1. Standard American Diet 2. Plant-Based 101 3. Food Guide 4. Starting Your Journey 5. Stock Your Pantry 6. Stock Your Refrigerator 7. Stock Your Freezer 8. Plant-Based Alternatives 9. What Are Carbohydrates? 10. Nutrition for Kids 11. Cooking Without Oil 12. Boosting Immunity 13. Quick & Easy Recipe Ideas 14. Share Your Progress 15. Dig Deeper 16. Comments

Plant-Based Health Mini Course

Over 30 minutes of free online learning for whole food, plant-based (WFPB) beginners

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Standard American Diet

CNS Director of Education Jill Edwards, MS, CEP discusses the standard American diet (SAD), sometimes referred to as the "Western diet".

A thumbnail from a course lecture on the standard American diet

Plant-Based 101

What do I eat?

It's pretty simple: whole, unrefined, plant-based foods. That's it.

Why?

The benefits of a healthy lifestyle are enormous. When you adopt a whole food, plant-based lifestyle you can increase the odds that you will:

Lower risk of prostate, breast & other cancers
Prevent, even reverse, heart disease
Prevent & treat diabetes
Lose weight & have more energy
Live longer
...and much more

Food Guide

Go for green, use orange sparingly and stay away from red.

Whole PlantsVegetables including leafy greens, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds
Plant-Based ProcessedWhole grain pastas, breads, cereals, oil-free crackers, etc. Plant-based milks, oil-free sauces/dressings, tofu
Plant-Based Highly ProcessedProcessed plant fragments: non-dairy cheeses and ice creams, meat substitutes (plant protein isolates), refined flour products (white bread, pasta)
Salt, Oil and SugarAll oils (olive, coconut, palm, corn, peanut, sesame, flax, hemp, vegetable, etc.), sugary beverages, candy, fried foods, junk foods, etc.
Animal ProductsBeef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, etc., and all dairy products

Starting Your Journey

Lindsay S. Nixon, best-selling author of the Happy Herbivore series of cookbooks helps us get started on our whole food, plant-based journey.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on starting a plant-based pantry

Stock Your Pantry

A well-stocked pantry can provide a sense of safety and control when the news is frightful and the future uncertain. Stocking up now on whole, plant-based food items will help you weather the storm with less stress.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on stocking a plant-based pantry

Stock Your Refrigerator

If you're preparing to stay home more than usual, it's important to have healthful foods on hand in the refrigerator.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on stocking a plant-based refrigerator

Stock Your Freezer

Stock your freezer with a few go-to ingredients, and learn our strategies for using your freezer to save money and create faster, plant-based meals.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on stocking a plant-based freezer

Plant-Based Alternatives

Lindsay explains several replacements to use when adopting a whole food, plant-based lifestyle.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on plant-based alternatives to animal products

What Are Carbohydrates?

Lewis Freedman, RD discusses why carbohydrates are important for our health and clears up confusion regarding the health benefits of complex carbohydrates vs refined carbohydrates.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on carbohydrates

Nutrition for Kids

Pediatrician Jackie Busse, MD discusses the significant impact childhood nutrition has on lifelong health. Many of the chronic diseases of adulthood have their beginnings in childhood and if we're serious about preventing them, we need to focus on whole food, plant-based nutrition for kids.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on nutrition for kids

Cooking Without Oil

CNS Communications and Content Coordinator Evelisse Capó, PharmD shares how easy it is to cook delicious meals without using oil. One of the most important aspects of following a whole food, plant-based lifestyle, is eliminating added oil from your diet. Before long, you'll wonder why you ever needed it in the first place!

A thumbnail from a course lecture on cooking without oil

Boosting Immunity

Dr. Capó and her daughter Sheriza share some of their favorite immune boosting tips. For more delicious, healthy plant-based recipes, download our free Immune Boosting Recipes eBook.

A thumbnail from a course lecture on boosting your immunity with plant-based nutrition

Quick & Easy Recipe Ideas

There's nothing better than healthy, delicious meals that don't take hours to prepare, especially when you're transitioning. Check out the following quick and easy recipe videos.

Asparagus in Black Bean Sauce

Asparagus in Black Bean Sauce

Broccoli Burritos

Broccoli Burritos

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffed Mushrooms

Thai Noodle Salad

Thai Noodle Salad

Did you finish the
Plant-Based Health Mini Course?

Did you finish the Plant-Based Health Mini Course?

Great job!

Help your friends and family achieve their health goals with our free Plant-Based Health Mini Course!

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Dig Deeper with the
Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate

Dig Deeper with the Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate

Try a free sample of our online, instructor-led course in partnership with eCornell.

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