A Plant-Based Diet and Eating Out
Adding plant-based diet options on the menu can benefit your customers as well as your business.
What is a plant-based diet?
What does it mean to have a plant-based diet and why should it be a part of your menu? This term includes the variety of diets that favor plants over animal-derived foods. The main ingredients of such meals are vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains. Like any other diet, they require thorough planning to fulfill the consumer's nutritional needs, especially protein. Contrary to the common impression among meat-eaters, people who follow a plant-based diet are not suffering from a lack of nutrients. The variety of these diets offers a wide range of protein-rich foods. Except for a strict vegan diet, they suggest obtaining proteins from eggs and milk (for lacto-ovo vegetarians), fish (for pescatarians), or small amounts of meat (for flexitarians).1
Benefits of plant-based meals
The range of reasons people choose to switch to a plant-based diet is quite wide. It varies from personal preferences and animal rights issues to environmental concerns like reducing carbon footprint. One of the reasons that started gaining popularity rapidly is the associated health benefits. Consumers who decide to follow a whole food plant-based diet focus on whole products and minimizing any processed foods. Following it permanently may help individuals live longer and decrease the risk of certain illnesses and health issues, including mental ones. It improves the gut biome, metabolism, and overall state of the immune system.2 Plant-derived meals help to prolong fullness due to higher amounts of fiber.
Meeting nutritional needs with plant-based protein
The most common plants high in protein are lentils, beans, seeds, chickpeas, and nuts. They are simple natural sources of energy that bring a lot of health benefits. Many plant-based recipes include soy-based products like tofu, tempeh, soy yogurts, and soy milk. They are widely used as substitutes for popular cow milk products. Depending on the brand and kind of product, plant-derived foods contain a similar amount of basic good nutrients as their animal-derived alternatives but also include additional benefits for health.
Sources:
1. What is a plant-based diet and why should you try it? - Harvard Health