Why we are so obsessed with plants

Our love of plants is no secret at Nook. Over the years from researching and living through the experiences brought on from a plant-based diet we have learned just how important plants are to our overall health.

We have all been told that fibre is important to help keep us ‘regular’ but what we have learned over the years is that plants contain so much more than just soluble and insoluble fibre. Plants contain thousands of natural chemicals, known as phytonutrients or phytochemicals, that help protect plants from germs, fungi, bugs, and other threats. When we eat the plants those phytonutrients do the same thing for our body! They help prevent disease and support our digestive system and immune system to function at their highest level. 

The vibrant colours of plants indicate which phytonutrients they contain. For example the phytonutrient “Carotenoid” is found mostly in yellow, orange, and red coloured fruits and vegetables. Carotenoids act as antioxidants in your body and tackle harmful free radicals that damage tissue throughout your body. Your body also converts carotenoids into Vitamin A to support your immune system and eye health. On the other end of the spectrum “Ellagic Acid” is mainly found in berries. It slows the growth of cancer cells and can help your liver neutralize cancer-causing chemicals in your system. 

These phytonutrients are able to have such a strong impact on our body because they feed the trillions of unique bacteria that live in our body that make up our microbiome which is in charge of protecting our body against germs, breaking down foods to release energy, and producing vital vitamins.

Our gut system plays such an important role in our overall health but has been neglected for a long time with our modern food system. The food we choose to eat daily has the ability to help heal our system or hurt our system. Our microbiome changes rapidly with our diet, big shifts can happen within 3 to 5 days as long as you're feeding it with the right nutrients. When you allow your body to have a break from pro-inflammatory foods that can be frequent triggers for food sensitivities such as processed foods, gluten and dairy your body can respond with easing common pain we receive from our digestive systems such as bloating and gas.

At the beginning of our journey all of this information felt overwhelming but as we continued to research we found that there are simple rules that we can follow that can have a drastic impact on our health. 

1. Eat more organically grown plants.
2. Try to eat “the Colours of the Rainbow”
3. Avoid artificial foods and refined sugars

    We built Nook so that we could deliver meals that are created with these vibrant plants straight to your doorstep. We wanted to bridge the gap between fresh, nutrient-dense meals, and the convenience of delivered meals. We build each weekly menu so that it contains well over 60 organic plant ingredients (over 80 in the summer time) in order to feed a diverse microbiome which leads to a thriving digestive and immune system. 

    So it is safe to say that we are fully obsessed with plants here at Nook and the added benefit is that the more we learn how incredible plants are for us the more we are excited to work with them.

    - Madi

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