% calories from fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and seeds?

cjc166
cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
If you've never checked, it's eye opening to find out what percentage of your calories come from whole, unprocessed, plant foods. The average Amercian gets 5-10% of their calories from unprocessed fruits, veggies, beans, nuts and seeds.

I thought I was doing a lot better than this before I checked a few months ago (thinking around 50%). Nope, it was 10%. I've made a big readjustment to my diet since then.

So, what percent of your calories come from unprocessed plant foods?

Replies

  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    Right now, I'm actually not as high as I usually am. Ate 1441 calories yesterday, 408 of those were from unprocessed plant foods which is 28%.

    Oh and I looked for Sunday (weekends tend to be better) and I ate 1570 calories, 885 of which were unprocessed plant foods so 56%. I didn't include a veggie burger which is just veggies, brown rice and beans (no other ingredients) but I'd consider it fairly unprocessed other than I didn't make it.
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    I'm glad to report that yesterday was a 100% day.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    What's your goal with your diet?
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    What's your goal with your diet?

    My personal goal is 90% whole plant foods on a fairly consistent basis.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    What's your goal with your diet?

    My personal goal is 90% whole plant foods on a fairly consistent basis.

    i mean, look better, better health athletic performance etc etc?
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    What's your goal with your diet?

    My personal goal is 90% whole plant foods on a fairly consistent basis.

    i mean, look better, better health athletic performance etc etc?

    ^^^^
    definitely, all of those things

    PLUS prevent diseases, increase healthy lifespan, boost immunity, better mental acuity...
  • deb3129
    deb3129 Posts: 1,294 Member
    At least 90% here!
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    No idea, but I will start calculating mine. Fantastic idea! Love this.
    It is hard b/c those foods have higher volume / calorie, so you can eat only a small physical volume of processed foods and have it represent a large % of calories.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    What's your goal with your diet?

    My personal goal is 90% whole plant foods on a fairly consistent basis.

    i mean, look better, better health athletic performance etc etc?

    ^^^^
    definitely, all of those things

    PLUS prevent diseases, increase healthy lifespan, boost immunity, better mental acuity...

    Then maybe you could increase cals, protein and be mindful of B vitamins based off your ticker weight and diary from yesterday
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    I just ate 10% of my calories as unprocessed plant food. Wasn't even cooked. That's from a 2056 cal day. I can't imagine eating a whole lot more. It was over half a kilo (over 1 lb) of raw veggies. I'll be including nuts into my diet at some point, but that will be give and take.

    Edit: Agreed. Eat more calories. I don't weigh much more than you, and I'm eating 600 more calories than you, and I'm aiming to lose 1.5lb/week at this point. This is with working out 3x/week.
  • Glasgow_Vegan
    Glasgow_Vegan Posts: 209 Member
    Most of my calories come from plants and nuts. Since they're so low calorie I find that I almost always go over my MFP fiber total but I think that's a good thing. I try to eat a lot more veg than fruit to cut down on sugar.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I was curious so I checked back one week. I didn't count several vegetable sources that are completely heatlhy but processed, such as low sodium V8 and soy milk, since you said whole and unprocessed. Also, didn't count vegetable oils.

    For the week the total was 23%. The percents varied from 18% to 42%,
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    46% for me so far today. And I'm a meathead who's also eaten 36% of my calories as protein so far today as well.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I'm glad to report that yesterday was a 100% day.

    Steel cut oats wouldn't fit into "unprocessed fruits, veggies, beans, nuts and seeds". Nor would almond milk. It's certainly healthy, but it's still processed.

    If I include my daily soy milk and minimally processed grains, my % would be much higher than what I previously posted. And if soy / almond milk were counted I suppose there would be no reason not to count the V8.

    ETA: Actually, I don't see why my daily wine wouldn't fit that description if drinks made from nuts count,
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    What's your goal with your diet?

