History of the Term ‘Whole Food, Plant-Based’ – Nutrition Studies
The term “whole food, plant-based” diet is a marketing term invented to overcome the public’s stigma against vegetarian or vegan eating.
“My solution was to choose “plant-based” for lack of a better word. I also thought that the idea had to rest on good solid science, if it were to survive. Still today, I avoid the ‘V’ words because most vegetarians consume too much animal based foods (such as dairy and fish) and total fat. Vegans tend to consume too much processed food and total fat. I added “whole” to my “plant-based” nomenclature a little later, in order to avoid the idea that isolated nutrients (as in supplements) and/or plant food fragments (refined carbohydrates sugar and white flour) conveyed health. My considerable experience in court testifying to the inappropriate use of nutrient supplements compelled me to add the word “whole” as in “whole food, plant-based.””
Amazing how marketing messages and propaganda are driving the media’s focus on “plant-based” eating.
Warning – if you choose to go down the plant-based eating path, let your doctor know and consult with a nutritionist. I went down that path for years, and ended up vitamin B-12 deficiency with a LOT of health problems, and ultimately it may have nearly killed me. I learned later that I have a family history of B-12 deficiency, I carry a genetic marker associated with B-12 deficiency, and as we get older, our ability to absorb B-12 (which comes only from meat) goes down. We need to take B-12 supplements if we do this. “Going plant-based” is not something you do casually for a long period of time.
