It is great to workout as often as possible for the sake of your health and a good physical appearance. To make it even more appealing, you can add a nutritional diet plan to your workout routine for better and faster results. It’s like they say; “you are what you eat”. Talking of which, have you ever come across the seventh day adventist diet? It is one of the forms of vegetarian meal plans known to promote healthy living and longevity. Just like every other plant-based diet, it does not involve meats, but more fruits, vegetables, and grains; just like the bible said in the book of Leviticus.
The Seventh Day Adventist is a religious sect that claims to live by the bible as the only standard of faith and Christian practice. Their lifestyle, including what and how they eat, are all based on biblical references. It restricts the consumption of meat, and unclean edibles like alcohol, drugs, artificial sweeteners, processed foods, and caffeine are not part of the seventh-day adventist diet.
What Makes Up The Seventh Day Adventist Diet?
There are so much that needs to be mentioned when talking about what they eat at SDA. So much so that they cannot contain in this list. The keynote is to eat clean plant-based foods and stay away from the opposite. Here are some of the food items that make up the famous diet plan.
- Plant-based proteins: tofu, tempeh, edamame, seitan
- Eggs: optional, and should be eaten in moderation
- Legumes: beans, lentils, peanuts, peas
- Fruits: bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, berries, peaches, pineapple, mango
- Low-fat dairy: optional, may include low-fat dairy products like cheese, butter, milk, and ice cream, and should be eaten in moderation
- Vegetables: dark leafy greens, broccoli, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, onions, parsnips
- Nuts and seeds: almonds, cashews, walnuts, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds
- Grains: quinoa, rice, amaranth, barley, oats
It is worth mentioning that the seventh day adventist diet restrictions are not so strict. There are a few exceptions seeing as some members of this organization do not live strictly by the “no-meat policy”. Some of them eat “clean meat” and “clean fishes” like salmon, chicken, beef, and beef. These foods are to be eaten in moderation if at all.
Simple SDA Diet Plan
Here is a simple seventh day adventist diet plan that can be adopted by anyone who wants to key into the benefits of this program. It is a lifestyle for the good folks of SDA, and you are free to adopt it permanently if you like.
Day 1
- Breakfast: oatmeal with soy milk, blueberries, and slivered almonds
- Lunch: veggie and hummus sandwich, grapes, and a side salad
- Dinner: grilled salmon over brown rice with sautéed greens and mushrooms
- Snacks: air-popped popcorn, trail mix, and low-fat yogurt
Day 2
- Breakfast: scrambled egg whites with spinach, garlic, and tomatoes with a side of whole-grain toast
- Lunch: spaghetti with seitan “meatballs” and a mixed green salad
- Dinner: black bean burger with guacamole, pico de gallo, and fresh fruit
- Snacks: apple slices with peanut butter, low-fat cheese, and kale chips
Day 3
- Breakfast: avocado and tomato toast, banana with cashew butter
- Lunch: mac and cheese made with nutritional yeast and a side of roasted broccoli
- Dinner: Mediterranean salad made with lentils, cucumbers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, tofu, spinach, and pine nuts
- Snacks: pistachios, celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, and edamame
This is just a sample plan of what a typical SDA menu looks like. Again, the key is to eat healthy and clean, eat very little or no meat-based meals, and cut out alcohol, caffeine, and beverages. You can do a bit of research to find out some seventh day adventist diet recipes you can start with if you are confused about where to start from. They are quite simple and pocket-friendly too.