A Guide to Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet

Talking to friends and family, I’m always encouraging people to eat more plants because I know it’s the best for their health and a sustainable future. A whole food plant based (WFPB) diet can improve our health but it’s hard to know where to start. As much as I’d like everyone to go 100%, I’m a realist and accept that it’s more likely people will be “flexitarian”. 

Photo by Bakd&Raw by Karolin Baitinger on Unsplash 

I think there are two simple methods to modify our diet to move towards a mostly WFPB diet. First, I want to explain why I think it’s risky to jump in fully without transitioning a bit more slowly.

Why Transition?

The main reason we need to transition from a Standard “American” Diet is because our gut microbiome will take time to adjust.  The change often involves a significant increase in fiber, which our gut may not be accustomed to. A sudden increase can lead to bloating, gas, and digestive discomfort.  The last thing I want is for you to say, “this diet doesn’t work for me” and abandon it completely.

WFPB diets introduce soluble and insoluble fiber, which can affect digestion differently. If your gut is not used to fiber, it might take time to adjust.  Our gut microbiome is composed of various bacteria that thrive on specific types of food and is unique to each of us, depending on what we usually eat. A sudden change in diet can disrupt the existing balance and require time for the new bacteria that digest plant foods to flourish.

Lots of fiber! Photo by Viktor Smith at www.pexels.com

Even after years of eating this way, I still have issues with certain foods, especially beans.  We all remember singing: “beans, beans, their good for your heart, the more you eat the more you fart!” For some reason black beans don’t agree with me, which is annoying because I really like them in burrito bowls.  There is a trick to help with this though – read on!

Curbing Gut Issues

Because of the increase in fiber, it’s important to make sure you drink enough liquid.  This is because fiber adds bulk and promotes movement through the intestines. Without enough water, it can lead to constipation issues.  Staying hydrated is critical to maximizing the benefits of a WFPB diet.

Drink water, stay hydrated. Photo by Clint McKoy on Unsplash 

Beano – the Secret Weapon

If you aren’t accustomed to eating a lot of high fiber foods, you can give Beano a try until your gut adjusts.  Beano has an active ingredient alpha-galactosidase, which is an enzyme that helps break down complex carbohydrates found in certain foods, such as beans, whole grains, and some vegetables.  

The enzyme helps digest oligosaccharides (complex sugars) that can be difficult to break down in the intestines, which often leads to gas production when these sugars are fermented by gut bacteria. By breaking down these carbohydrates before they reach the intestines, Beano can help minimize the amount of gas produced, leading to less bloating and discomfort.

Switching from a diet with more meat and dairy to a WFPB diet will take time for your gut microbiome to adjust.  It can take a few weeks at a minimum, and up to a few months to fully adjust to the dietary change.  So, you might want to use my secret weapon for a few weeks and whenever you eat problem foods that you enjoy. 

Two Methods to Transition

I think there are two approaches you can take when switching to a WFPB diet.  The first method is to eliminate an animal food, one at a time.  The other is to adjust one meal at a time.  

In either case, if you are taking the flexitarian route, the scientific evidence shows that up to 10% of our diet can be animal based without compromising the health benefits significantly.  This discovery was made by T. Colin Campbell with the China Study and bears out with the Blue Zone populations in places such as Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy) and Ikaria (Greece).  

Source: Amazon

Myself, I’m 100% WFPB because I think it’s easier to make the commitment and not have temptations. This is how I look at it: it’s harder for an alcoholic to have one drink, or a smoker to have one cigarette without backsliding; it’s just easier to avoid animal foods altogether and draw a line. 

After removing these foods from my diet, I don’t even like their taste anymore and don’t enjoy dishes that accidentally sneak them in. It’s amazing how our taste buds change.

Option 1: Making Swaps

If you want to try the first method of transitioning, you could begin by eliminating one item at a time: milk, eggs, butter, cheese, beef, pork, chicken, fish and so on.  I think dairy is one of the worst foods for our health because of the saturated fat and excessive hormones. It’s also a common allergen with about 70% of people being lactose intolerant.  Switching from dairy milk to a plant-based milk would be a good place to start.  Find a plant milk you like and use it in coffee/tea, cereal, and any recipes where you normally use milk.

After doing this for a week or two, you could switch out butter for alternative ingredients. Instead of buttering bread, find an alternative like jam for toast or hummus on a sandwich. Although I’m not a big proponent of oil, I think olive oil is a better option to butter.  If you really need a transition food, there are also vegan butters on the market. I admit to using this when making butter frosting for birthday cakes or special occasion treats.

