrooms,

Complex Carbs- Quinoa, Brown Rice, Whole-Wheat Bread, Oats, Sweet Potato, Squashes

Plant Based Proteins- Beans/ Legumes, Tofu, Nuts, Seeds

Get personalized advice from your own nutrition coach and meet with them through 1:1 video consultations on Almond. For more nutrition tips, follow Almond on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.