Whole Food Plant-Based: It’s Not Just Lentils and Lettuce Anymore

Let’s take a quick trip back in time, shall we?

Picture it: early 2000s. You’ve just told someone you’re eating plant-based. They look at you with a mixture of pity and fear. "So... just salad then?" they ask, eyes darting around the room for the nearest cheese board. You sigh. You get it. At the time, “plant-based” conjured up images of dry tofu, limp steamed broccoli, and enough chickpeas to fuel a small village.

Fast forward to now, and we’re living in a different world entirely.

Plant-based eating isn’t frugal anymore. It’s fabulous. It’s creative. And crucially—it’s easy. With wholefood ingredients more accessible than ever, and supermarkets packed with options we couldn’t have dreamed of ten years ago, there’s never been a better time to eat in a way that supports both your body and the planet.

But let’s clear something up before we go any further…

Plant-Based vs Whole Food Plant-Based: What’s the Difference?

This is the part that often gets muddled. “Plant-based” can technically include ultra-processed vegan burgers, Oreos (yes, they’re vegan), and plant-based cheeses with ingredient lists longer than your arm.

Whole food plant-based (WFPB) is something else entirely.

It’s not about labels or purity—it’s about eating foods in their most natural, least tampered-with forms. Think: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. It’s less “vegan sausage roll” and more “roasted squash with tahini drizzle and a scatter of toasted seeds.”

The Mood-Food Connection

Now here’s the juicy part. We often talk about what food does for our bodies, but what about our minds?

Multiple studies show that eating a diverse, nutrient-rich, whole food plant-based diet can support better mood, energy, sleep and hormonal balance. And it’s not just about what’s added—it’s also about what’s reduced. Less inflammation. Less blood sugar spike-and-crash. Less brain fog.

If you’ve ever experienced the low after a highly processed lunch or the sluggishness of eating heavy, greasy foods, you’ll know what I mean.

The Soy and Menopause Mystery

Now, let’s talk soy.

There’s a claim floating around that in Japan, there’s no word for menopause because women don’t experience the same symptoms. While it makes for a great headline, it’s not entirely accurate. Japan does have a word for menopause: “konenki.” But it’s true that women in certain Asian cultures report fewer hot flushes and less severe symptoms.

One reason could be their diet. Japanese cuisine traditionally includes plenty of soy— tofu, miso, edamame. Soy contains phytoestrogens (specifically isoflavones), which are plant compounds that mimic oestrogen in the body, potentially offering relief during hormonal shifts.

While more research is needed, especially for Western populations, there’s growing evidence to suggest that moderate consumption of whole soy foods (not soy-based supplements) could support hormonal health during menopause.

No, soy isn't a miracle cure. But as part of a varied, colourful, plant-forward diet, it might just help you feel more balanced.

Cooking From Scratch

Here’s where we go deeper. Cooking from scratch isn’t just about health or saving money. It’s about reclaiming you. It’s about creating time in your day to nourish yourself, to reconnect with what you put into your body, and to slow down for a moment.

You don’t need to be a MasterChef contestant. You don’t need hours. But the act of preparing food, handling it, smelling it, tasting it—that’s a grounding, regulating, sensual experience that we’ve lost in a world of Deliveroo and meal replacements.

It’s Not About Being Perfect

This isn’t a pitch for going 100% anything. Life isn’t all-or-nothing.

But if you’ve been feeling sluggish, disconnected from your body, or stuck in a cycle of convenience food and regret, consider dipping a toe into the whole food plant-based pool.

Start with one meal. Cook one thing from scratch. Try one new vegetable. It doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. It just has to be real.

Because when your food feels alive, your body starts to feel that way too.

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