The Science Behind Full Plate Living

Full Plate Approach

Full Plate Living promotes a high-fiber approach to healthy eating, highlighting the consumption of whole, unprocessed plant foods: fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Besides being a rich source of dietary fiber, whole plant foods are abundant in essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, as well as healthy fats and protein.

Health Benefits

1. A high-fiber diet is associated with decreased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD mortality, coronary artery disease, type 2 diabetes, gastric, pancreatic, breast and colorectal cancers, all-cause mortality, overweight and obesity. (1)(2)

2. A high-fiber diet has been shown in numerous research studies published in peer-reviewed journals to significantly lower: total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting and postprandial blood sugars, HbA1c, insulin levels and C-reactive protein.(3)

3. A high-fiber diet is associated with decreased risk of depression.(4)(5)

4. A high-fiber diet increases the abundance of beneficial, protective gut bacteria, which is likely associated with decreased risk of CVD, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer.(5)

5. A high-fiber diet is practiced by some of the longest-living people on the planet.(6)

Fiber intake in America

About 90% of Americans fail to meet the minimum daily fiber recommendations (25 grams for women, 38 grams for men), the average intake being around 16 grams a day.(7) Fiber is a nutrient of “public health concern” because low intakes are associated with adverse health outcomes. Data indicate our low intakes of dietary fiber are due to low intakes of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans. So any dietary approach that encourages eating more of these foods can help move fiber intake closer to daily recommendations.(8)

What about fiber supplements?

Fiber supplements contain different kinds of isolated fibers that have beneficial physiological effects, including lowering fasting and postprandial blood sugars, insulin, HbA1c and cholesterol levels, as well as helping normalize stools and aid in weight loss.(9) However, not all fiber supplements have the same beneficial effects. If you use a fiber supplement, soluble, gel-forming fiber has been proven to be the most effective.(10)

While fiber supplements can make up for some of the lack of dietary fiber from whole foods, they do not provide the health benefits derived from eating whole, unprocessed fiber-rich foods. That’s because they are just isolated fibers, lacking the powerful health-promoting synergy derived from the full array of adjuvants, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, healthy fats and protein found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds. 

Conclusion

In order to optimize health and longevity, focus on eating fiber-rich, whole, unprocessed plant foods at every meal, augmenting that with a soluble fiber supplement if medically prescribed.

1. Veronese N, Solmi M, Caruso MG, et al. Dietary fiber and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;107(3):436‐444. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqx082

2. Partula V, Deschasaux M, Druesne-Pecollo N, et al. Associations between consumption of dietary fibers and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancers, type 2 diabetes, and mortality in the prospective NutriNet-Santé cohort [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 5]. Am J Clin Nutr. 2020;nqaa063. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqaa063

3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/fiber/art-20043983

4. Swann OG, Kilpatrick M, Breslin M, Oddy WH. Dietary fiber and its associations with depression and inflammation. Nutr Rev. 2020;78(5):394‐411. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuz072

5. Hills RD Jr, Pontefract BA, Mishcon HR, Black CA, Sutton SC, Theberge CR. Gut Microbiome: Profound Implications for Diet and Disease. Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1613. Published 2019 Jul 16. doi:10.3390/nu11071613

6. Buettner D, Skemp S. Blue Zones: Lessons From the World's Longest Lived. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2016;10(5):318‐321. Published 2016 Jul 7. doi:10.1177/1559827616637066

7. https://www.ars.usda.gov/ARSUserFiles/80400530/pdf/DBrief/12_fiber_intake_0910.pdf

8. https://health.gov/our-work/food-nutrition/2015-2020-dietary-guidelines/guidelines/

9. Lambeau KV, McRorie JW Jr. Fiber supplements and clinically proven health benefits: How to recognize and recommend an effective fiber therapy. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2017;29(4):216‐223. doi:10.1002/2327-6924.12447

10. McRorie JW Jr. Evidence-Based Approach to Fiber Supplements and Clinically Meaningful Health Benefits, Part 2: What to Look for and How to Recommend an Effective Fiber Therapy. Nutr Today. 2015;50(2):90‐97. doi:10.1097/NT.0000000000000089