Understanding the Modern Plant-Based Diet

The modern plant-based diet is often confused with a vegan diet, even sometimes a raw 
vegan diet, but this is just a very common misconception.

What a plant-based today actually is is a diet where you focus more on eating whole, 
clean foods from plants, but you may also have a limited amount of animal products like 
eggs, dairy, meat, fish, or poultry. 

However, the majority of your food is going to come from plants. Here are some things 
to understand about the modern plant-based diet and the types of foods you will eat.


What it Means to Go Plant-Based

A plant-based diet is one where you are going to gradually reduce animal consumption, 
and start incorporating more plant foods into your diet. There are many reasons for 
choosing this type of diet change, from improving your health, to wanting to have a 
positive impact on the environment.


Key Components of a Plant-Based Diet


1. You will eat mostly foods that come from plants. The majority of your diet will be 
made up of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, beans and legumes, and 
other foods that come from plants and natural sources.

2. You will reduce your animal consumption. As you start incorporating more plant-
based foods into your meals, you will also start to reduce foods that come from animals, 
including meat, seafood, poultry, dairy, eggs, and even honey.

3. There is still some flexibility. Remember that it isn’t a vegetarian or vegan diet, but 
more of a flexitarian diet. This means there is still some flexibility to have eggs, dairy, 
meat, or poultry when you want, but your diet will no longer have these foods every 
meal, or even every day.


Is it a Vegan Diet?

The plant-based diet is not the same thing as a fully vegan diet, though you may have 
plenty of vegan days. A lot of people who choose this lifestyle eventually have mostly 
vegan days or even weeks, but unlike vegans, you can still have the occasional eggs, 
dairy, or meat. 

How often you do this is completely up to you. Some people will live by the 80/20 rule 
where 80% of their food is plant-based, and 20% is not. Others just have animal 
products when it is a special occasion, they have a specific craving, or being served a 
meal that might contain ingredients they aren’t totally aware of.


Typical Food Options

Here is a look at the types of foods you will likely eat on your plant-based diet:


Fruits and Vegetables

Many people like to start with their produce, adding a lot more fruits and vegetables. It is 
good to start with the ones you already enjoy, and just add more of those to your 
various meals. You can do this by replacing your burger with a veggie burger, have a 
side salad with every meal, or adding fruit with your morning or afternoon snack.

Over time, you will add even more fruits and veggies, hopefully with either fresh or 
frozen. You want to avoid produce that has been processed, contains additives or 
artificial ingredients, or is canned whenever possible.


Whole Grains

Next is your whole grains, such as brown rice, other forms of rice if you prefer, bulgur, 
millet, quinoa, and similar grains. These are really easy to add to your meals, whether 
you make a Buddha bowl with lots of different grains, nuts, beans, and veggies, or you 
use brown rice or quinoa as your carb when preparing a delicious dinner. 


Nuts and Seeds

The plant-based diet is not just about the veggies! Remember there are lots of nuts 
ands eeds that contain important nutrients, boost your protein, and have the healthy fats 
you need. This might include:

Almonds, almond butter, almond milk
Walnuts
Cashews, cashew butter, cashew milk
Chia seeds
Flax seeds
Hemp seeds
Sunflower seeds


Beans and Legumes

You will also have beans and legumes, like black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas 
(hummus!), peanuts, and other legumes. Also don’t forget about your tofu and tempeh, 
both of which contain a lot of healthy protein.


Making the Switch

As you will see in the following chapters, going plant-based does not mean drastic 
changes have to occur all at once. We really want to encourage you to take your time in 
order to make this a long-term, sustainable way of eating.
