Best products from r/PlantBasedDiet

> I'm interested in any opinions on whether lowering insulin resistance is possible if one was to consume a high carb/low fat plant based diet (80/10/10 or similar).

While there are tons of patients of the doctors you mentioned, as well as numerous individuals here, that can detail their personal success in improving insulin sensitivity, I’ll do you one better and refer you to science supporting the efficacy of a low fat WFPB diet in doing so.

As demonstrated by doctor Neal Barnard in this study, subjects on a low fat whole food plant based diet experienced slightly better improvements in markers of insulin sensitivity compared to the group following the American Diabetes Association’s recommended diet (as well as notably significant improvements in their lipid profile), which is supposed to be the gold standard for diabetics.

> Weight loss was significant within each diet group but not significantly different between groups (-4.4 kg in the vegan group and -3.0 kg in the conventional diet group, P = 0.25) and related significantly to Hb A(1c) changes (r = 0.50, P = 0.001). Hb A(1c) changes from baseline to 74 wk or last available values were -0.34 and -0.14 for vegan and conventional diets, respectively (P = 0.43). Hb A(1c) changes from baseline to last available value or last value before any medication adjustment were -0.40 and 0.01 for vegan and conventional diets, respectively (P = 0.03). In analyses before alterations in lipid-lowering medications, total cholesterol decreased by 20.4 and 6.8 mg/dL in the vegan and conventional diet groups, respectively (P = 0.01); LDL cholesterol decreased by 13.5 and 3.4 mg/dL in the vegan and conventional groups, respectively (P = 0.03).

As I mentioned, many of the doctors you’ve mentioned have also documented repeated success in improving and even reversing insulin resistance, but I’d say that Barnard has the most experience, and is the best resource for you/others interested in doing so. Here is a great presentation of his on the subject.

If you’re really interested and want to support him (which I’d definitely recommend, we desperately need more doctors as dedicated to actually restoring patient’s health via means other than medication/surgery as he is) you can purchase his book specific to the topic.

This was a struggle for me for a long time. I was not vegan (junk food or otherwise) when I started WFPB.


What really helped was focusing on the health of eating. I stopped looking at my diet change as being related to weight loss, and simply focused on eating healthy, oil-free, whole food vegan meals. You can try slightly limiting fats, but I haven't really needed to. I was not very strict and still lost more weight than I ever did counting calories

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I follow WFPB, and couldn't follow anything that didn't allow grains, potatoes and soy products. Tempeh and Tofu are minimally processed, and pretty ok by most standards. Don't cut grains. Cut anything that isn't a whole grain. Don't cut avocado, but limit it to a quarter fruit per day, etc.

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You mention that realizing you CAN eat what you want was a big deal for the mental side of things. It really helped me to switch from saying "No, I can't have X" to "I don't eat X anymore". Because it is your CHOICE.

Also - Don't cut sugar if it sets you up for failure, but consider quality. Eat fruit, and dates stuffed with peanut butter for treats. (Sounds like you've already figured this out).

From what you say diet-wise, I'd say you're in a good spot for the most part. Cutting down on flour-based items like bread and muffins could help. Do the muffins and pancakes contain sugar? Are you topping with lots of syrup? Another thing that can be rough is eating out. Even seemingly healthy items can be very calorie dense.

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Something I ask myself about each ingredient I consume is "What does this offer me nutritionally?"

If it's coconut sugar, maple syrup or soy sauce, the answer is "Not much" and I limit those things.


Some resources that helped me IMMENSELY:

This Blog helped immensely. - They also have an amazing FB group for support, and a new "lighten up" weight loss program.

The Pleasure Trap - By Dr. Lisle

Chef AJ has great YouTube videos that focus on BED

Sauces, does salsa count?

