As I have delved into this world of vegan and sustainable living, I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by all the new jargon: “sustainable”, “vegan”, “cruelty free”, “plant-based”, “whole-foods”. The list goes on!
So what’s does it mean when someone says they’re “plant-based” vs. “vegan”?
Definitions
Vegan diet: excludes animals from a person’s diet, products, and lifestyle decisions
Plant-based diet: primarily consists of plant foods; does not eliminate all animal products
Whole foods, plant-based diet: a diet that primarily consists of plant foods and also excludes oils and processed packaged foods; does not eliminate all animal products
Whole foods: food that has undergone little to no processing and is as close as possible to its natural state
These terms can also be combined. Most commonly I hear about whole-food vegans, individuals who both exclude animal products from their diet and life and try to minimize their consumption of processed foods and oils. I’m an olive oil and dessert person, so this approach isn’t for me, but it’s an option!
TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
At the end of the day it comes down to this: Plant-based or whole-foods diets focus on eating plants for health reasons but do not eliminate animal products altogether.
A vegan diet eliminates all animal products for both ethical and health reasons.
All of these diets and lifestyles share a common result: They encourage people to eat more plants, which improves individual health and reduces their carbon footprint!
Have you tried any of these diets? Share your experiences in the comments below.