Coming from an athletic background, I developed my interest in food simply as a means for enhancing performance. I wanted the best fuel and biological building blocks available. But after several years of being meticulous about what I ate, it dawned on me that I actually knew very little about food itself. While I understood nutrition—the components that make up food—I knew very little about food as a whole: where it came from, who grew it, how much time needed to pass for it to go from seed to ready-to-eat food, etc. And how did my food choices affect all those involved along the way? Then there were the environmental considerations. What was the environmental draw of the laborious process of converting natural resources into edible sustenance?
When I selected what to eat, I understood that choice most certainly had a direct impact on health and performance (which I discuss in Chapter 1), but I was only just beginning to appreciate the broad and significant influence that our individual food choices have on the lives of others and how our food choices impact the environment.
The significance of this began to sink in, and as it did, an appreciation for the scope of influence our food choices had—one that extended far beyond us as individuals—came with it.
In fact, it’s that appreciation that led me to write this book. While my interest in food had been sparked by a selfish desire for premium nutrition to fuel athletic performance, as I pried deeper into the world of food, I became fascinated with the system as a whole.
I began asking questions.
Undeniably, unrefined whole food is an essential component to good health, but what attribute determines a food’s nutritional quality? Caloric density? Vitamins? Minerals? Phytochemicals? Antioxidants? I wanted to know. And what is the environmental cost of each of these nutritional components? Certainly not all foods are equal in their nutritional makeup, but how do each of their impacts on the environment compare?
I wrote this book in pursuit of those answers. What I found fascinated me. The choices each of us makes every day as to what we’ll eat turned out to have a greater impact than I ever could have imagined.
Starting off with a focus on obtaining peak health, I begin by discussing a North American epidemic, one of the leading causes of disease and unrealized potential: stress. The subject of my first book, Thrive, stress has become a ubiquitous part of our modern lives. Unfortunately, its familiar symptoms—difficulty sleeping, inability to lose body fat despite regular exercise, sugar and starch cravings, dependence on stimulants such as coffee to start the day, and general fatigue hitting around two o’clock in the afternoon—have become the rule, not the exception. Depending on its nutritional makeup, food can either contribute to or help alleviate overall stress.
I examine what nutritional characteristics to consider when making food choices to better nourish the body, and therefore to reduce stress through the consumption of higher quality food.
As I found, micronutrient content, known as nutrient density, is the most comprehensive measure of the health-boosting properties of a given food. The greater the nutrient density, the less nutritional stress (the biological strain created when nutritional requirements are not adequately met). I give a detailed account of nutritional stress in Chapter 1.
In addition to advocating that your first consideration in choosing food should be its nutrient density, I propose a set of “guiding principles” to use when selecting what to eat.
In Chapter 2, I look at the environmental toll levied in the food-production process. Our health is, overwhelmingly, tied to the quality of the food we eat. And food quality is directly tied to the quality of the soil in which it was grown. Therefore, the health of the environment has a direct tie to our health by way of food (not to mention by way of the air we breathe and the water we drink).
Growing and processing food not only consume land, water, and fossil fuel but also create carbon emissions.
Since plants pull minerals from the soils—micronutrients essential for human health—they serve as a conduit, taking the soil—the environment—putting it into a digestible form, and passing it on to us. Each time we take a bite of food, part of the environment literally becomes part of our biological fabric, our bodies. At the risk of sounding like a hippy, the Earth is part of us.
This being the case—if for no other reason than personal self-interest—it’s worthwhile taking environmental preservation measures. But there are larger reasons for caring about food. In return for food, we exchange a considerable amount of natural resources. Growing and processing food not only consume land, water, and fossil fuel but also create carbon emissions.
In Chapter 3, I examine what others have done to address the vast global environmental strain of food production. The U.K. government leads the way in offering carbon labels on food to give consumers some perspective as to the effect their food choices have on carbon emissions production, and therefore on environmental health. I also explore steps progressive companies, such as Whole Foods Markets, are taking to help consumers make healthy choices by indicating the nutrient density of many of their food items.
Having had the opportunity to work with some of the best minds in the nutrition world, as well as with some leading environmental advocates, I have developed an appreciation of two different perspectives, which haven’t often converged.
In being exposed to the connection between personal and environmental health, I dedicate a large part of Chapter 3 to the marriage of the two. I call this connection the “nutrient-to-resource ratio.”
I also examine the monetary cost of food. Undoubtedly it’s less expensive to gain calories from highly processed food. But what about micronutrients—the true measure of food value—what’s the least expensive way to obtain them? I explore this question, displaying my findings by using icons that clearly display the good from the less desirable.
Rounding out the chapter, I visually showcase the environmental strain involved in producing a day of meals following, first, a Standard American Diet, and next following what is commonly perceived as a “Healthy” American diet. Finally, I look at the environmental strain of producing a day’s meal plan using the whole foods recipes in this book. The contrast was sharper than I could have imagined.
In Chapter 4, I go on to consider eight key nutritional components, and their benefits, that are worth seeking when making food choices.
In Chapter 5, I suggest specific foods that have health-boosting and environmental-preserving attributes described earlier in the book. The section “Whole Foods to Thrive Pantry Essentials” provides a list of staples that will help you keep your kitchen well stocked with the essential ingredients for whole food meals.
The book culminates with 200 fabulous recipes, all made with nutrient-dense, plant-based whole foods that are both health-boosting and easy on the environment.
