Ella Mills leaning on a kitchen counter with a Hyundai plant-based Challenge meal.

Edutainment.

The plant-based diet.

Let’s take a closer look at the health benefits and positive environmental impact of a plant-based diet. Rich in vegetables and whole foods, a plant-based diet consists of fruit, vegetables, grains, and legumes – and avoids meat, processed foods, dairy and eggs.

Plant-based basics
The impact

The basics

An introduction to the plant-based diet.

Focused on improving human health and creating a more sustainable food system, plant-based diets place a high emphasis on fresh, wholesome ingredients such as legumes, pulses, seasonal vegetables and fruits, while minimising or even eliminating animal products.

Avoid processed foods.

Highly processed foods, such as canned peaches or ravioli, often lose a portion of their nutrients throughout the treatment or manufacturing process. ¹
Eat fewer animal products.

Eating fewer animal products can reduce your carbon footprint. A recent study found the production of 1 kg of beef emits 60 kg of greenhouse gases, compared to 1 kg of peas, which emits just 1 kg. ²
Plant power.

When it comes to a plant-based diet, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, seeds and nuts should make up the majority of what you eat.

Fruit.

Eat plenty of your favourite regional and seasonal fruits like apples, berries, grapes, pears, watermelon, oranges, peaches, plums, tomatoes, etc.
Vegetables.

Pile on plenty of veggies including peppers, corn, lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, collards, etc.
Starchy comfort food.

People around the world have thrived on starchy comfort food for generations: think potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, corn, peas, etc.
Whole Grains.

Grains, cereals, and other starches in whole form, such as brown rice, whole wheat bread, oats, popcorn, etc.
Legumes.

Beans of any kind, plus lentils, pulses, etc.

Different kind of vegetable laying on a table.

Eat a rainbow of foods.

To meet your vitamin and mineral needs, meals should contain a rainbow of colours like red, green, orange, yellow and brown foods.

Ella Mills preparing a meal from the plant-based Challenge.

More than just a diet.

“Adopting a plant-based diet is the single most impactful action you can take as an individual to improve the health of the planet.” Ella Mills

The impact

Together we can make a difference.

There are many reasons why people choose to follow a plant-based diet. For some, it's a way to improve their health. Others choose plant-based diets to reduce the environmental impact associated with the consumption of meat and dairy products. Adopting a plant-based diet or including vegetarian days to your diet is a way to adopt a healthy lifestyle for you and the environment.

image of drops of water on a pane of glass

Reduces water consumption.

A plant-based diet can reduce water consumption by up to 50 percent according to studies quoted by UCLA Sustainability. ³

image of tall pine trees filtering sunlight

Help fight climate change.

Switching to a plant-based diet can help fight climate change, according to a report by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. ⁴

Greenhouse gas emissions across the supply chain by food product.

Source: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/food-emissions-supply-chain

It's not just a diet.

A plant-based diet is considered to be nutrient-dense and packed with fibre, healthy fats, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Several studies have confirmed it is not only healthy, but can have a great impact on your body. ⁵

A delicious plant-based lunch with a glass of orange juice

Delicious and nutritious.

Try our Plant-based Challenge to find recipes for plant-based meals that are delicious, full of fibre, rich in vitamins and minerals and low in calories.

Go plant-based

Help your health – and the environment.

While some people like to dive in headfirst and go 100-percent whole-food, plant-based overnight, we know that a sudden lifestyle shift isn’t for everyone. Which is why together with Ella Mills we set up a plant-based challenge for you to make the change easy and enjoyable with tasty recipes, insights and tips and tricks.

Buy regional and seasonal.

Shopping local helps support small businesses and farmers while also reducing the distance required that is required to deliver food to your kitchen table.
Swap meat for high-protein legumes.

Try tofu, tempeh, black beans, chickpeas, pinto beans, and dried peas. You can also use plant-based protein powder and other high protein foods, such as seitan.
Keep nutrition basics in mind.

Limit the sugar, fat, and refined grains you cook with at home. These ingredients can quickly make a home-cooked plant-based meal unhealthy.