Forks Over Knives Summer 2018

For much of my life, I believed there was a trade-off between eating healthy on the one hand and eating great-tasting food on the other. When I discovered a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle more than 17 years ago, I soon learned this notion was a myth. On my journey to eating healthier, I saw how letting comfort foods like potatoes, rice, quinoa, and beans take center stage on the plate makes for a fun journey. I never felt deprived, and I was pleased to discover all kinds of new flavors and textures. Today, one of the focuses of Forks Over Knives is to show how plant-based meals have the power to halt and reverse chronic ailments, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and how great they taste when they’re skillfully prepared. In…

Alona Pulde, M.D., and Matthew Lederman, M.D. Drs. Pulde and Lederman created the medical program used in the Forks Over Knives documentary and all Whole Foods Market Medical & Wellness centers. They also co-authored The New York Times best-selling The Forks Over Knives Plan and The Whole Foods Diet: The Lifesaving Plan for Health and Longevity. Sharon Palmer, RDN Sharon Palmer is an award-winning registered dietitian, recipe developer, editor, blogger, and author of The Plant-Powered Diet and Plant-Powered for Life. A nationally recognized plant-based nutrition expert, she lives outside of Los Angeles with her husband and two sons. Darshana Thacker Darshana Thacker is chef and culinary project manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, Darshana is the recipe author for Forks Over Knives Family and recipe contributor…

YOU’LL LIKELY EAT MORE FOOD, NOT LESS Whole or minimally processed plant foods are dense in nutrients, not calories. As you adjust to this new way of eating, you may find yourself feeling a little hungry shortly after a meal. Pay attention to your body’s signals, and eat more food if you’re hungry! Over time, you’ll reach a point where you know how much to eat to be comfortably satiated. SAY NO TO OILS Vegetable oils may be healthier than butter, but that doesn’t make them health foods. Unlike the whole foods from which they’re pressed (olives, nuts, avocados, etc.), oils are highly refined and dense with calories, not nutrients. Eat the olives, nuts, and avocados instead. We will show you how to make salad dressings, sauté, and fry without a drop of…

STOCK UP ON THESE PRODUCE • Assorted fresh vegetables (salad greens, tomatoes, carrots, celery, broccoli, and bell peppers) • Potatoes and sweet potatoes • Onions, garlic, and ginger • Assorted fresh fruits (bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, berries, and pears) • Fresh herbs you enjoy (cilantro, parsley, and dill) • Frozen fruits and veggies (berries, mangoes, corn, peas, artichoke hearts, spinach, and kale) • Avocados* PANTRY STAPLES • Whole grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa, farro, wheat berries, barley, and millet) • Whole grain pastas • Rice cakes and brown rice crackers • Beans (dried or canned lentils, pinto beans, black beans, cannellini beans, and edamame) • Canned or jarred tomatoes • Applesauce (unsweetened) • Vegetable broth • Dried herbs and spices • Whole nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, cashews, sesame seeds, chia seeds)* • Plant milks (rice, almond, oat, cashew, hemp, or soy)* • Whole grain flours, breads, and tortillas* • Medjool…

Q) Is a completely plant-based diet safe for young children? A) A growing body of research supports well-planned vegan diets for kids of all ages. One of these is the 2016 position paper on vegetarian diets from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, which states that vegan diets “are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes.” Furthermore, children raised vegan tend to grow up leaner, healthier, and with longer life expectancies. Just be sure they get a vitamin B12 supplement. —Lauren Panoff, MPH, RD Q) Why isn’t fish on the WFPB menu? A) Many people equate eating fish with doing something good for their health. However, most fish are contaminated with things like mercury (which can cause neurologic problems), along with other…

My plant-based journey started in early 2016. I was having vision problems and tingling in my hands and feet, but I did the typical American man thing. From playing football, you learn to suck it up. While overseas in Israel, I started having serious pain in my side. After tests, the doctor diagnosed a stomach ulcer, but he was more concerned about the results of my A1C test, which measures average blood sugar. Anything over 6.5 percent is considered diabetes; mine was in the high teens. The doctor said, “I’m surprised you aren’t in a coma.” I visited five different doctors here in the city. They all said I needed insulin. They said diabetes is hereditary, that the tingling in my hands and feet signaled permanent nerve damage, that my vision wouldn’t…