almostplantbased
We help YOU reach your goal to eat healthier, lose weight or perform better at your sport. Our almost plant-based courses are easy, practical and science based.
#13 Learn about Micronutrients, like Vitamins and Minerals
Both Vitamins and Minerals support many important metabolic functions in your body, such as vision, growth, bone health, blood clotting, etc.
It is important to obtain the correct amounts of each vitamin and mineral. And we say correct, because very often, people tend to overdose.
Yes! You can actually overdose a vitamin. If you ever faced a moment where you get sudden diarhhea, that might be due to many reasons and one of them could be a Vitamin C overdose.
Information: To obtain the correct amounts needed, you can check the Dietary Reference Intake Document for Americans. As of page 176, you see all the information listed for each Vitamin.
Why bother? Because YOU own YOUR health. No one else.
https://www.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fnic_uploads/DRIEssentialGuideNutReq.pdf
Tip #12 Learn about Macronutrients like Carbohydrates, Fats and Proteins
Our course contains an entire module on Macronutrients.
It is important to understand the ratio for each macro in regards to your overall food intake on a daily basis.
There are a lot of so called “good carbs” like whole grains and “bad carbs” such as french fries.
Same goes for “good fats” like peanut butter or “bad fats” like coconut oil. Examples for “good proteins” are oats and “bad proteins” is beef jerky or whey powder.
Read up online, find yourself a book or just get our course and read about it now.
27/05/2022
Tip #10 Tell a Friend
Find yourself someone to go on the journey of eating healthier with you. A friend, a family member, a colleague, your coach, anyone.
It will help you with accountability but also to share successes and failures.
Together with your partner in crime, find yourself a reward for making these changes to the way you eat.
In the end you are adapting to a whole new lifestyle.
That should be worth a nice trip or excursion or a piece of fashion that would motivate you.
There are a lot of communities on social media that exchange on great recipes or share their common health journey.
Find yourself your own tribe or join our facebook group that we offer to all participants of the 21 days to eat healthier course.
26/05/2022
Tip #9 Take a picture
We often forget to take a picture before we begin any journey.
That could be rearranging a room, cleaning the fridge or starting a weight-loss journey.
And I say weight loss, because with all of the changes during the “Eat Healthier in 21 days”, you will lose weight. That’s for sure.
And to see the result after we put in the effort, is very rewarding. Even more so when you share it with friends or family.
You might not feel like it and trust us, you will be thankful afterwards.
Take a "before" picture in tight clothes and make sure you keep the exact same clothes for your "after" picture.
Get a frontal and profile photo and make sure you stand in the same area, with good light for both photos.
25/05/2022
Tip #8 Set yourself some goals
By educating yourself and reading our 21 tips, you make an investment in yourself.
Promise to yourself that you give it your best shot.
Read all the material, prepare yourself as outlined in the "Preparation Guide" and join our Support Group on facebook to get the ultimate community benefits you need, to start losing pounds.
Make yourself proud and own your health again and most importantly: Take the time to sit down and really think about 1 Goal.
Our course “Eat Healthier in 21 days” contains a Motivation Guide which helps guide you to set the right goals.
24/05/2022
Tip #7 Get Blood Tests done
You are reading this because you want to make changes.
And to be able to know if the changes go into the direction you would like, you need to document the current situation of your health. Both inside (your labs) and outside. (a photo of yourself).
Get an early morning appointment with your family doctor, fast in the morning and ask for a full metabolic profile.
16/05/2022
Tip #6 Get your kitchen ready
Now that you know a lot more, you might be tempted to get cooking.
There will be a few things here and there that you need or you miss to be able to make a lot of food yourself or make better versions than what you get in the supermarket.
Trust me - it is so so satisfying to make a few of your favorite foods or drinks yourself.
But where to start? Look at Tip #2. Write down the 5 processed foods you removed from your fridge but you love them so much and use them on a daily or weekly basis, you can’t live without them.
Well these are the recipes you want to learn and work on. Our “Eat Healthier in 21 days” course includes a kitchen essentials guide and also 200+ recipes to get you inspired.
