How to Start a Plant-Based Diet: 4 Tips From Michael Pollan

A plant-based diet consists primarily of fruits and vegetables. Those eating plant-based meals can get carbohydrates from items like sweet potatoes, cereals, white or brown rice, quinoa, and pasta. Vegan and vegetarian diets are typical examples of plant-based eating. This way of eating can have several health benefits and positively impact the environment.

Plant-based diets require protein sources other than animal protein. Getting enough protein is essential as it plays a significant role in your growth, strength, and cell repair. Many vegetarians consume plant-based proteins, which might be animal substitutes, or more legumes and nut butters to maintain adequate protein levels as part of a healthy diet.

“There’re very few things that all nutritionists agree on, and [one is] that eating plants is really good for you. The more plants you eat, the healthier you will be.” — Michael Pollan

Nutritionists might recommend a plant-based lifestyle to lower blood sugar or promote heart health. Some plant-based diets include:

1. 1. Flexitarianism: Flexitarians might not have any dietary restrictions but might abide by a Meatless Monday, omit red meat from their diet, or only eat dairy or animal products on certain days. Flexitarians will make their own decisions about their diet.
2. 2. Pescetarianism: Pescatarians consume plant-based recipes and avoid meats but eat fish and seafood. A pescatarian lifestyle is similar to the Mediterranean diet but omits red meats, such as lamb and beef.
3. 3. Veganism: Vegans exclude all animal foods and products from their lifestyle. This includes fish, meats, honey, eggs, and dairy products. Those who follow vegan diets can consume vegan cheeses and plant milks. Vegans obtain protein through whole grains and other sources, such as tempeh, hummus, chickpeas, and lentils. Plant sources are vegans’ primary foods.
4. 4. Vegetarianism: Meal plans for vegetarians are similar to those for vegans. Some animal products are permissible, however, such as eggs and dairy products like milk and cheese. Vegetarians prioritize plant foods and avoid all meats; sometimes, this includes fish and seafood.

A plant-based diet is nutrient-dense and contains high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Consider the following benefits of a plant-based diet for the environment and your health:

1. 1. Plant-based diets benefit the environment. “Meat is a tremendous contributor to climate change,” food educator Michael Pollan says. “Somewhere between a third and forty percent of greenhouse gasses come from agriculture and the clearing of land to make room for agriculture.” Animal products require a lot of land and water, and transporting them around the country to supermarkets can affect carbon emissions. Eating a plant-based diet can be good for the environment since cows, for example, emit a lot of methane and require resources that farmers could put toward other forms of sustainable agriculture.
2. 2. Plant-based diets can help prevent chronic diseases. Eating plant-based foods can mean eating less processed food and can reduce your sodium intake. It can also mean a lower risk of high blood pressure and other conditions, like type 2 diabetes. “Antioxidants are one of the most important benefits of eating a plant-based diet,” Michael says. “[Eating] a variety of antioxidants, because each plant has a different kind, is one of the most important things you can do for your health, specifically, to prevent cancer.”
3. 3. Plant-based diets promote digestion. Consuming plants and vegetables helps support gut health. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, which aids digestion and supports the microbiome. “We have learned in the last few years that the health of the microbiome is very closely tied to your health and that we have to think about its interests as well as our own when we’re eating,” Michael says. “Now, what do these bacteria like to eat? How do I cater to them? Well, it’s really simple. They love fiber, which is the walls of plant cells.”
4. 4. Plant-based diets support heart function. One significant benefit of a plant-based diet is more vital heart function. Fruit-rich and veggie-rich diets support cardiovascular health. Some meats are high in fat, which can lead to high cholesterol levels, weakening your heart and potentially causing cardiovascular disease. “One study found that if Americans upped their consumption of fruits and vegetables to match the USDA recommended number of portions a day, which is not a lot, in a single year, it would save 110,000 lives and savings to the health care system—$32 billion in cardiovascular care alone,” Michael shares.

To begin your journey as a plant-prioritizing eater, consider the following tips from nutrition author and journalist Michael Pollan:

• Begin gradually and start with questions. “Every time we eat, we’re making a statement about our values,” Michael says. Beginners do not have to rush into eating only plant-based foods—that can be jarring for your system and challenging for habit-forming. Instead, consider eating as a flexitarian for a bit. You might cut out meat on certain days or give yourself a set number of animal-focused meals per week. Michael suggests you ask yourself these questions along the way: “Who are the people who are feeding us? Who’s growing the food? Who's picking the food? Who’s preparing the food? Are they getting adequately compensated? Are they being treated in a just way?”
• Develop a green thumb. Appreciate where your food comes from and start small by planting microgreens indoors that can become garnishes for salads, sandwiches, and other foods. “As far as I’m concerned, the best way to connect to your food is to grow some of it yourself,” Michael says. “This is gonna be the most wholesome [and] most sustainable; the food you know the most about is food you’ve planted.”
• Head to the farmers’ market. “Another choice we have now is to get out of the supermarket entirely; farmers’ markets are proliferating around America. There are thousands of them and new ones opening every month, and this is where you can get very high-quality food picked that day or the day before,” Michael says. The farmers’ market or any kind of fresh market is a great way to get fresh produce and support local farmers. These herbs, veggies, fruits, honey, jams, and other products will diversify your diet and give you whole foods to improve your vitamin and nutrient intake.
• Prepare food ahead of time. Meal prepping can be helpful to you. “If you cook in quantity, if you make a vegetarian lasagna or a stew on a Sunday, and you have several nights of food, and you put it in the freezer, that’s incredibly economical,” Michael says. “So before you say, ‘I can’t afford to eat this way, I can’t afford to eat ethically, I can’t afford to eat for my health,’ do an inventory.”

See food like you have never seen it before. With the MasterClass Annual Membership, journalist and educator Michael Pollan teaches you how to determine your ingredient sources, shop at the grocery store, and rethink your relationship to food.