{"id":5959,"date":"2016-09-23T15:48:41","date_gmt":"2016-09-23T15:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tpc-qa-feature-tpc-617.herokuapp.com\/blog-test\/?p=66"},"modified":"2026-08-13T18:27:46","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T18:27:46","slug":"plant-based-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.purplecarrot.com\/learn\/plant-based-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is A Plant-Based Diet? The Practical Guide for Anyone Who Wants To Eat More Plants"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\u2019t all black and white.<\/p>\n

A beginner’s guide to a plant-based diet<\/h2>\n

The term \u201cplant-based\u201d 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\u2019t have to be an all-or-nothing approach.<\/p>\n

Even a part-time plant-based diet can provide numerous health benefits, including blood sugar regulation and heart disease prevention. And if you\u2019re concerned about your carbon footprint, making just a few plant-based swaps throughout your week drastically reduces your environmental impact.<\/p>\n

A brief history of plant-based diets<\/h2>\n

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\u2019s evidence of plant-based diet adoption going back millennia. Hindu and Buddhist communities adopted plant-based diets thousands of years ago<\/a>, while the Greek philosopher Pythagoras advocated for vegetarianism in the 1st century CE.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Plant-based vs. vegan vs. vegetarian diets<\/h3>\n

“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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Most commonly, you’ll hear these terms defined as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Term<\/th>\nDefinition<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Plant-based<\/td>\nFree from animal products including dairy or eggs (interchangeable with “vegan”)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vegan<\/td>\nFree from animal products including dairy or eggs (interchangeable with “plant-based”)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Vegetarian<\/td>\nFree from meat, but not other animal products like dairy or eggs<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Key food groups in a plant-based diet<\/h2>\n

These are some of the main staples in a plant-based diet.<\/p>\n

Legumes<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Whole grains<\/h3>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Fruits and vegetables<\/h3>\n

They\u2019re not always the solo star of the show, but they\u2019re 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.<\/a><\/p>\n

Health benefits of eating more plants<\/h2>\n

Some who make the switch to a plant-based diet are motivated largely by the potential health benefits. Whether it\u2019s managing existing conditions or disease prevention, research supports plant-based eating to help with:<\/p>\n