16/05/2022
Tip #5: Watch TV
Wait a minute - what? how does watching TV help us get healthier?
Well it sounds better than “educate yourself” don’t you think?
I challenge you to watch either one or all these documentaries on netflix: , , and .
You will not always agree with everything you see but trust me, a few things will stick and the puzzle will come together.
If you’ve seen them already - which one was your favorite and what did you take away from it?
15/05/2022
#4 Become aware of sugar
The header for this point could have also been “eliminate sugar” But I am not like that. I know it’s hard. I would just like to encourage to educate yourself on what contains sugar and what pure white sugar does to you. You will understand. Its logic and fact based, not just a story someone told. And if you’re like me and you LOOOOOVE sweats, you will find alternatives.
Here is my personal experience in reducing sugars. I use dates or date paste for baking. I make my own jam so I know how much sugar goes in (raw brown sugar). I only eat 70% lindt excellence chocolate which has low sugar levels. I completely cut out store bought granolas, I make my own. I don’t buy almond milk, I make my own. I sweeten it with dates. And the list goes on. I have a guide on sugar and replacements on the blog almostplantbased.com
14/05/2022
Tip #3 Find Local Producers
Now that you are aware of what you need to take out of your fridge (bye bye ketchup, chocolate spread and frozen pizza), you should think about how to put a huge smile on your face whenever you look inside your fridge.
No matter where you live in the world, there will always be a gem that you can find that produces food locally. I mean, I live in the desert and we have an incredible organic farm here . They are located in the oasis of Al Ain and they use sustainable farming methods to get us the most fresh and incredible produce from farm to table. So I challenge you to find your perfect local producer and tag them here in the comments.
12/05/2022
Tip #2 Eliminate most processed foods
And I say most because I know how hard it is. First step is to educate yourself about processed foods. What are they? You will be shocked. This is an entire lifestyle change I am asking from you :) ! Hence I say “most”.
Pretty much 60% of what you can buy in a supermarket is processed. Non processed food is the actual product in its most natural state. Example: Corn on the cob = not processed. Popcorn = processed.
It starts already with breakfast. Instead of buying cornflakes or ready made granolas or other cereals, please read the label exactly. Just buy rolled oats, make your own granola by crushing a few nuts in the food processor, adding some maple sirup and baking it at 150 degrees for 15 minutes. Then add your own oat or almond milk on top - done. Healthy breakfast. Happy Days.
In our “Eat healthier in 21 days” self paced online course, we have a whole chapter on teaching you how to read the labels. It’s incredible what kind of information about a food item you can get from there to quickly understand if it's relatively healthy or heavily processed.
11/05/2022
Let's start with Tip #1: Drink Mineral Water, Black Coffee or Tea only.
Sounds quite basic and in the same time it might just be one of the biggest changes for some of us.
It’s super important you fuel your body with the right liquids. After all, we consist mostly of liquid and we need to replenish on a constant basics.
Skip the soda’s, the latte’s and the bubble tea’s. Just stick to water (good water, not flavoured. check the minerals), black coffee or tea. No sugar, no syrups. Just the pure product.
Of course you can still have milk with your oats. Avoid cow’s milk, it’s made for calves. Have almond milk instead.
When it comes to alcohol, make smart & moderate choices. Don’t pick the fruity or creamy cocktails, stick to gin & tonic. Chose red wine over white wine or beer.
This will be the first step in learning to appreciate food and drinks again. Your brain and your tongue is trained and used to a certain taste. You have expectations.
Just stick to the above 3 drinks and you’ll see, you find your taste buds again. You won’t mask the taste of food anymore. and you would have taken the #1 and most basic step to a healthier and also slimmer life.
10/05/2022
This is a new series of posts which will make eating healthier more accessible. And what do we mean with healthier? Less risk for lifestyle diseases? Slimmer? More educated choices when eating & drinking?
All of that really. It’s an incredible commitment to one self to make changes, remove certain foods and rinks from your life.
So to make it all a bit easier and more actionable, we created this series and cant wait to hear which one's your favorite tips are!