Created with help from some top chef friends, all the recipes in this final chapter adhere to my nutritional philosophy.
Feature Chefs
While I created all the recipes in both Thrive and Thrive Fitness, as well as some of the recipes in this book, I grew curious as to how top-tier chefs would approach recipe creation using nutrient-dense, plant-based whole food ingredients.
And, since I’m by no means a chef, I felt there must certainly be flavor profiles and ingredient combinations—unknown to me—that would increase palatability and overall appeal. For this reason, I enlisted the help of a few of my favorite chefs.
The chef creating most of the recipes—about half of the book’s total—is Julie Morris. Julie is a Los Angeles–based natural food chef who has the unique ability to draw and balance a wide range of flavors from natural whole foods ingredients.
All the recipes are nutrient-dense, tread lightly on the environment, and taste amazing.
In keeping with the nutritional philosophy of this book, Julie has taken a truly novel and creative approach in developing delicious, accessible, and easy-to-make recipes out of premium, nutrient-dense, health-boosting ingredients.
The other top chefs I’ve enlisted have each contributed two to four world-class, plant-based, whole food creations, all of which, I think you’ll agree, are truly delicious.
All the recipes here are nutrient-dense, tread lightly on the environment, and taste amazing. One of the most pleasing aspects of these recipes is their diversity. From simple to elaborate, and drawing on a variety of ethnic cuisines, they all showcase the exceptional creativity and scope of these talented chefs.
AMANDA COHEN
Part of the gourmet New York food world for years, in 2008 Amanda opened her own restaurant in New York’s East Village and called it Dirt Candy. Known for her ability to cook vegetables in unique and innovative ways, in 2010 Amanda was a contestant on Iron Chef America. For more information, visit dirtcandy.com.
MATTHEW KENNEY
Matthew is a chef, a restaurateur, and an author, and is known for his unique brand of organic and vegetarian cuisine. His company, Matthew Kenney Cuisine, is focused on the development of products, books, and businesses that reflect his passion for sustainable living.
He is the founder and operator of The 105degrees Academy, which is a state-licensed educational institution. Matthew created it to share and advance cutting-edge “living cuisine” in an inviting environment.
For more information about Matthew, his many books, the 105degrees Academy, or his work in general, you may visit 105degreesacademy.com.
JULIE MORRIS
Julie Morris is a Los Angeles–based food writer and natural food chef with a talent for creating delicious, health-boosting, plant-based, whole-food recipes. As a chef, she combines complementary ingredients to achieve a unique yet balanced flavor profile in a remarkable way. Julie specializes in the creation of recipes using superfoods. Although a formal definition has not been settled upon, superfoods are most commonly recognized as foods with a high nutrient density.
For more information about Julie, or to read her blog, watch her recipe preparation videos, or learn about her new book, Superfood Cuisine, you may visit juliemorris.net.
CHAD SARNO
Currently the R&D chef for Whole Foods Markets’ “Health Starts Here” program, Chad has been bringing his approach to healthy cuisine to some of the world’s premier organic vegan restaurants, spa resorts, film sets, and individuals for over a decade. I was first exposed to Chad’s creations when he was executive chef at Saf, a unique upscale raw restaurant in London, England, back in 2008. I’ve been a fan ever since.
To learn more about Chad, his work, and his company, Vital Creations, you may visit his site rawchef.com.
TAL RONNEN
Chef Tal Ronnen is one of the most celebrated plant-based chefs working today. In the spring of 2008, he became known nationwide as the chef who prepared plant-based meals for Oprah Winfrey’s 21-day vegan cleanse. Chef Ronnen also has the honor of being the first to serve a plant-based dinner at the U.S. Senate. Catering the 2010 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) gala in Los Angeles, Tal prepared a diverse menu, which was my first exposure to his recipe-creating prowess.
To view Tal’s videos and to learn more about him and his book, The Conscious Cook, you may visit talronnen.com.
Recipes from My Favorite Restaurants
Throughout the recipe section you’ll also find recipes from my favorite restaurants and cafés across North America. Ranging from elaborate five-star formal dining, to casual cafés, and even to basic takeout, these establishments are top-tier and each offers a unique culinary experience, all paralleling my nutritional philosophy.
As someone who crisscrosses North America several times each year, in addition to appreciating the Whole Foods Market and other plant-based, whole food–savvy grocery stores, I have a few favorite restaurants and cafés:
· Beets Living Foods Café—Austin, Texas
· Blossoming Lotus—Portland, Oregon
· Candle 79—New York City, New York
· Cru—Los Angeles, California
· Crudessence—Montreal, Quebec
· Fresh at Home—Toronto, Ontario
· Gorilla Food—Vancouver, British Columbia
· The Green Door—Ottawa, Ontario
· Horizons—Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
· JivamukTea Café—New York City, New York
· Karyn’s on Green—Chicago, Illinois
· Karyn’s Fresh Corner Café—Chicago, Illinois
· Life Food Gourmet—Miami, Florida
· Live Organic Food Bar—Toronto, Ontario
· Millennium—San Francisco, California
· Pure Food & Wine—New York, New York
· Ravens’ Restaurant—Mendocino, California
· Thrive Juice Bar—Waterloo, Ontario
· Veggie Grill—Los Angeles, California
You can find more information about each establishment, along with its website URL, address, and phone number, starting on page 302.