Getting healthy, reversing diabetes and high blood pressure, and losing weight naturally all start with how you balance what’s on your plate. Here’s the simple formula I use with my patients on a plant-based diet.
⅓ Whole Grains
One-third of your plate should be whole grain — full of fiber, B-complex vitamins, vitamin E, and some protein.
⅓ Vegetables
Another third should be vegetables, which provide additional fiber along with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
⅙ Legumes and Beans
Roughly one-sixth of your plate should be legumes and beans, for protein and fiber.
⅙ Whole, Colorful Fruit
The final sixth should be whole, colorful fruit — full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
This simple breakdown — the Peace Plate — gives you a balanced, satisfying meal built on whole plant foods, without needing to count calories or track individual nutrients.
For more tips on natural health, download the free eBook Health Secrets at peacediet.org.
About Dr. Terry Shintani, MD, JD, MPH
Dr. Terry Shintani is a Harvard-trained physician and nutritionist, named a Living Treasure of Hawai’i and recipient of the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Award for Excellence. He is the creator of the Peace Diet and the landmark Waianae Diet — published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and cited over 137 times — and the author of 16 books on natural health and nutrition, drawing on more than 35 years of clinical practice in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Learn more about Dr. Shintani’s work and recognition: NLM Native Voices
Sources:
- NIH/NIDDK — Plant-Based Diets and Diabetes Management
- Harvard Health — The Healthy Eating Plate
- NIH/PubMed — Whole Food Plant-Based Diets and Blood Pressure Outcomes