You've probably heard accolades about the Thrive Diet, but when you learn it is plant-based it leaves you scratching your head and asking, "What can I eat on the Thrive Diet?"
Focus on the Positive
It's easy for people who have eaten meat and dairy products all their lives to focus on what the Thrive Diet takes away from them. A much healthier approach is to look at what it can teach you. Instead of looking at what you can't eat, consider the Thrive Diet as a guide to long-term health habits.
The author of the Thrive Diet is a professional athlete, Ironman and Triathlete. His name is Brendan Brazier, and he writes in simple easy-to-understand terms that explain how our bodies shift between fuel sources and the role stress plays in our ability to burn fat. He ties it all together with how his diet energizes the body with optimal fuel.
What Can I Eat On the Thrive Diet
If you're considering the transition to this plant-based diet, the question remains: "What can I eat on the Thrive Diet?" The good news is that the book not only explains why eating this vegan diet brings about optimal health, but it includes plenty of recipe alternatives to help you find your way to a whole new way of eating. Along with his recipes Brazier includes explanations of how the ingredients used to create these dishes work together with the body to promote health.
Another positive is that this diet does not involve counting calories or carbs. It also differs from many other diets in that it does not have phases to work through. Instead, the book includes a 12-week meal plan that explains exactly what to eat each day.
Recipes include alternatives for:
- Sports drinks
- Recovery drinks
- Energy bars
Breakdown of What to Eat
Energy dense foods eaten on this diet include fresh fruits and vegetables. A basic breakdown of what you eat is:
- 45 percent fibrous vegetables
- 20 percent legumes, seeds and pseudograins
- 20 percent fruit
- 10 percent nuts, avocado and cold-pressed oils
- 5 percent whole grains and starchy vegetables
This includes items such as:
- Adzuki beans
- Acai juice
- Agave nectar
- Black-eyed peas
- Coconut oil
- Dates
- Ground flaxseed
- Hemp protein
- Hemp oil
- Hemp seeds
- Mangoes
- Pumpkin seeds
- Quinoa
- Raw almonds
- Rooibos tea
- Sesame seeds
- Sunflower seeds
Thrive Diet Recipes
Many of the recipes eaten on the Thrive Diet are made in the blender or a food processor. Some of them may sound strange, but are said to be delicious. They include dishes such as:
VEGA Healthy Fast Food Options
Along with the recipes found in the book, Brazier also formulated a whole-food product that can be used as a meal replacement. This product line known as VEGA is composed of high quality plant-based super foods and is Thrive's version of fast foods.
Ease into Eating the Thrive Diet
Much of the foods eaten on the Thrive Diet are consumed in their raw state. This is a huge change for those who have followed standard diets. The Thrive Diet, like many others, claims to be a lifestyle rather than a diet, and in this case it truly is. The real goal of this diet is to learn to eat energy-boosting foods that are nutrient-rich and easily digested.
While all the foods included on this diet are healthful whole foods, when you start the diet it's a good idea to ease into it gradually. If you are used to eating refined foods and drinking coffee there's a good chance you will experience withdrawal symptoms as you give them up.
To ease into this way of eating, the book encourages you to focus on "net-gain" foods because the nutrients are efficiently assimilated and the foods themselves are easy to digest. In a nutshell, these are whole foods and are usually consumed in their raw state.
