What is a plant-based diet? A beginner’s guide.
A plant-based diet is one that centers around food from plants, not animals. As simple as that sounds, the reality is that many foods are made with animal products. We use bone char to filter sugar, gelatin from animal bones and cartilage to give Jell-o its springy shape, and we even hide a milk-derived protein called casein in some non-dairy creamers.
That’s why a plant-based diet isn’t just a diet—it’s a lifestyle that aims to reduce harm. Whether you choose plant-based for environmental, ethical, or health reasons, plant-based eating can profoundly impact your body and the world around you.
We’re here to help you decide if switching is right for you by explaining:
What it means to be plant-based
Common foods on a plant-based diet
Benefits of a plant-based diet
Some simple tips on how to transition
More plant-based diet resources we love
What does it mean to be plant-based?
Being plant-based means eating plants like fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds, and whole grains and avoiding animal products, including red meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy.
It’s similar to a vegan diet because both eating patterns eliminate animal products. But unlike a vegan diet, plant-based eating isn’t inherently restricting; the idea isn’t to be perfect, but simply to reduce the amount of animal-based foods you eat.
The other part of being plant-based is the motivation behind the diet. People eat plant-based:
For the environment: Transitioning to a plant-based diet may reduce diet-related land use by 76% and diet-related emissions by 49%.
For their health: A plant-based diet may reduce your risk for cancer and other diseases like heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
For the animals: PETA estimates that, on average, a person on a plant-based diet saves 200 animals annually.
What foods do you eat on a plant-based diet?
On a plant-based diet, you eat plants. But you probably know that already. What you might not know is that there are tons of naturally plant-based whole foods packed with protein, healthy fats, and other nutrients that nourish your body. There’s also an ever-growing list of delicious plant-based packaged foods.
On a plant-based diet, people commonly eat the following foods (and so many more than we can list):
Food Group Plant-Based Examples
Protein Tofu, tempeh, beans, peas, lentils, quinoa, chia seeds, hemp seeds,
nutritional yeast
Carbs Oats, barley, legumes, rice, quinoa, sweet potato and other starchy tubers,
polenta
Fats Avocado, oils (e.g. olive oil, avocado oil, flax oil), cacao, seeds, nuts, nut
butters
Fruits & Vegetables Spinach, broccoli, carrots, green beans, bananas, apples, oranges, berries
Benefits of a plant-based diet
The benefits of a plant-based diet have been well studied from multiple different angles. While everyone has their reasons for eating animals or opting out, there’s scientific evidence that a plant-based diet isn’t just good for you, but for the world around you.
We’ll go into more detail below, but the key points are this:
People who eat plant-based tend to more easily manage their weight
They’re also less likely to develop heart disease and other conditions
Plant-based diets can be more affordable
Plant-based diets are more environmentally friendly
Plant-based diets save animals, making it the most ethical way to eat
Health benefits
Many people explore different diets to find the right one for their health. Plant-based is always on the list of diets to try, and for good reason. Plant-based diets are healthy, and not just because those who eat them often feel they have more energy.
Improved heart health: In a 2019 study, researchers found that those who followed a plant-based diet had a lower risk of coronary heart disease thanks to its association with lower blood pressure, blood lipids, and body mass index.
Better weight management: The seminal “A to Z Weight Loss Study” examined the impact of diet on weight management and found that plant-based eaters experienced significant weight loss, suggesting that plant-based diets can help people manage weight.
Reduced cancer risk: Plant-based diets may also play a part in preventing some kinds of cancer. Though this field of research is young, preliminary studies dating back to the 1990s associated a plant-based diet with a decreased risk of some cancers, including colorectal cancers—a potentially powerful health benefit given that colon cancer is the third most common cancer in the U.S.
Environmental benefits
It takes an incredible amount of resources—water, land, electricity, and more—to feed the world’s people. But a surprising number of those resources go to feeding and raising livestock animals, not feeding people. For that reason, plant-based diets are often less resource-intensive.
Lower carbon footprint: A recent report from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) indicated that livestock accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. People who eat plant-based have less emissions associated with their diets.
Conservation of water: Everything we eat also has a water footprint—the amount of water it takes to produce. Though a person’s diet accounts for two-thirds of their water footprint, plant-based diets have a significantly smaller footprint than their animal-based counterparts.
Protection of biodiversity: In the recent Living Planet Report, the World Wildlife Fund noted that agriculture—particularly for livestock—significantly contributed to deforestation and habitat loss. Since plant-based diets reduce demand for animal farming, they can also help protect the world’s forests.
Financial benefits
In the U.S., the average person will spend $415.53 per month on groceries. This is partially due to the anticipated 6% increase in all food costs by the end of 2023, pushing more people to consider the wallet-friendly plant-based diet.
