Power of Plants

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”—Hippocrates

It’s 2021 and it’s safe to say that we’ve been through a lot together—with regard to our global and local health—over the past year and a half. We here at Edible Sarasota are dedicated to the promotion of sustainable development and ethical sourcing and we believe that our community in Sarasota is a veritable cornucopia of knowledge and empowerment in this arena. We’re surrounded by people making choices for the betterment of themselves and others, and we’re here for it in a big way.

At the end of 2018 Beyoncé and Jay Z challenged their fans to try veganism and, in doing so, to “reduce your carbon footprint and impact on the environment.” Their contribution to the movement came at a crucial time for our planet as we learn more every day about the ways in which our casual acceptance of the status quo is ruining our planet and our own health.

Did you know? You’d save more water by not eating one pound of meat than you would by not taking a shower for six months.

Project Coffee is located in historic Burns Court on Pineapple Avenue. The space is all blond wood and white walls with green plants spilling out of baskets hanging from the ceiling. Project Coffee is the brainchild of Ian Steger and Emily Arthur and the sensibility of the popular neighborhood spot is one of essential simplicity.

This is an excellent coffee shop with yummy café options that happen to be entirely vegan. The lack of animal products and byproducts is downplayed to the point of almost being an afterthought. On my first visit, I didn’t realize that I was drinking an Oat Milk Latte and eating avocado toast with a plant-based “egg” (Just Egg) until I noticed the small disclaimer at the bottom of the menu on the wall: “Everything is 100% Vegan.” I think that the deliberate choice to treat this information as incidental is rather heroic. You loved it all, you didn’t feel a lack: Go forth and spread the word. Judging by the steady stream of socially distanced, mask-wearing customers, the word has spread.

Myth: You can’t get enough protein by eating only plants.

“It’s not like the ’90s, when I decided to become a vegetarian.” I’m sitting at lunch at Veg in Gulf Gate with vlogger Kirsten Sponseller, founder and host of What’s Up Sarasota, and her videographer, Carissa Warfield, champion of environmental causes and founder of Still Silver Photography. Over a meal of tangy, smoky jackfruit brisket and steak-cut French fries we’re discussing the evolution of vegetarianism and veganism over the past 20 years in Sarasota and beyond.

“When I became a vegetarian, it was out of a love for animals. I thought that it would be as simple as not eating meat,” says Kirsten. “At the time there were not a lot of options for vegetarians and vegans to eat out. I ate a lot of bread. A lot of salads. A lot of carbs. As people have become more aware of the dangers of eating so much meat and have begun to demand other options, I can go out to eat comfortably to just about anywhere and know that I’ll have a great experience.”

Carissa tells us about a documentary called Kiss the Ground that decries the industry of monoculture farming and offers a viable solution to our climate crisis through regenerative agriculture. “It’s nice to watch a documentary that actually offers hope in the face of all of this negativity and a practical solution to go with this daunting problem.”

“Vegetarian diets have also been shown to support health, including a lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and increased longevity.” —Harvard Health Blog

Sharon Juraszek is the founder of Fermentlicious as well as a doctor of Ayurvedic medicine. Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient practice that works to restore balance to the body, mind, and spirit and to cleanse the body of toxins.

“I suffered health and digestive issues myself and discovered that my fermented foods helped with all of my symptoms. I began to share these discoveries with my friends and witnessed their improvements too. Plants are incredible. The fact that fermented cabbage has so many health benefits is an indication of the power of food, and its ability to be nature’s best medicine.”

These snippets of the healthy life in Sarasota make me realize that there are so many arguments for the benefits of adopting a plant-based lifestyle, including saving the life of an animal, saving your own life, and saving the life of our planet. Nobody’s perfect, but nothing changes if nothing changes. You don’t have to agree to only eat plants for the rest of your life but maybe you’ll consider swapping a couple of meals a week for a plant-based alternative. We hope that we’ve at least given you some Food (V) for thought.