What is a whole food plant based diet?
How does a whole food plant-based diet compare to other plant strong diets?
What does Plant-Based mean? Whole Food Plant-Based? Plant Strong? Plant Powered? Vegetarian? Vegan? Alkaline? There are many terms used to describe diets focused on eating plants. There can be quite a difference between these titles so learning the meanings is helpful.
Vegetarian:
A diet that excludes flesh of any kind. No animal’s life was ended to provide a meal for a vegetarian. This diet includes eggs, cheese, milk and honey. Many people choose a vegetarian diet for ethical; health or environmental reasons and many religions practice vegetarian lifestyle as part of their commitment to compassion for all beings, human and animal. This diet has a positive impact on the environment as the factory meat farms contribute heavily to our C02 and methane problems. Note: You can be a vegetarian and still have an unhealthy diet.
Vegan:
A diet that does not include animal products of any kind. No meat, fish, foul, milk, cheese, eggs or honey. Many are vegan to express their compassion towards other living beings. Strict vegans don’t use any products (lotion, shampoo, salve, toothpaste, make up etc.) that have been tested on animals or that use animal secretions or byproducts of any kind such as propolis and colostrum. A strict vegan will also avoid buying or wearing things made of leather or wines that use animal products in the fining and filtration process before bottling. This diet will also help to reduce your carbon footprint on the planet. Note: You can be a vegan and still have an unhealthy diet.
Whole Food Plant-Based:
A diet that includes whole, plant foods that are not refined. Foods found as close to the way nature provided them, as possible. No meat, fish, foul, eggs, dairy, or extracted oils and sugars. Brown rice instead of white, potatoes with the peels, an apple rather than apple juice, olives instead of olive oil, dates for sweetener instead of refined sugars. This way of eating also encourages limiting consumption of flours even if they are whole grain. While being on a whole food plant-based diet might seem restrictive, it is the most powerful and effective diet in promoting optimal health, longevity and reversing heart disease, obesity & type II diabetes as well as helping to prevent cancer, dementia and many autoimmune diseases. Once you open up to the world of plant-based foods and recipes, you will realize there are so many options and the variety of combinations are endless. People who follow a whole food plant-based diet are often motivated by the health benefits and might still eat honey and wear leather. This is a personal choice. A whole food plant-based diet dramatically reduces your carbon foot print and helps to save the planet and reduce animal suffering as well.
Plant Powered:
People that use the term plant powered, usually mean that they focus on ways to boost the nutritional value of their diet with plant-based options. Many athletes are discovering the power of plant-based super foods in supporting their body for maximum athletic performance. Carefully selected plant nutrition is often free from toxic chemicals and additives, which will often leave you feeling lighter and more energetic than when consuming animal products. A plant-powered diet does not necessarily omit all animal products.
Plant Strong:
A diet that is 80% plant based and no more than 20% animal products or refined foods and oils.
I hope this has been helpful in understanding the different terms and approaches to eating a plant strong diet……
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