Lower cost of groceries: An Oxford study analyzed the cost of popular diets. It found that plant-based (vegan and vegetarian) diets were less expensive than omnivorous ones, and vegan diets reduced food costs by a whopping one-third.
Ethical benefits
Though plant-based diets have powerful benefits for people and the planet, don’t overlook the diet's ethical impacts. At the most basic level, people who eat plants aren’t eating animals—a win for the 23 billion animals living on factory farms right now.
Reduced animal suffering: Billions of animals suffer at the hands of industrial agriculture. Chickens are debeaked, tails get docked, and dairy cows are routinely impregnated so they continue producing milk. After all that, they live in crowded and unsanitary conditions before they’re sent to slaughter. Plant-based diets reduce demand for these practices, which in turn reduces harm to animals.
Increased food security: As the global population grows, food scarcity will continue to be a real problem. The resources our plant-based diets save can be used to feed others, which fights back against the food insecurity many people face.
How to switch to a plant-based diet
There are countless reasons to switch to a plant-based diet, but actually making that transition can feel daunting. Start small, give yourself permission to make mistakes, and remember that every meal without animal products is a step in the right direction.
Here are some of the baby steps you can take to adopt plant-based practices in your life:
Find your why: The world is not a plant-based place, and many of your favorite foods likely rely on animal products. Identify why a plant-based diet matters to you, and hold that motivation close. It’s what will keep you on track when (not if) it feels easier to eat animal products than hold out for something plant-based.
Reframe your foods: In Western diets, meat is king. But in many other parts of the world, variations on rice and beans are the star of the show. Work on seeing foods like beans and legumes as the main attraction while framing meat as a rare side dish.
Stock up on vegetables: Plant-based diets should be veggie-heavy. Try to fill half of each meal with your favorite veggies, then also include plenty of veggie-based snacks, like carrots and hummus or celery with peanut butter.
Choose healthy fats: People often worry about feeling full on a plant-based diet. Healthy fats can help with that. Nuts, nut butter, avocados, and healthy oils can all make meals more satisfying.
Identify your proteins: Finding plant-based proteins you love is also important. Build your meals around beans and lentils, but also consider high-protein options like tofu and tempeh. Try a few to find ones you like, then keep them in rotation.
Cook at home more: It’s often easier to adopt a plant-based diet if you already cook most of your own food. But even if you don’t, this is a great time to start—even if you throw tofu and veggies in your air fryer and call it a day. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection.
Build a roster of recipes: Once you’re cooking, keep a list of recipes that are both satisfying and easy to cook. Focus on recipes with leafy greens, lots of veggies, and hearty beans and grains.
Replace your favorites: It can be comforting to find plant-based versions of your favorite animal-based foods. Research plant-based restaurants in your area, or look up recipes you can recreate yourself.
Have fun with it: Eating a plant-based diet is a journey, not a destination. We encourage you to see it as a fun opportunity to try new foods, new cooking styles, and new restaurants. You’re about to enter a whole new food world. How cool is that?
Plant-based resources
Frequently asked questions:
What is a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet?
A whole-food plant-based diet focuses on eating foods at their most natural. That means lots of fresh, minimally processed foods and pre-packaged goods with minimal ingredients. A typical plant-based diet doesn’t necessarily focus on whole foods, while a WFPB diet does.
Is a plant-based diet the same as vegan?
Plant-based diets and vegan diets are similar, but not the same. A vegan diet eliminates all animal products, while a plant-based diet simply avoids them—meaning that someone on a plant-based diet might occasionally consume meat, eggs, or dairy, while someone on a vegan diet never would.
Can you eat eggs on a plant-based diet?
It depends on the plant-based diet. Some plant-based eaters do eat eggs, while others do not. Make the choice that aligns with your values, your health goals, and your views about the environment.
Can you eat fish on a plant-based diet?
It depends on the plant-based diet. You can be plant-based and still eat fish, but it shouldn’t be the primary part of your meal. In a plant-based diet, a small serving of fish can accompany a full plate of vegetables, whole grains, beans, and more.
Can you eat meat on a plant-based diet?
It depends on the plant-based diet. Many plant-based people don’t eat meat, but you can include small, infrequent servings of meat in your diet, as long as your diet still contains more plants than animal products.
About The Good Life Refuge
The Good Life Refuge is a sanctuary in Longmont, Colorado, that exists to provide a safe haven for abused and at-risk animals. We believe in the ethical treatment of all sentient beings; we act as stewards of the animals in our care and the land on which we live; and we educate people far and wide about the benefits of plant-based eating for our bodies, our animals, and our world.