Plant Based Diet: Tips and Health Benefits
A plant-based eating plan is exactly what it sounds like, says Rachel Kilpatrick, MD, an endocrinologist at Washington Regional Endocrinology Clinic. “A plant-based diet is a diet composed primarily of plants such as fruits, vegetables, beans or legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds,” she says.
Plant-based eating differs from a vegan diet, Kilpatrick says, which eliminates all foods from animal sources — such as meat, eggs and dairy products — but might include processed foods. Plant-based eating focuses on whole, unrefined or minimally processed foods in addition to minimizing the intake of animal products. That’s why the eating plan is sometimes referred to as a “whole-food, plant-based diet.”
“The health benefits of a plant-based diet are absolutely vast,” Kilpatrick says, adding that the eating plan has the potential to help lower the risk of:
- Diabetes
- Dementia or Alzheimer’s disease
- Cardiovascular disease
- Some cancers
Still, a drastic change in eating habits can be counter-productive and even unsafe for some people. “I don’t typically recommend going from the standard American diet and flipping 180 degrees to a complete vegan or plant-based diet all at once,” Kilpatrick says. “That’s not necessarily a sustainable change.” Plus, she says, people with health issues, particularly those with insulin-dependent diabetes, should talk with their health care provider before making any drastic changes to their diet.
Following a plant-based eating plan doesn’t mean you have to be “plant perfect” or give up all your favorite foods, Kilpatrick says. “It just means maybe increasing the amount of healthy, fiber-rich foods that we know have clear metabolic benefit.”
Consider making small changes at first and look at meal-planning and menu options that offer whole foods and plant-based eating. “One way to start,” Kilpatrick says, “is to maybe change out one meal a week for a meal that is not centered around an animal product.”