Two months ago I stumbled into /r/SalsaSnobs and it was so fun and tasty that I've made it a weekly cooking adventure! Tonight I finished off an entire mason jar of homemade pineapple pear salsa, no salt no sugar just veggies and fruit and deliciousness! I've done different varieties, mango habanero is probably the best overall and most popular with the people I've shared with, but peach pear was pretty fucking great as well!

In my experimenting I also started taking unsalted roasted peanuts and cooking with garlic and chili de arbol, then blending up with white vinegar to make a thick pouring, idek, mole? Something. It's got fucking bite!

I also make guacamole at least once a week or so, just pico from tomatoes onions and jalapenos chopped up, avocado blended smooth with the juice from one lime and cumin garlic powder and paprika, then the pico folded into the blended avocado.

Hummus is great and filling as all fuck, but I try not to make it too often - less than once a month, it's a special treat. I use tahini made from just straight sesame seeds and canned chickpeas, with cumin and garlic and lemon juice, but it's so full of (healthy) fats and I'll end up eating everything I make, so have to limit myself!

Good points. The water fasting is not my specialty, but I know a little bit about it and have done a few. I did an internship (rather than visited as a patient) at TrueNorth years back when in medical school. It's not going to appeal or be appropriate for everyone, but it does seem to be effective, especially for some conditions with a strong inflammatory component like Rheumatoid arthritis, large blood pressure drops (perhaps no surprise there) and Lupus. You have to have a bit of basic knowledge before embarking on something like that. It's still to gain widespread acceptance within the mainstream, but there is a growing evidence basis for it.

If you are thinking of water fasting I'd suggest going to TrueNorth, reading the Pleasure Trap, or Fasting and Eating for Health.

• How Not To Die Cookbook is a phenomenal cookbook that accompanies the How Not To Die book (a recommended read, IMO).
  
• Forks Over Knives cookbook is also a good one, as is their website
  
• Engine 2 Cookbook is the last cookbook I'll recommend.
  
• If you're on Facebook, check out the groups Whole Foods Plant Based No Oil Recipes & Tips, Dr. Michael Greger fans - How Not To Die, and Whole-Food-Plant-Based-Diet.com
  
• Happy Healthy Vegan has a nice and entertaining selection of videos on YouTube. They're primarily WFPB, but not exclusively. Also very informative videos on why and such.
  
• Simnett Nutrition has quite a few What I Eat videos where he shows you what he makes and eats throughout the day. He is fitness oriented, so eats a lot, and you'll see workout montages and such, as well as quite a bit of rambling, but his rambling is either relevant and helpful info, or just entertaining and silly at times.
  
• NutritionFacts.org YouTube is all of the science and studies broken down and analyzed to get you a good grasp of what and why WFPB is the way to go.

You might be interested in reading the clear skin diet by the Nelson twins. Available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Clear-Skin-Diet-Beautiful-McDougall-ebook/dp/B074SHB1B1/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+clear+skin+diet&qid=1569961676&sr=8-1

I have the book and they talk about really cutting out oil from their already vegan diet as the main thing. I don't think fruits were off limits at all. The big thing for them were to cut out the fats - so no nuts (not even almond milk) and no oil, and of course, no dairy. You can try oat milk (as long as it doesn't have oil) which you can find at Whole Foods perhaps.

A long time ago I also wrote an article about this topic because I noticed dairy and oil caused me acne. It's a free read on Hubpages, but probably nothing you don't already know: https://hubpages.com/health/The-Best-Cure-for-Acne

Manuka honey (applied to the skin) is also said to help clear up acne, although I believe diet should be the first step.

Good luck!

>my first thought was perhaps an iron deficiency, but that's usually at 90% or more of my recommended intake.

Note that the RDA for veg*ns is 1.8x higher than the standard RDA. Since you are a woman that means 32 mg/day which can be hard to achieve. The only way to know if you are iron-deficient is with a blood test. Note that consuming your iron with a good source of vitamin C will help maximize absorption. Tea and coffee can decrease absorption so it's recommended to avoid those within and hour of consuming your iron-rich meals. If you end up trying a supplement, Deva has an iron tablet that includes B12 as well.

