What Is a Plant-Based Diet?

A plant-based diet is a flexible approach to eating that prioritizes foods from plants, including:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Whole grains
• Beans
• Lentils
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Healthy oils

Rather than focusing on restrictions, it emphasizes making plant foods the foundation of most meals and snacks.

“Food can be medicine, and what we eat can have a profound impact on our cardiovascular health,” says Alana A. Lewis, MD, a cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine. “Plant-based nutrition is about building a sustainable, nourishing approach to eating, rather than following a restrictive diet. I encourage patients to concentrate on eating fruits, vegetables, beans, olive oil, whole grains, nuts and seeds, while limiting sugary beverages and foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat, full-fat dairy products, and tropical oils like coconut and palm oils.”

Do You Have To Stop Eating Meat To Follow a Plant-Based Diet?

A plant-based diet does not require you to eliminate meat or other animal products. While some people choose vegetarian or vegan eating patterns, others simply eat more plant-based foods and fewer animal-based foods. Even small changes, such as replacing a few meat-based meals each week with beans, lentils or tofu, can increase your intake of fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Types of Plant-Based Diets

Plant-based diets don’t specifically mean a vegetarian diet. They come in many forms, each with its own balance of plant and animal foods. Common approaches include:

• Vegan: Includes only plant foods and none that come from an animal
• Vegetarian: Includes plant foods, plus dairy, eggs or both
• Flexitarian: Includes mostly plant foods with the addition of meat and fish occasionally
• Mediterranean diet: A way of eating that incorporates olive oil as the primary fat source and the addition of moderate amounts of poultry and fish
• DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet: Plant-based foods with the addition of moderate amounts of poultry and fish, and a focus on low-sodium foods

Benefits of Plant-Based Eating

Eating plant foods can do more than add variety to your meals. Here are some of the key benefits:

Weight management and blood sugar control

Plants often contain fewer calories per serving than many animal-based foods, while providing more fiber. The fiber in plant foods can help you feel full longer, which may make it easier to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight. Fiber also slows digestion, helping prevent sharp rises in blood sugar after meals.

Heart health

A plant-based diet may help improve some of the factors that affect your heart health. Many plant-based foods are naturally higher in fiber and lower in saturated fat than other foods, such as fatty cuts of meat and full-fat dairy products.

Foods rich in a type of fiber called soluble fiber can help lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or “bad,” cholesterol by reducing the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body. These foods include:

• Oats
• Beans
• Lentils
• Some fruits like apples and oranges

Many of the same foods that define a plant-based diet also provide potassium, magnesium and fiber — nutrients that help regulate blood pressure.

“When it comes to heart health, one of the best places to start is by eating more nourishing, plant-based foods,” says Dr. Lewis. “This simple shift can help support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.”

Reduced inflammation

Many fruits, vegetables and nuts are abundant in anti-inflammatory compounds like antioxidants and polyphenols. “The components in plants help the body heal faster and decrease inflammation,” says Ginger Hagen, RD, a dietitian at Northwestern Medicine who works with patients undergoing pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation.

Anti-inflammatory foods to keep on your grocery list include:

• Leafy greens
• Broccoli
• Berries
• Avocados
• Tomatoes
• Almonds
• Walnuts

Getting Started With Plant-Based Eating

Starting a plant-based diet doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple steps can lead to significant changes in your eating habits.

“A great place to start is to make 50% of your meals all plants, then gradually increase to 80% to get the benefits of a plant-based diet,” says Hagen.

When beginning to incorporate more plants into your diet, she recommends:

• Eating one more fruit and one more vegetable every day
• Substituting beans for meat once a week
• Snacking on 1/4 cup of nuts instead of highly processed snack foods like potato chips

You can also try:

• Incorporating whole grains like oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts into your breakfast routine
• Building meals around a salad bowl with combinations of leafy greens, chopped vegetables, whole grains like quinoa and brown rice, beans, nuts and seeds
• Making fruit your favorite dessert

When choosing plant-based products, Hagen recommends these tips:

• Be mindful of processed plant-based meat products, which can be high in sodium and saturated fats.
• Look for products with less than 400 milligrams of sodium and less than 5 grams of saturated fat per serving.
• Choose reduced sodium canned or fried beans as a low-cost protein option.
• Try making your own burger patties from beans or lentils for a healthier meat alternative.

For hydration, Hagen recommends good old-fashioned water. “If you're not a big water fan, then you can drink infused water,” says Hagen. “Give it a little flavor with some cut fruit, mint or cucumber, or try sparkling water with no added sugar.” 

Getting Enough Protein

Contrary to popular belief, it’s entirely possible to get enough protein on a plant-based diet. According to the National Academy of Medicine, adults should have about 7 grams of protein a day for every 20 pounds they weigh.

Someone who weighs 120 pounds would need about 42 grams of protein daily. To put that into perspective, there are 11 grams of protein in a half cup of pinto beans, 9 grams in an ounce of roasted pumpkin seeds, 8 grams in a cup of quinoa and 7 grams in an ounce of peanuts. It adds up quickly.

Plant-based foods high in protein include:

• Legumes: Lentils, broad (fava) beans, peas, chickpeas and peanuts
• Soy-based foods: Tofu, tempeh, edamame and soy milk
• Nuts and seeds: Hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and almonds
• Vegetables and whole grains: While not a primary source of protein, vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, and whole grains, such as quinoa, brown rice and oats, contribute to your protein intake.

Simple Plant-Based Meal and Snack Ideas

Breakfast

• Chickpeas and avocado on whole grain toast
• Rolled oats with chia seeds and sliced bananas
• Yogurt with berries and nuts

Lunch

• Hummus and roasted veggie wrap
• Tomato and cucumber salad
• Smashed green pea, lettuce and tomato sandwich (PLT)

Dinner

• Vegetarian chili
• Lentil vegetable soup
• Tofu and vegetable stir-fry
• Quinoa and northern bean salad dressed with olive oil, garlic and vinegar

Snacks

• Nuts and dried fruit
• Carrot sticks and hummus
• Celery sticks and peanut butter
• Air-popped popcorn seasoned with herbs like oregano and basil

Plant-Based Eating: Is It for You?

A plant-based diet can be adapted to many lifestyles and health goals. Some people choose a fully plant-based approach, while others simply increase the amount of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes they eat each day.

The greatest health benefits often come from consistently eating more minimally processed plant foods and fewer highly processed foods, regardless of how many animal products are included in your diet.

If you are considering making major dietary changes, talk with a registered dietitian. They can help ensure you are getting enough protein, iron, vitamin B12 and other essential nutrients while creating a meal plan that fits your needs.

Learn more about cooking healthfully.