An easy way to transition from meat and cheese is to buy vegan alternatives in the grocery store.  These are not whole foods so should be used in moderation while transitioning your diet. Although they aren’t perfect, many are better than animal foods because they have fiber, are lower in saturated fat, and have antioxidants from plants. 

I generally substitute meat in recipes with beans, tofu, soy curls or mushrooms.  They give the texture and mouth feel you’re expecting.  

Whole food meat substitute

Cheese is its own special case, and there are some cool WFPB recipes that can be used as a substitute on pasta and pizza. A simple swap for a cheese-like taste is nutritional yeast, affectionately known as “nooch”. It’s not exactly cheese, but it has an umami taste like aged cheeses and improves the flavour profile of a dish. 

Option 2: Adjusting Meals

I think adjusting meals is the easier way to transition to a WFPB diet.  Imagine that you decide breakfast will no longer include animal foods.  Instead, you can eat oatmeal with berries, bananas, and plant milk. Or if you prefer toast, top it with jam or avocado. Your morning coffee or tea would use plant milk.  It’s not that difficult to make the switch for one meal a day.  Then the rest of the day, you eat what you normally would.

After a few weeks, you can do the same with your lunches.  Instead of a sandwich with meat, slather on some hummus and add lettuce and tomatoes. If you’re grabbing on the go, buy a bean burrito, veggie burger or vegan sushi. You can make pasta with tomato sauce and add lentils to mimic bolognaise, topping it with nooch. It really depends on what you usually like to eat for lunch, but swaps are easy to do.

The next switch could be snacks.  The easiest is to stick to fruit for snacks. Grab a banana or apple on the go.  If you are stuck, a handful of nuts can work in a pinch.  Just remember if you are trying to lose weight, be careful with nuts because of their caloric density. 

Years ago, I read a book by Mark Bittman, VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6.  His approach to adopting a flexitarian diet with more whole plant foods was to avoid animal products until dinner.  He was a food journalist for the New York Times and continued to eat animal foods, restricting them to dinner only.  

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If you are transitioning and want to continue to incorporate animal foods, I can see how VB6 could work. Dinner is the meal where we are dining with friends and family, or eating at a restaurant. It is easier to find something flexitarian on most restaurant menus. When dining out, stick to mostly plants by starting your meal with a big salad, fill up on veggies and choose a baked potato or pasta.  Keep the animal foods to a minimum.

Based on the scientific evidence like the China study, it’s best to keep animal foods to 10% or less of your diet to prevent chronic illnesses.  If a typical woman eats 2000 calories a day, this would be up to 200 calories reserved for this: 1-2 eggs, 1-2 ounces of cheese, or 1-2 ounces of meat.  Essentially the bulk of your plate is still plant foods and animal products are used sparingly in your recipes.

WFPB Plate

I think most people are a bit lost when switching to a plant-based diet because meat has been the centrepiece of the plate.  We are also obsessed with getting enough protein which has been taken to the extreme.  The key to health is not eating excessive amounts of protein, especially animal protein.  In fact, high protein diets can lead to kidney disease, osteoporosis, heart disease, gout, diverticulitis, hiatal hernias, cancer and diabetes. Our muscles won’t waste away by cutting back on the amount we eat. Remember, muscles are made by lifting weights and weight bearing exercises!

So what does a WFPB plate look like? Forks Over Knives provides a good summary of a balanced plate. The foundation of the plate should be a starch or whole grain like rice, potatoes or pasta.  Vegetables are a big part of the plate and up to 50% if you are trying to lose weight. You can add a “protein” like beans or tofu but you don’t need to fret over this.  Fruit is a good choice for dessert.

Source: Forks Over Knives Facebook page

The funny thing is the most recent Canadian Food Guide recommends a very similar plate.  The guide was redone without any industry involvement – meaning dairy, meat and corporate interests were not driving the agenda like they did in the past.  Instead, the scientific evidence was used to define the optimal plate which is flexitarian and predominantly plants.

Similar to the WFPB plate, half is vegetables and fruits, there is a healthy whole grain on the plate and the protein portion is either plants (beans, tofu or nuts) or a small portion of meat, cheese, egg or fish (1-2 ounces) like the 10% rule I described above.

Canada Food Guide plate. Source: forksoverknives.com

You Can Do It

If you're looking to enhance your health and well-being, consider adopting a flexitarian or WFPB diet. By incorporating more plant-based foods, you can enjoy an abundance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans that are packed with essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Research shows that reducing meat consumption can lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. 

Plus, a plant-based diet is not only beneficial for your health but also supports sustainable practices that protect our planet. Start by making small changes, such as dedicating one meal a day. Your body, and the planet, will thank you!

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