Plant-Based Diets: 7 Things You Need to Know Now

A plant-based diet?

You’ve probably seen the term many times. But books, articles, and interviews that discuss “plant-based diets” are often referring to different things. It seems as though everyone has their own definition of what plant-based means, and this can be frustratingly confusing when you’re trying to keep up with research on what kinds of choices you can make to create healthy eating habits.

What is a plant-based diet?

A plant-based diet is not necessarily a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian is what some people mean when they use the term. But when you see the term in research studies or as part of recommendations from major health organizations, a plant-based diet usually simply means that plant foods are the largest part of your plate — not necessarily your whole plate.

• Plant foods include vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes (dried beans and peas, lentils and soy foods), nuts and seeds.
• Diet simply refers to a big-picture view of overall eating habits. As we look at plant-based diets as a healthy choice, please don’t think of them as something with strict rules that you go on and go off. We’ll come back to this, because it is an important point in considering how to create eating habits that protect your long-term health.

Plant-based diets come in many forms. Eating habits that are vegan (no animal products at all) or other vegetarian types (which may include one or more of choices like dairy products, eggs, and fish) are plant-based diets. But not all plant-based diets are vegetarian. Plant-based diets also include traditional Mediterranean- or Asian-style eating patterns and those based on the DASH-diet originally developed to control blood pressure. In fact, a plant-based diet can be as individual as you are.

Why a Plant-Based Diet?

Looking at eating habits in the big picture of overall research, plant-based diets of many types are linked with better health than typical American eating habits. But while being plant-focused is a good starting point, the ultimate influence on your health will depend on the specific choices you make.

Is a plant-based diet heart-healthy?

Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes like dried beans and lentils, and nuts each offer a unique package of nutrients, plant compounds and dietary fiber that can protect heart health. For example, dried beans and lentils offer viscous forms of dietary fiber that can help lower blood cholesterol and fermentable fiber that may help reduce inflammation that can lead to heart disease. Other plant foods provide nutrients and natural plant compounds like polyphenols that may help lower blood pressure. Variety is the key as these foods work together to promote vascular health and slow artery aging.

An analysis of observational studies involving more than four million people around the world links eating habits that most closely met characteristics of a traditional Mediterranean diet with less heart disease incidence and deaths. Scores reflect plant-focused diets, with points added for abundant plant foods and subtracted for meat or dairy products more than once a day. Many studies also link vegetarian diets with a lower risk of heart disease. Yet various versions of the DASH diet, which focuses on an abundance of plant foods, but does include lean meat and two to three servings daily of low-fat dairy products, have reduced LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and blood pressure in randomized controlled trials.

Does a plant-based diet help prevent cancer?

A plant-based diet is an essential foundation of recommendations to reduce cancer risk. Different forms of dietary fiber can each play a role in protection against colon cancer, and perhaps other cancers, too. And whole grains may offer protection beyond the fiber they provide. Laboratory studies show lots of mechanisms through which nutrients and compounds found in plant foods can steer cells away from developing into cancer, from changes in expression of tumor suppressor and other genes, to influences on cell signaling pathways, inflammation, and self-destruction of abnormal cells.

As research methods have advanced, human population studies are less consistent in support for individual antioxidant nutrients or specific plant foods for cancer prevention. The big picture of overall research suggests that it’s how they all work together that matters. And people may differ in the importance of specific choices within a plant-based diet based on individual differences in genetics and microbiota.

Will I lose weight on a plant-based diet?

A plant-based diet is an excellent approach to lose weight healthfully and keep it off. Because it includes substantial portions of foods like vegetables that are filling without being high in calories, it helps you cut calories without going hungry. Smart choices of plant foods, alone or in addition to modest portions of fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, and meat, can provide enough protein to minimize loss of muscle when you reduce calories for weight loss. And although some plant-based diets are very low in fat, plant-based diets can include reasonable portions of fats from nuts, avocados, and healthy oils that also help to keep hunger at bay.

Plant-based diets don’t guarantee weight loss, however. Overdoing portions or snacking all day out of habit, or using food to deal with stress, can keep calories too high to allow weight loss. And excess calories can add up quickly even from plant-based drinks, whether juice, soft drinks, syrup-laden coffees or alcohol.