02/05/2022
25/02/2022
Eating Fiber lowers your cholesterol?
The fiber you eat binds bile, which is a digestive secretion of the gallbladder. Thanks to that, bile can be eliminated in f***s.
Bile contains cholesterol. When bile is excreted, the body need to produce new bile. For that, it will use the cholesterol available in the body, which is fantastic.
That means fiber rich foods help you reduce your bad cholesterol levels. In addition they are most often rich in unsaturated fats.
Eat more fibrous vegetables!
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15/02/2022
Out of 100% calories, what should you eat?
There are many diets focussing on less carbs, less fat or on the contrary - more fat. Even if you want to lower your carb intake, you should not go below 45% of your overall calorie intake. Your body needs each macronutrient & the minimum percentages should be respected for a balanced diet.
Carbs: 45% to 65%
Fats: 20 - 35%
Protein: 10-35%
If you want a more customized overview of how many calories you need to maintain or lose weight, you can check our calorie calculator on our website. Knowing your data is key to owning your health.
https://almostplantbased.com/calorie-counting/
11/02/2022
Mid morning cravings?
Since I have breakfast at around 07:00am, I get a little appetite for a morning snack around 09:30 or 10:00 am.
Sometimes I'll reach for three dates or a few nuts. And a more special treat is one of these 6 shakes I listed here for you.
They contain enough of the good stuff that fill you up for a few hours. They are especially great if you had a morning or afternoon workout and want a healthy shake just afterwards.
Which one will you try out first?
Need a new go to breakfast? Here is one I don't get tired of since years.
It's true, I keep varying my add on's so it stays interesting.
The most important is the base. I like rolled oats - you can get them gluten free as well if you're intolerant.
I have about 30gr my husband takes 50gr.
I add a few tbsp of my homemade granola (see other posts for the recipe), 1 tsp of peanut butter and 1 tsp of almond butter.
I sometimes add flaxseeds or pumpkin seeds. And whatever fruit I have available at home, usually berries to add some antioxidants and vitamin overload.
My kids love goji berries as topper.
The final touch is my homemade almond milk (see recipe in other post).
Et voila! Amazing homemade breakfast. Wholesome, healthy and very satisfying. The oats keep you full for the whole morning. Enjoy!
04/02/2022
When you have a tendency to eat plant-based, you get the question about your protein sources a lot.
And a far more interesting question would be: How much Protein do we actually need?
Most people are not aware, since apart from knowing the number, it also requires a bit of tracking.
And if done once via one of the many food tracker apps, you can get a good understanding if you're getting enough protein on a weekly basis.
The official Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for Protein is 0.8g/kg body weight. If you weigh 90kg (198 lbs), you need 72g/day.
If you want to read more about protein and plant-based sources of protein, just check the article on my site: https://almostplantbased.com/plant-based-high-protein-foods/
Hungry?
Creating a healthy lunch or dinner creates anxiety for some people. I get it. That's why I like to always have certain ingredients handy to assemble a quick and healthy meal.
This salad is filling because it contains a few important ingredients that are satisfying:
1) Kale: Loaded with fiber (your gut will thank you) and quite a lot to chew on. It digests slowly and keep you full longer
2) Black Rice: A carbohydrate that digests slowly. It's gluten free and hence gentle to your gut also.
3) Avocado: A healthy fat that fills you up and adds a great texture to your dish.
The pumpkin seeds are a great source of protein and if you want more, you can add baked tofu.
What do you like eating for lunch?
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29/01/2022
What are the 5 principles of Healthy Nutrition?
Professor Gardner of Stanford University analyzed the top 9 practiced diets out there:
Paleo, Low Fat, Low Carb, Ketogenic, Gluten Free, Mediterranaen, Vegan, Raw and Vegetarian.
If you look at the benefits of each diet, you will be able to come up with 5 principles that stand out. Following these principles you embrace the positive effects of 9 diets.
