This archive report was first published on 23 September 2019.
Experts Explain What 'Plant-Based Diet' Means ¶
As the popularity of plant-based diets continues to grow, many people are left wondering what exactly a plant-based diet means. While some experts define it as a vegan diet that avoids all animal products, others see it as a diet that emphasizes minimally processed foods derived from plants and limits the consumption of animal products.
According to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation, 73 people said they've heard of a 'plant-based diet,' and 51 percent of those polled said they would be interested in learning more about it. However, the survey also found that people are unclear about what a plant-based diet entails, with 32 percent defining it as a vegan diet, 30 percent as a diet that emphasizes minimally processed foods, and 20 percent as a vegetarian diet.
Neither the USDA nor the FDA currently has a definition for the term 'plant-based,' and the medical and research community also lacks a clear definition. This lack of clarity has led to confusion among consumers, who may be unsure what to expect from a plant-based diet.
So, what do experts say? We asked 10 experts in the field of nutrition and plant-based eating to define the phrase 'plant-based diet.' Here's what they had to say:
- Abby Langer, R.D., founder of Abby Langer Nutrition, defines a plant-based diet as 'a diet or food that is mostly—but not necessarily ALL—based on plants.'
- John Elefteriades, M.D., the William W.L. Glenn Professor of Cardiothoracic Surgery and former Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Yale University and Yale New-Haven Hospital, defines a plant-based diet as 'a diet based only on plants, with no animal-based products.'
- Valerie Goldstein, R.D., founder of Eating to Fuel Health, defines a plant-based diet as 'choosing more of your foods from plant sources.'
- Camilla Fayed, founder of Farmacy Kitchen in NYC, defines a plant-based diet as 'free from any animal products, dairy, refined sugars, additives and chemicals.'
- Jeffrey Blumberg, Ph.D., Research Professor at the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, defines a plant-based diet as 'rich in unprocessed whole foods including fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and whole grains.'
- Chris Mohr, Ph.D., R.D., co-founder of Mohr Results, a nutrition consulting company, defines a plant-based diet as 'filling at least half of your plate at every meal with produce and grains.'
- Matthew Kenney, founder of Matthew Kenney Cuisine, and author of numerous plant-based cookbooks, defines a plant-based diet as 'a tool that when used properly, can lead to an incredible quality of life not only for the individual but for the planet, as well.'
- Prediman Krishan Shah, M.D. Director of the Oppenheimer Atherosclerosis Research Center at Cedars-Sinai, defines plant-based foods as 'vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.'
- Brian St. Pierre, C.S.C.S., R.D., Director of Nutrition at Precision Nutrition, defines a plant-based diet as 'a way of eating that emphasizes minimally processed foods derived from plants and limits the consumption of animal products.'
As you can see, there's no one 'right' answer to what a plant-based diet means. However, one thing is clear: a plant-based diet is a way of eating that emphasizes minimally processed foods derived from plants and limits the consumption of animal products.
