by
Victoria Cox, MSC, Registered Dietitian
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
Nutrition
“
Plant-based” – this is a buzzword that we are hearing about increasingly; it even pops up on food-product packaging. But what does a plant-based diet really refer to? It is often used interchangeably with “vegan”, a term that many of us are familiar with; however, in reality, a plant-based diet and a vegan diet are NOT the same.
Let’s Define: A Plant-based Diet
A plant-based diet is generally defined as one that consists of minimally processed fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, while excluding or minimising animal products, such as meat, dairy products and eggs.
Let’s Define: A Vegan Diet
A vegan diet is defined as one that consists only of plants, including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and entirely excludes all foods that come from animals, including meat, dairy products and eggs.
So…What’s the Difference?
You might think that these two definitions are almost identical, when in fact there are two key differences – let us explore.
1.“Minimally Processed” – the definition of a plant-based diet specifically highlights the notion of minimally processed foods, whereas the definition of a vegan diet does not. What is the implication here?
It is generally accepted that highly processed foods contain a lot of extra sugar, salt and oil, for example, a frozen pizza. Evidence supports that eating habits that largely exclude these types of highly processed foods – focusing instead on minimally processed, whole foods – are much healthier for you.
The interesting twist is: even if that frozen pizza is made with only vegetable toppings and dairy-free cheese, i.e. is free from any animal products, it is STILL considered a highly processed food. As such, food can by definition be vegan but still be high in added sugars, fats and sodium and therefore, ultimately not be of any benefit to our health. So, there is a bit more flexibility in a plant-based diet, as the animal products are “minimised” but do not have to be avoided in totality. For some persons, this option is more realistic and makes it easier to eat at friends’ houses, or restaurants, because their lifestyle choice leaves room for some animal products. Keep in mind, however, that the focus on foods being minimally processed remains, so plant-based eaters may occasionally include some fresh chicken or fish, but will still be avoiding highly-processed animal products such as bacon or corned beef etc.
At the end of the day, a diet that either entirely excludes or largely minimises animal products CAN be extremely healthy, once well planned. Both plant-based and vegan individuals need to pay special attention to certain nutrients that are either lacking or not easily available in plants, such as vitamin B12, omega-3 fats, and iron.
It is a good idea to work with a registered dietitian when making the decision to avoid or minimise animal products.
Once the diet is indeed well balanced, and supplements taken if necessary, both plant-based and vegan diets are associated with positive health outcomes such as: Reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes Reduced risk of certain cancers, such as prostate, breast and colon cancer Lowered levels of cholesterol and blood pressure and an overall reduced risk of heart disease The reality here is this: you do not have to choose one labelled diet over the other. Everyone has different reasons for their lifestyle choices; if your focus is on avoiding animal products because of ethical or environmental reasons, then the priority of foods being minimally processed may be less meaningful to you and you choose to consider yourself vegan. However, if health is on the forefront of your actions and you decide to exclude or minimise animal products and specifically minimise processed foods, then you might choose to consider yourself plant-based.
Always keep in mind that we should be realistic with the dietary goals we set for ourselves; if that means occasionally including an animal-based product, or from time to time enjoying a processed-vegetarian meal or dessert – that is okay. There is no “food police” to denounce your chosen “diet”; you can blend key aspects of a variety of eating styles together to not only work towards health goals but also do what is achievable for you on a daily basis.
Benefits to Both Approaches
Consider this: it is quite easy to make a vegan cake or batch of vegan cookies; we may simply need to use an eggreplacer and substitute butter for oil and the end result is free from any animal products. Does this mean that these desserts are healthy? Nope! Your cookie or cake is still full of added sugar, and high in fat, while devoid of fibre and vitamins etc. Takeaway: Just because a food is vegan does NOT automatically mean that it is healthy.
The important point here is that a plant-based diet specifically puts the focus on the included plant-derived foods being minimally processed which are much more likely to be nutritious and health-benefiting, whereas a vegan diet simply specifies that the food is free of any animal products and does not speak to the nutritional quality of the food.
2.“Excluding or minimising animal products” – the second key difference between these two diets is that with a plant-based diet there is still room for occasional inclusion of minimally processed animal products, whereas a vegan diet strictly dictates that all animal products are to be avoided. As such, someone who has decided to follow a plant-based diet could decide that once a week they will enjoy eggs for breakfast, or occasionally prepare salmon for dinner, or once every few weeks enjoy some Greek yoghurt. On the other hand, someone following a vegan diet exclusively ensures that all foods eaten are plant-derived ONLY.
