Kathy Pollard discovered the power of a plant-based lifestyle in an unlikely place: late-’90s rural Pennsylvania. Her curiosity in nutrition serendipitously aligned with the North American Vegetarian Society’s annual health and nutrition conference, which was being held just an hour away from Pollard’s hometown. There, in convention center halls and ballroom panel sessions, she discovered a passion that would lead her to become one of the first instructors for T. Colin Campbell’s Center for Nutrition Studies, a research projects manager for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and an ad ..read more

Do you find the scariest thing about Halloween to be the mountains of sugary, ultraprocessed sweets that take over grocery store shelves? There’s no need to call the Ghostbusters: We’re here to save the day with healthy Halloween treats. With help from a few of our favorite whole-food, plant-based pros, we’ve conjured up some devilishly delicious recipes and decoration tips that will help you celebrate the ghoulish spirit of Halloween without all the unhealthy ingredients. Whether you have kids at home or you’re simply a spooky-season kid at heart, these vegan Halloween snacks are guaranteed t ..read more

The next time a recipe calls for pumpkin puree, why not make your own? Sure, canned pumpkin is convenient, but it can’t compare to the sweet, complex flavor and creamy texture of homemade. What’s more, preparing homemade pumpkin puree is as easy as making any other vegetable puree. In fact, it may even be easier, since it requires no peeling, chopping, or blending, as you’ll see in this four-step guide. All the steps outlined here will also work for making your own pureed squash. Step 1: Pick the right pumpkin (or squash). For pumpkin puree that is sweet, smooth, and packed with flavor, choose ..read more

Higher adherence to a healthy plant-based diet is linked with significantly lower risks of Parkinson’s disease (PD), according to new research published in Movement Disorders. The study also investigated the impact of unhealthy plant-based eating patterns, finding that diets with more refined grains and sugar-sweetened beverages increased the disease risk. Parkinson’s disease is the fastest-growing neurological disease, affecting around 1% of those over 60 years old and 3% of those over 80 years old in industrialized countries. For this study, researchers from Queen’s University in Belfast exa ..read more

Photo by Kirsten Kortebein Fiona Oakes has completed marathons on every continent, setting four world records along the way. The world-class British runner does it all for one purpose: to encourage people to eat plants. Forks Over Knives spoke with Oakes about her early involvement in animal welfare, why she took up running marathons with no previous experience, and how her passion for a vegan lifestyle fuels her athletic pursuits. You changed your diet when you were young. Why? Fiona Oakes: I stopped eating meat at 3 and became vegan when I was 6. I had never heard the word vegan, but I was c ..read more

When it comes to herbs, there’s an easy-to-remember formula for swapping dried for fresh (and vice versa): a teaspoon dried equals a tablespoon fresh. But what about other aromatics, such as onion and garlic? Read on for a handy chart that covers all of the above, plus our best tips to help you get the most out of herbs and other aromatics, whether fresh or dried. Fresh-to-Dried Herb Conversion Chart How Drying Shifts Flavors How Much Garlic Powder Equals 1 Clove? How Much Onion Powder Equals 1 Onion? Fresh-to-Dried Herb Conversion Chart AROMATIC EQUIVALENTS TIPS Herbs 1 Tbsp. fresh = 1 ..read more

Looking for a feel-good field trip? Connect with rescued animals at one of these incredible farm sanctuaries across the United States. These safe havens shelter a wide range of critters—from cows and pigs to birds and bunnies—that have been rescued from slaughterhouses, laboratories, neglectful homes, and other dangerous situations. Hands-on sanctuary tours let you get up close and personal with the furry residents while also providing education on how a plant-based lifestyle can prevent animals from needing sanctuary in the first place. Best Friends Kanab, Utah Nestled among the stunning red ..read more

At 5-foot-2, I once weighed 340 pounds. I used food as a tool to numb a painful and traumatic childhood. I also struggled with alcoholism and smoked two packs of cigarettes a day. I suffered from high blood pressure, severe heart palpitations, a few bouts of atrial fibrillation, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and several autoimmune disorders, and I was full of anxiety and depression. I could barely walk to the mailbox without getting winded. I remember once, when I was in my mid-30s, a friend asked me to go on a walk around the block with her, and halfway through, I burst into tears a ..read more

Photo by Charlotte Foerschler She’s a mother, nurse, marathon runner, and Navy veteran…and now Briana Jones is hoping to add another title to her impressive résumé: vegan champion. After being introduced to CrossFit through a Groupon deal, she quickly fell in love with the sport and joined the Vegan Strong Plantbuilt team, a diverse group of bodybuilders and other strength athletes on a mission to demonstrate the power of a cruelty-free diet. At 2022’s Mr. America competition, Vegan Strong Plantbuilt scored a total of 18 medals. This year, they plan to top that stellar performance as they take ..read more

I didn’t expect to improve my health at age 80, but that’s what happened. It started in 2018, when my daughter became convinced that she should follow a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet. Since we live and eat together, I agreed, reluctantly, that when it was my turn to cook, I would try to make those kinds of meals for her. I didn’t promise not to eat what I wanted when away from our dinner table. I was never fond of vegetables: When I was a child, my own mother despaired that the only ones I would eat were corn and peas, and as an adult, my tastes hadn’t changed much. On my 80th birthday ..read more