>I'm on the lower ends of magnesium, potassium, vitamin k, and sometimes protein

Magnesium, K, and potassium are mostly leafy greens, although keep in mind the RDA for potassium was just lowered to 2600 mg/day (for women) so you might be closer than you think on that one. I usually blend 8 oz of spinach/kale/romaine/parsley into my daily smoothie and that goes a long way towards meeting those requirements.

Also, by default, Cronometer doesn't list iodine (you can go into the settings and change that) so make sure you are getting a good source of iodine daily. Iodized salt is the easiest option, although you can find many seaweed products that you can just as flavoring on dishes. Just make sure the label lists an iodine amount otherwise you don't know how much it is providing.

Huge congrats! One book I STRONGLY recommend that you read in your next steps down this plant-based journey is "How Not to Die" by Michael Greger. It really digs into the science behind the benefits of plant based diets and makes some great recommendations.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Not-Die-Discover-Scientifically/dp/1250066115

"In defense of food" and "Game Changers" started me down the path, but this book solidified in my mind that plant-based is truly the way to go. It will change your life, I guarantee it.

Tasty Bites are pretty light and super easy to pack and prepare. You just have to warm them up on the stove. I really like the Chana Masala one and then I will get a rice one. I will usually mix two Chana Masala packets and a rice packet and warm them all up together. They have a bit of oil in them though, so that would be the only non WFPB thing.

You could also do savory oatmeal for dinner with avacado, a bean, etc since it cooks much faster than rice or quinoa.

https://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Bite-Potatoes-Eggplant-Vegetable/dp/B00S5M3LF6

For serious plant based fitness tips, check out Brendan Brazier. He's an ultra marathoner and is purely plant based. He's got a couple of books, one (Thrive Fitness) specifically deals with fitness (what foods, timing of foods, fuel needs etc) Great resource. Also check out Rich Roll for extreme vegan fitness training.

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https://www.amazon.com/Thrive-Fitness-second-Strength%C2%97Fueled-Plant-based/dp/0738218537/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Penn Jillette reset his palate with a potato-only diet for two weeks.

He said after he started eating plant foods other than potatoes, they tasted GREAT. Resetting your taste preferences can be done; it seems to take just a few weeks for a lot of people.

A video about his experience.

His book is quite good, perceptive. You might find valuable things in it.

You definitely need an idli steamer but they are really cheap online. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/Tabakh-Stainless-Steel-4-Rack-Stand/dp/B0032RH696

This guy makes them oil free

Batter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05Kafsy9VHY (also used for dosa and uttapam)

Idlis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gchmFJVmWzs

I really like the brand Dr. Greger recommended in his book, Bionature:

https://www.amazon.com/bionaturae-Organic-Whole-Fusilli-16-Ounce/dp/B001EO76XK/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1527084040&sr=8-3&keywords=bionature+whole+wheat+pasta

Great texture and taste. Holds up really well.

I just got this book as a gift and she has some great recipes. I think I flagged 85% of the recipes.

I've made the gumbo twice and it has a really authentic flavor. I added some Chinese eggplant to take the place of sausage, which is normally found in gumbo.

Edit: It is quite easy to double or triple any of these recipes.

I can't answer your question. But the doctors who recommend the plant based diet this sub is based on usually treat diabetes with the same high carb, low fat, no animal products diet they recommend for everyone. So I don't think you are in the right place if you are looking for low carb.

Dr. Walter Kemper had great success with his rice diet, based on white rice, fruit juice and cooked fruit. Dr. Barnard has written a more recent book on how to manage diabetes with a high carb, plant based diet:

https://www.amazon.com/Neal-Barnards-Program-Reversing-Diabetes/dp/1635651271/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524660894&sr=8-1&keywords=barnard+diabetes

I totally understand, maybe it's just your taste buds?

