What Is A Plant-Based Diet? The Practical Guide for Anyone Who Wants To Eat More Plants
There are so many good reasons to adopt more plant-based practices. Whether you want to make health-motivated changes or are looking for ways to be more sustainable, adopting tenets of a plant-based lifestyle can be an incredibly positive change. What exactly is a plant-based diet, anyway? Does going plant-based make you vegan? Is there no room at all for meat in a plant-based diet? Thankfully, adopting a plant-based diet isn’t all black and white.
A beginner’s guide to a plant-based diet
The term “plant-based” typically refers to food made with zero animal products, either in the ingredients or involved in processing. Many assume those following a plant-based diet never consume any animal products. But the truth is that eating a plant-based diet doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach.
Even a part-time plant-based diet can provide numerous health benefits, including blood sugar regulation and heart disease prevention. And if you’re concerned about your carbon footprint, making just a few plant-based swaps throughout your week drastically reduces your environmental impact.
A brief history of plant-based diets
It might appear that plant-based diets are a recent trend, especially as more and more people adopt these eating routines. However, plant-based diets are nothing new, and there’s evidence of plant-based diet adoption going back millennia. Hindu and Buddhist communities adopted plant-based diets thousands of years ago, while the Greek philosopher Pythagoras advocated for vegetarianism in the 1st century CE.
Some of our favorite plant-based proteins originated several centuries ago. Tofu was invented 2,000 years ago in China, just to name one example. Seitan has a rich history dating back at least 1,000 years as well. Modern plant-based eaters may have the advantage of living in a world where delicious vegan food is more widely available than decades past, but plant-based eating was part of many cultures long before the 21st century.
Plant-based vs. vegan vs. vegetarian diets
“Plant-based” and “vegan” are often used interchangeably. That said, the definitions of “plant-based,” “vegan,” and “vegetarian” can vary from person to person when used to describe their eating habits as a whole.
Regardless of how somebody defines their eating habits, it’s possible to follow a diet that’s mostly plant-based foods without committing to it 100% of the time. At Purple Carrot, every item on the menu is 100% free of animal products, including dairy or eggs, so it’s a great way to gradually introduce more plant-based options into your weekly meal plan.
Most commonly, you’ll hear these terms defined as follows:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Plant-based | Free from animal products including dairy or eggs (interchangeable with “vegan”) |
| Vegan | Free from animal products including dairy or eggs (interchangeable with “plant-based”) |
| Vegetarian | Free from meat, but not other animal products like dairy or eggs |
Key food groups in a plant-based diet
These are some of the main staples in a plant-based diet.
Legumes
Beans, lentils, peas, soy, and peanuts belong to the legume family. As a source of multiple essential nutrients, legumes make up a large portion of a plant-based diet, whether cooked in their original state or processed into plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh.
Whole grains
Grains like barley, rice, quinoa, and farro do much more than keep you full. They provide tons of nutritional value, especially when paired with other plant-based foods like legumes.
Fruits and vegetables
They’re not always the solo star of the show, but they’re an important part of the ensemble. Getting enough fruits and veggies is vital to getting all your vitamins and minerals. For instance, leafy greens are an important source of iron.
Health benefits of eating more plants
Some who make the switch to a plant-based diet are motivated largely by the potential health benefits. Whether it’s managing existing conditions or disease prevention, research supports plant-based eating to help with:
- Cardiovascular health: The American Heart Association recommends plant-based proteins over animal products as a way to combat cardiovascular disease. Eating a diet high in fiber with minimal processed foods may have a positive impact on heart health, as well as blood pressure management.
- Blood sugar: Plant-based eating may be helpful in both managing and preventing diabetes. Vegan eating patterns that prioritize a high-fiber diet may help manage insulin sensitivity.
- Gut health: There is some evidence that plant-based diets may support a healthy gut microbiome due to the high volume of fiber in a diet with more fruits and vegetables. This may also help with colon health.
It’s always important to talk to a medical professional before making major lifestyle changes, so ask your care team any specific questions you may have.
Nutrients and plant-based diets: what to look out for
Just like with any other healthy diet, the key to a successful plant-based lifestyle is to eat a variety of whole foods, so you get all the essential nutrients you need to thrive. If you’re working on covering all your nutritional bases, these are food groups to focus on:
Protein
Protein plays an essential role in giving you energy and helping your cells regrow. While there are plenty of vegan protein sources, plant-based eaters have to be a little more mindful about meeting their protein needs. Most of these are incomplete proteins, which means they only contain some of the nine amino acids in protein that our bodies can’t produce on their own. It’s important to pair incomplete proteins together, like the classic beans and rice combo, to ensure you’re meeting your needs.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are your body’s main energy source. Whole grains such as quinoa, farro, and brown rice are great fuel that may also help with blood sugar management.
Fiber
Depending on your age and gender, the daily recommendations for dietary fiber intake are between 21 and 38 grams. Whole grains and legumes are a great fiber source, along with fruits and vegetables. Incorporating more of these foods is also an easy way to ensure you’re getting important vitamins and minerals.
Healthy fats
Fats or lipids also play a vital role in certain bodily processes, including absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (like A, D, and K), cell function, and satiety, or how full you feel. Plant-based diets typically include more unsaturated fats, such as olive oil and avocado, which are linked to improved heart health.
How do I start a plant-based diet?
Starting a plant-based diet doesn’t need to be a massive overnight transformation of your entire lifestyle. It can be as simple as swapping one or two meals a week for a plant-based entree. Stashing plant-based freezer meals for busy days goes a long way in sticking to your plan, too.
As you learn which plant-based foods are your favorites, you’ll build a meal plan over time that you want to stick to. Slow and steady wins the race, and you are more likely to enjoy the process of going plant-based if you do so at a pace that works for you.
Tips for sticking with a plant-based diet
For plant-based success, here are a few tricks for crafting a diet that you’ll want to follow:
- Pick one night to eat plant-based: Make a habit of doing meatless Mondays (or any other night of the week). If you want plant-based eating to flow easily with your routine, it all starts one meal at a time.
- Ensure you’re getting all of your nutrients: Vegan cookies are delicious, but they won’t give you the proper fuel you need to get through the day. Vary your diet so you get all the macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to function.
- Supplement when starting out: If you’re concerned about meeting your full nutritional needs, you might want to consider a multivitamin or supplementing with a B complex or iron (after checking with your doctor that it’s okay).
- Eat enough so you’re full: It’s hard to stick to a meal plan when you’re always hungry soon after eating. Prioritizing a balance of carbs, protein, and fiber will help with satiety. Not to mention, you’re less likely to stick to your plant-based plans when you’re hungry and only beef jerky is in reach.
Go plant-based with the help of Purple Carrot
When you’re not sure where to start, let someone else do the planning. Purple Carrot’s plant-based meal kits are easy to prepare, chef-guided, and dietician-designed, so you know you’re getting a nutritious breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Whether you’re already plant-based full time or just getting started, Purple Carrot is here to help you succeed. Shop our plant-based menu and enjoy healthy, easy meals, delivered right to your door every week.
