Introduction to Plant Based Nutrition Course

What you'll learn

Learn the science of plant-based foods online!

What we choose to put on our plates and into our bodies each day plays an integral role in improving our health, boosting our energy, and facilitating general well-being. Plant-based eating is gaining momentum for health, environmental and ethical reasons but you may be thinking, how healthy is it? How can I make my meals sustainable, enjoyable and tasty? Can I get what I need from plant-based foods without taking supplements or how can I make plant-based eating work for my body’s unique needs?

This four-week nutrition course will answer all of this and more, as vegan and plant-based Nutritionist Amber Sewell-Green gives you the evidence-founded knowledge and tools and resources tools to make plant-based eating a breeze. Whether you are interested in reducing animal products, like meat, eggs, and dairy, removing them completely from your diet, or looking to adopt a healthy vegan diet, this course will educate, inspire, and empower you to know how to eat right with confidence.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this short nutrition course students should be able to:

• Understand the scientific benefits of eating more plant foods
• Understand the nutritional benefits of getting nutrients from whole foods as opposed to supplements
• Understand what a day of eating plant-based food looks like in order to meet all your nutrient requirements (what foods to eat, how much and when so your body has what it needs to thrive)
• Be able to create a balanced plant-based sweet or savoury meal that ticks off the daily checklists and leaves you full and satisfied
• Understand the fact versus fiction behind how to get enough protein, B12 and iron in a plant-based diet
• Understand the benefits of adding nutritional yeast and seaweed to your diet, as well as take-home recipe ideas
• Have the foundation knowledge and tools to start practising mindful eating 
• Better understand your body's unique stop-and-start eating cues
• Be able to respond more calmly and effectively to non-hungry eating cues

Course content

What will be covered in this nutrition plant-based and mindful eating course?

Week 1: Plant-based eating fundamentals

Navigating that mountain of info can be confusing, we discuss:

• What scientific literature says about plant-based eating and “blue zones”
• What foods to eat, how much and when so your body has what it needs to thrive.
• Daily checklists and meal planning equations to take home

Week 2: Nutrients and tips to power up meals

A deeper dive into some of the trickier nutrients your body needs, as we discuss:

• Myth-busting on protein
• Supporting bone health: where and how to get enough plant-based calcium and vitamin D
• Easy Nutrient Solutions: two plant-based foods that are packed will skyrocket your nutrition and how to use them.

Week 3: Recognising appetite cues and mindful eating

• What’s the deal with vitamin B12?
• How you can unlock tricky nutrients such as iron and zinc from plant foods
• Tips on boosting energy and supporting recovery using plant-foods

Week 4: Recognising appetite cues and mindful eating

We move beyond the body to the mind, as you learn how to eat mindfully and recognise your own unique appetite cues:

• The core principles of mindful and intuitive eating
• Short guided mindful eating meditation to put theory into practice
• Learn how to free yourself from food rules and calorie counting to tune in and trust your body’s hunger and fullness cues – to start and stop eating in sync with your unique energy needs
• 5-minute mindful eating hacks

Intended audience

Who is this nutrition plant-based and mindful eating course for?

• Anyone who is hoping to in improve their health and gain energy through the introduction of a whole-food, plant-based approach to eating
• Anyone looking to transition away from a meat or processed food diet to one focusing on plants and whole foods.
• Beginners who are new to plant-based eating.
• Students who have some familiarity with plant-based eating, and are looking to gain new knowledge
• Those looking to learn about the effect plant-based eating has on their body and mind

Course venue

This course is delivered online via Zoom, and classes are interactive and involve discussion and questions.
In week 4 students will need 4-5 pieces of the same food (any food is fine) as well as access to a warm, quiet and secure space for mini meditations.