But this is what I get and it works lovely. Good enough to eat by the spoonful (and I definitely have!) https://www.amazon.com/Barons-Kosher-Ground-Sesame-16-ounce/dp/B00B1HL0H8/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1511101043&sr=1-4&keywords=tahini&dpID=51cr9rYzabL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

I've made a number of Kathy Hester's recipes. She has a ton of them available for free on her web site, Healthy Slow Cooking. Don't let the name fool you, she has all sorts of recipes, not just for slow cookers (the last one I made was this soup). In fact, she just wrote a new book about vegan air frying.

If YouTube isn't your thing, check out her books (I found a number at my library):

• OATrageous Oatmeals
  
• Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just for You
  
• The Easy Vegan Cookbook
  
• The Vegan Slowcooker
  
• The Great Vegan Bean Book
  
• Vegan Cooking in your Air Fryer
  
• The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for your Instant Pot

OP, if you are tight on kitchen space (like I am), this should be a good solution!

Also, if you aren't totally salt-free, I hear using Bragg's soy seasoning in a spray bottle to lightly coat the popcorn is a great way of making the nooch stick.

Every few days I fill a roasting pan with sweet potatoes I just wash and throw in the oven for 1 hour at 400. Then I let it cool on the range top covered. Takes a long time but its very easy to just rinse off some tubers and throw them in a pan. I use this one https://www.amazon.com/Granite-Ware-Covered-Oval-Roaster/dp/B000QRAMMS

Go on a 48 hour waterfast. You'll "reset" your palate for salt, and it'll be more effective than trying to reduce salt.

Source: The pleasure trap

Great decision! It will only get better/easier with time.
I would recommend reading [Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs] (https://www.amazon.com/Neal-Barnards-Program-Reversing-Diabetes/dp/1594868107)

Sweet, I'm an engineer who just graduated from a data science bootcamp to try and switch careers. My favorite resource is How Not to Die. It actually has a chapter on the mental health aspect of a whole-foods, plant-based diet.

Don't even need one! Original Salbree Microwave Popcorn Popper, Silicone Popcorn Maker, Collapsible Bowl BPA Free - 18 Colors Available (Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G7SGOL2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jrG2Db4CB827E

I have less knowledge about that but I will highly recommend this book: Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs

There is no convincing, you can provide the book and tell them that you need to fix the root cause not the symptom which keto/low-carb is doing. That's it, you can take the horse to the water but cannot make it drink!

If you get unfortified nutritional yeast, it tastes much better because it doesn't have that vitamin B aftertaste. [Sari's](https://www.amazon.com/Natural-Non-fortified-Nutritional-Protein-Beta-glucans/dp/B00PJ3IPMI?th=1) is the brand I've been using, but I got some once in the Whole Foods bulk section. I take a B12 supplement daily, so I don't feel bad about not getting it in my nooch.

Here's a video that discusses these effects. OP, additionally, it's certainly not the case that mental health issues are "very separate from your nutrition," and there's a substantial amount of research on the links between the two. You might check out the book How Not to Die for details (incidentally by the same doctor who made the video—he spends a lot of time summarizing nutrition research for laypeople).

May I introduce you to the silicone microwave popcorn bowl. No oil required. Use a little water spritzer after it cooks and your favorite seasoning.

Try it.

Have you read this book yet?

Program for Reversing Diabetes

Not diabetes specific, but these have diabetes chapters:

How Not To Die by Dr. Michael Greger.

The Starch Solution or The Healthiest Diet on the Planet by Dr. McDougall.

You can get the gist of their stuff online, for instance Dr. Greger's short talk on Diabetes (he has a lot more videos and resources on that site) or Dr. McDougall's longer talk or article on the subject.

Or you can watch Dr. Hans Diehl's video on it although his books are older.

I could list more but idk if you're looking for analysis, or a cookbook, or what.