    My personal goal is 90% whole plant foods on a fairly consistent basis.

    i mean, look better, better health athletic performance etc etc?

    ^^^^
    definitely, all of those things

    PLUS prevent diseases, increase healthy lifespan, boost immunity, better mental acuity...

    Then maybe you could increase cals, protein and be mindful of B vitamins based off your ticker weight and diary from yesterday

    Thanks for the input. I do take a B12 supplement. As for calories, I eat when I'm hungry and until I'm satisfied or full, believe me, I'm anything but starving :smile: . After I get off of my high fat diet (my own fat). I'll probably be a lot more hungry and eat more to satisfy that hunger, and my protein will increase naturally at that time as well.
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    I'm glad to report that yesterday was a 100% day.

    Steel cut oats wouldn't fit into "unprocessed fruits, veggies, beans, nuts and seeds". Nor would almond milk. It's certainly healthy, but it's still processed.

    If I include my daily soy milk and minimally processed grains, my % would be much higher than what I previously posted. And if soy / almond milk were counted I suppose there would be no reason not to count the V8.

    ETA: Actually, I don't see why my daily wine wouldn't fit that description if drinks made from nuts count,

    Steel cut oats do count (whole unprocessed grains count), almond milk does NOT.
    I think you're looking at today, not yesterday :bigsmile: Anyway, I usually hit between 80-90%, or at least I try to. :smile:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I only looked at a couple days of your diary but I noticed you don't use much fat in your meals. Would you count extra virgin olive oil for this?
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    I'm glad to report that yesterday was a 100% day.

    Steel cut oats wouldn't fit into "unprocessed fruits, veggies, beans, nuts and seeds". Nor would almond milk. It's certainly healthy, but it's still processed.

    If I include my daily soy milk and minimally processed grains, my % would be much higher than what I previously posted. And if soy / almond milk were counted I suppose there would be no reason not to count the V8.

    ETA: Actually, I don't see why my daily wine wouldn't fit that description if drinks made from nuts count,

    Steel cut oats do count (whole unprocessed grains count), almond milk does NOT.
    I think you're looking at today, not yesterday :bigsmile:

    Steel cut oats are processed. It's minimal processing but still processing. Not saying you shouldn't count it or suggesting they aren't healthy, just sayin.

    Word.:wink:
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    I only looked at a couple days of your diary but I noticed you don't use much fat in your meals. Would you count extra virgin olive oil for this?

    Extra virgin olive oil, counts AS PROCESSED. I try to use it sparingly and occasionally. For fats, I prefer avacados and nuts.
  • Lina4Lina
    Lina4Lina Posts: 712 Member
    I do think you definitely need to increase your fats. Add in some more avocados and more nuts. You can put avocados in your smoothies as well.
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    Edit: Agreed. Eat more calories. I don't weigh much more than you, and I'm eating 600 more calories than you, and I'm aiming to lose 1.5lb/week at this point. This is with working out 3x/week.

    I eat when I'm hungry and until I'm full. Actually, I only count calories on here out of curiosity.
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    I do think you definitely need to increase your fats. Add in some more avocados and more nuts. You can put avocados in your smoothies as well.

    You might actually be surprised how much fat I do get in my diet. I put it up so you can view it on the diary. I'm usually not too far away from the mark most day. And I will definitely be adding more nuts and seeds when I get closer to my goal weight.
  • _granola
    _granola Posts: 326 Member
    Dude, I thought I ate a lot of veggies. Six cups of kale? Damn. I can only imagine the toots.
  • cjc166
    cjc166 Posts: 222 Member
    Dude, I thought I ate a lot of veggies. Six cups of kale? Damn. I can only imagine the toots.
    :laugh:
  • ixap
    ixap Posts: 675 Member
    Dude, I thought I ate a lot of veggies. Six cups of kale? Damn. I can only imagine the toots.
    Apoologies for TMI, but I ge far gassier on processed junk food like chips and cookies than on raw or cooked veggies.
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