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PREFACE TO THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
When the first edition of The Thrive Diet was published 10 years ago, my hope for it far exceeded my expectation. After all, my belief in how plant-based nutrition could boost athletic performance while also reducing the strain on the environment was, at the time, considered fringe at best. A national bestselling book in North America, The Thrive Diet has since been published in several countries, benefiting the lives of millions of people. It’s been a rewarding journey, sharing the principles of The Thrive Diet and the benefits of plant-based nutrition, whether I’m talking at conferences, universities, or companies or simply having a conversation with people interested in learning more about or adopting a plant-based diet.
Ten years later, it’s now common for people to speak of their “plant-based diet.” Even “vegan” is a familiar word, seen on the most conventional restaurants’ menus. The importance of avoiding animal products in our diet, whether for heath, physical and mental performance, environmental, ethical, or a combination of these reasons, is now well understood and widely accepted.
As well, in the past decade a whole new generation, the millennials, has come of age. This socially conscious generation—numbering over 80 million in the United States alone (greater than one-quarter of the population)—cares about themselves and their individual health, of course, but they also care deeply about the health of the planet and how their choices and actions affect others. They care about social issues and how their food choices can sway industry. They want to know where their food comes from, and at what cost. And “cost” to them isn’t simply monetary. It extends to the environment. In other words, how much of each natural resource is expended to get nutrition? Land, water, fossil fuels, and carbon footprint are all part of the equation. I wrote about this extensively in my third book, Whole Foods to Thrive, when the topic was still somewhat new. But today, these are the questions people regularly ask, because cost and return is better understood. I believe this socially minded consumption will become of even greater value as time goes by.
Millennials are also the first generation who understand that a greater amount of something is not necessarily a better deal. They understand that volume, weight, or amount of calories is no longer a value proposition, and they ask informed questions such as, “What’s the nutrient density?” and “What’s the cost-to-nutrient ratio?” They know that the value of food ought to be measured in nutrients contained in it, not in caloric “value,” and certainly not in weight or sheer size.
Also, benefit is now more appreciated than ever. Millennials are less likely to aspire to owning a car, a bike, or even a song. Instead, they use car-share services and communal bike systems, and they stream music as opposed to buying it. They don’t want things per se; they simply want the benefit that things can provide.
This way of thinking is crossing over into millennials’ view of food as well. More than previous generations, they appreciate the outcome of mindful eating, and therefore base their eating decisions largely on functional result. Will the food give them more sustainable energy? Will it improve their fat metabolism, enhance their skin elasticity, boost their ability to concentrate, improve their sleep quality, and so on? They want answers to these questions before they decide what to eat.
I believe the Thrive Diet is more relevant now than ever before. Approaching eating as an opportunity to benefit oneself—having a desired function and a purpose in mind for the meal or snack—this is the new way. Food as a means of change and progress. Food and the way in which it’s produced as a way to affect billions of lives, human, non-human, and the planet’s.
In this 10th anniversary edition, I have left the main text of the original intact, as the principles of the Thrive Diet continue to hold true today. If you are new to the Thrive Diet, today you have access to so many nutrient-dense whole foods that are widely available in grocery stores. A lot has changed in 10 years, and it is definitely progress in the right direction for those embracing a healthier way of eating. I’ve created 25 new Thrive Diet recipes for this edition that I hope you enjoy.
