Commercials have started to flood our TVs offering new products like plant-based butter and milk, Instagram is advertising meal prep ideas for a plant-based diet, and maybe your friends have started talking about how they are deciding to adopt a plant-based diet. But what does it mean to go plant-based exactly? Is that just another term for being vegan? This article is going to break down the differences for you, and perhaps by the end you will be more inclined to give a plant-based diet a go, and if not, maybe you will just be inclined to grab more veggies the next time you’re grocery shopping (especially considering that almost 90 percent of Americans don’t get their recommended intake of fruits and veggies).
To start, it might help to also clear up what it means to be vegan. A vegan diet excludes all animal products, no matter what form they come in. This means no meat, dairy, eggs, and even honey. Vegans also don’t wear animal products such as leather, or use products that are tested on animals. The Vegan Society states, “Veganism is a way of living.” However, veganism is not easy, as there are countless articles online titled “Overwhelmed by Veganism” and “Challenges with becoming Vegan.” This is why a plant-based diet may be a better fit for some people.
A plant-based diet is certainly similar to veganism; After all, plants are in the name. A plant-based diet is centered around cutting back on animal products, but not entirely. A plant-based diet mostly consists of foods derived from plants, so this includes vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and fruits with a decreased intake of animal products. One benefit to a plant-based diet that veganism lacks is that it simply encourages one to eat more whole foods and avoid processed choices. These foods can still be vegan — such as vegan ice cream or cookies — but those who follow a plant-based diet have more flexibility in what they consume.
A plant-based diet can still make a huge difference with regards to sustainability and preserving our environment. As concerns about health, food security, and animal welfare increase, sales in more plant-based products and meat substitutes have been on the rise.