Plant-based alone doesn’t make it healthy.

Although highly processed foods like chips, crackers, and cookies may technically be plant-based, these foods won’t provide the health benefits you get from unprocessed and minimally processed choices. And large amounts of added sugars and fat can lead to eating more calories than you need.

When researchers scored eating habits in several large U.S. population studies as being more focused on plant foods or animal foods, plant-based diets were linked with lower risk of heart disease. But when they scored healthful plant foods separately from less healthful plant foods like sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks, and refined grains, people with healthy plant-based diets showed 25% lower risk of heart disease. But high scores for unhealthy plant-based diets had 32% higher risk of heart disease and increased risk of type 2 diabetes as well.

Overcoming Obstacles to a Plant-Based Diet

Plant-based diets on a budget

• Meat is one of the most expensive items in your grocery cart. So whether you choose to have a few meatless meals each week or simply keep portion sizes of meat, poultry and fish small compared to other foods on your plate, plant-focused eating is an excellent way to shave grocery costs.
• Dried beans, peas, and lentils, in contrast, are a bargain. Look beyond frozen convenience vegetarian meals and explore the aisles of canned and dried beans. If you’ve been using these only occasionally for baked beans or tacos, have fun exploring the many dishes in which they fit deliciously.
• Vegetables and fruits might seem too pricey to fit your budget, but that need not be so. Remember that as you boost portions of these foods, it should be a swap to replace or reduce the amount of something else. For example, choose a piece of fruit instead of donuts, cookies or ice cream. When choosing fresh produce, look for what’s in season. And don’t overlook frozen and canned options (without added salt or sugar), which can be just as healthy and may offer a better buy.
• Explore plain, unseasoned whole grains to season and serve with meals instead of high-priced flavored options. And choose simple cooked or ready-to-eat breakfast cereals like oatmeal or shredded wheat. Add your own nuts, fruit, and perhaps a sprinkle of cinnamon for flavor.

Cook at Home

Not only is cooking at home less expensive than eating out, it also gives you more opportunity to experiment with different ways to create plant-focused meals. Some people find that adapting familiar dishes is the most comfortable way to gradually change eating habits. For example, keep the same casserole or stew you love, and swap proportions to reduce meat and boost vegetables and beans. For other people, adapted versions always seem second best. Starting fresh with new and different plant-focused dishes becomes an adventure.

You aren’t alone exploring this new turf; explore the Resources below. Check organizations like the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) that recommend plant-based diets and showcase delicious recipes to put their advice into practice. Follow savvy registered dietitians on Facebook, Instagram or through their blogs for recipes that are delicious and healthy. Websites of producers and companies providing plant-based foods also offer menu ideas and taste-tested recipes (and often coupons) to help you step beyond a limited repertoire.

Make Plant-based Flavorful

If you’re afraid plant-based meals would be dull, think again! Some of the most flavorful cuisines around the world are plant-based. Take inspiration from traditional Italian, Greek, Chinese and Indian dishes that make vegetables, grains and beans delicious with garlic, onion, herbs, spices, and nuts.

Go at Your Own Pace

The goal is to find your way to a long-term plant-based style of eating. So it’s important to discover what works for you, rather than making dramatic changes that don’t feel comfortable. Gradually shift proportions of vegetables, grains, and meat in meals and add a few more meatless meals.

Find a Plant-Focused Diet that’s Right for You

Many, many studies show that plant-based eating patterns as a whole are healthier ways to eat than the eating style that’s now common in the U.S. (and many other parts of the world). You may see those typical diets referred to as a Western dietary pattern in research, or as S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) in more informal discussions.

When looking at individual kinds of plant-based diets (vegetarian, DASH, etc.), studies conclude they are healthier than typical American fare. But those studies don’t mean that a specific form of a plant-based diet is better than another plant-focused approach to eating.

There’s room in the plant-based “tent” for everyone, whether you prefer vegan or vegetarian eating, or want to include moderate amounts of fish, poultry, and meat; whether you favor low-fat or relatively higher amounts of healthy types of fat. You can read more about how plant-based diets fit with the latest recommendations for reducing cancer risk; and what current research shows about soy, fish, and dairy in a plant-based diet right here.