Mayo Clinic Talks Re-Release!! "Lettuce Eat" Plant-Based Diets: Healthy and NonHealthy
Dec 23, 2025
Lisa Lammert, a registered dietitian specializing in plant-based nutrition, shares valuable insights on the benefits and challenges of plant-based diets. She discusses how these diets can reduce risk factors for heart disease, obesity, and diabetes, while also addressing the nutritional pitfalls of processed vegan foods. Lammert emphasizes the importance of fiber for gut health and offers practical tips for transitioning to plant-based meals. She also highlights key nutrients like protein, vitamin B12, and calcium, ensuring listeners understand how to maintain a balanced diet.
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Plant-Based Is A Spectrum Not A Label
- A plant-based diet emphasizes whole plant foods and can include some animal products for flexibility.
- Many vegan-labeled processed foods are technically plant-based but not whole-food healthful choices.
Build Meals Around Whole Plant Foods
- Fill plates with nonstarchy and starchy vegetables, whole fruits, whole grains, beans, tofu, nuts, and seeds.
- Use fresh herbs, spices, avocados, and plant-based proteins to make meals balanced and flavorful.
Nutrient Shift Drives Cardiovascular Benefits
- Plant-forward diets lower intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium linked to heart disease.
- They also increase fiber and other nutrients that reduce cardiovascular risk factors.