Source: https://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2019/01/24/a-skeptical-look-at-popular-diets-stick-to-5-rules-for-healthy-eating/
#1 Eat more fibrous vegetables. Examples: Broccoli, Carrots, Beets, Collard Greens, Artichoke
#2: Eat more Whole Foods. Examples: unprocessed and unrefined foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains in their pure form
#3: Reduce sugar and added sugars. Example: brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fracture, glucose, honey, lactose, malt syrup
#4: Eat less food with white flour and processed starch. Example: Cornmeal, Rice Crispy Cereal, Pretzels, Saltine Crackers, Instant Noddles, etc
#5: No Trans Fats, less saturated fats from animal products. Example: Frozen Pizza, Microwave Popcorn, ready made cakes, cookies and pies, margarine, coconut oil
24/01/2022
Homemade vegan waffles are a weekend favorite in my house.
I usually make plenty and keep some for weekday school snacks.
My favorite topping is peanut butter. It just adds that extra protein to my breakfast and I love the silky taste.
Hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know how it turns out for you.
Ingredients:
180gr of flour (I like to put 100gr wheat flour and 80gr almond flour)
2 ripe banana's
4 dates
180ml of soy milk
2 tbsp Vegan Butter
1 tbsp baking powder
1 TBSP Cinnamon
Oil to grease your waffle iron
Instructions:
Mash the banana, Dates and melt the vegan butter. Mix together with the soy milk.
Place the flour, Baking Powder, & Cinnamon in a blender.
Add the milk mixture and blend briefly until you get a thick batter. Add a little water if needed.
Grease the waffle iron and bake your waffles.
Add the topping of your choice (berries, banana, Peanut butter, Maple syrup, ...).
Tired of store bought Granola?
Try making it yourself - it's too easy and you control the ingredient that go in it. I eat it as a topper for my oatmeal in the morning and I prefer to put only nuts and seeds in there.
Recipe:
Get your maple syrup and have around 3 tablespoons ready. Pre-heat the oven to 300F (150 C).
Add your nuts, maple syrup and cacao powder in your food processor. I usually go for: 2 cups of almonds, 1 cup of hazelnuts, 1/2 cup of walnuts, 1/2 cup of macadamia or pistachio; 1/4 cup of sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds, 1/4 cup of flaxseeds (or chia seeds).
Crush the nuts with your food processor as small or as chunky as you like them in your granola. (If you don’t have a food processor, take smaller of batches of nut, put them in a freezer bag and use a rolling pin to crush the nuts).
Put the nuts on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes (depending how roasted you want them) at 300F/150C.
Good to know: Nuts should always be toasted below 350F/175C so they keep most of their nutritional values. They actually only lose about 10 to 20% of their nutritional values when you toast them. If you go above 350F/175C you lose about 60 to 70% of their nutritional value.
17/01/2022
Do you know the Eat-Stop-Eat method in intermittent fasting?
This fasting method is similar to the 5:2 method in the sense that for five days of the week, you eat as you normally would.
The main difference in this fasting style is that on one or two days of the week, instead of restricting calories, you fast for 24 hours.
In this method, people commonly fast from one evening to the next, ending the fast with a healthy balanced meal.
Adding in an occasional full day fast after a weekend away or indulgent few days can be a great way to detoxify your body and restart for the week ahead.
14/01/2022
Do you know the 16:8 method in intermittent fasting?
This method of fasting is arguably the most popular of the three.
In this style of fasting, you take 24 hours and split it into fasting and non-fasting hours.
You fast for 16 hours and eat within an 8-hour period.
An easy way to use this method is to have your first meal at noon and the final meal before 8 pm.
Limiting your food intake to this 8-hour window means you can do most of your fast in your sleep.
10/01/2022
Do you know the 5:2 method in intermittent fasting?
Many adaptations of intermittent fasting have become popular for weight loss and performance enhancements.
In this intermittent fasting style, you eat as you normally would for five days of the week.
On the other two days, you restrict your intake to only 500 calories for women or 600 calories for men. This intake of calories is approximately a quarter of your daily needs.
You may find it easiest to implement this style of fasting by having fasting days spread apart. For example, your fasting days may be on Mondays and Thursdays.
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