Is a Whole Foods, Plant-Based Diet Right for You?

Carnivore, vegan, vegetarian — how we eat comes in many shapes, sizes and names. And you may have heard about a whole foods, plant-based diet (WFPB diet) and want to know more — and how it fits among the eating styles.

A whole foods, plant-based diet aims to eliminate animal products, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and honey. As the name suggests, everything you eat — including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds — is derived from plants.

Is a whole foods, plant-based diet right for you?

Registered dietitians Kate Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD, and Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, explore some details that can help you decide — and if so, how to jump right in.

Benefits of a whole foods, plant-based diet

A plant-based diet has significant health benefits as long as you do it correctly.

“No matter when you start, a diet that is focused on plant foods will help you work toward the prevention of many illnesses and feel better overall,” Zumpano says.

If followed properly, a whole foods, plant-based diet limits the use of oils, added sugars and processed foods, leaving only whole foods to provide nutrition. This maximizes nutrient intake and virtually eliminates foods that can lead to poor health outcomes.

These diets are low in saturated fat, free of cholesterol, and rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Research also reveals that following this type of diet will lower your risks of:

• Heart disease.
• Hypertension (high blood pressure).
• Diabetes.
• Digestive disease.
• Colon and breast cancers.
• Obesity.

Studies also show that a plant-based diet can help lower body weight and reduce your LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol.

How a plant-based diet differs from veganism

A plant-based diet is similar to veganism, so it’s easy to confuse the two and you may see the terms used interchangeably.

But there’s an important distinction. A plant-based diet refers to eating entirely or mostly plant foods.

Veganism, on the other hand, goes beyond just what you eat — it’s a way of living. Most vegans avoid using, consuming or exploiting animals. For example, they may choose not to purchase or use products such as household goods, personal care items and clothing that are made from or tested on animals.

“A WFPB eating pattern is focused on whole foods, so someone may avoid packaged and processed foods,” explains Zumpano. “For example, a vegan may consume frozen meat alternatives or vegan snack foods and desserts, whereas an individual following a WFPB would consume protein in the form of legumes, snack on nuts and end their meal with fruit instead of dessert.”

How to start a whole foods, plant-based diet

“To start your plant-based diet, keep it simple. Begin by cutting out one animal product at a time,” Patton suggests.

• First, replace all milk and dairy products with soy, oat, almond and hemp alternatives. Use nondairy yogurt or kefir and soy or coconut milk coffee creamer.
• Next, replace chicken, turkey, beef, pork, veal, lamb and fish with plant proteins.
• Stock up on legumes, beans, nuts, seeds and vegan meat alternatives like homemade tofu veggie burgers, nutritional yeast, seitan and tempeh.

Be sure to include all five food groups at each meal — plant protein, fruit, vegetables, plant-based fat and whole grains. For example, you can have:

• Breakfast: Combine steel-cut oats with chopped nuts, fresh berries, pureed pumpkin and ground flaxseed.
• Snack: Try dairy-free yogurt or kefir.
• Lunch: Make a veggie burrito with a whole-grain tortilla, vegan refried beans, mixed greens, tomatoes, peppers, onions and nutritional yeast. Pair with corn tortilla chips and fresh salsa or guacamole.
• Snack: Have an apple with natural peanut butter.
• Dinner: Enjoy a tofu stir-fry with brown rice and your choice of vegetables sauteed in vegetable broth or olive, canola, sesame or peanut oil.
• Dessert: End the day with a sorbet topped with a tropical fruit salad of mango, pineapple and melon.

“Some people choose to call themselves flexitarians,” notes Zumpano. “This is where the foundation of their diet is WFPB, but they may occasionally consume fish or animal products.”

How to get enough protein

You’ll want to make sure that your diet includes enough protein to maintain muscle mass, strong bones and healthy skin. The following foods are packed with protein:

• Beans, lentils and split peas.
• Quinoa.
• Soy products like tempeh, tofu, soybeans and soy milk.
• Nuts and seeds.

How to get enough vitamins and minerals

You’ll also need to get adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet to ensure healthy bones. This won’t be difficult if you:

• Drink a milk alternative such as soy, almond, oat or hemp milk, which contains both calcium and the vitamin D needed to absorb it.
• Eat plenty of dark greens, leafy lettuce and beans which contain calcium.
• Eat mushrooms and fortified cereals which contain vitamin D. If you aren’t consuming fortified foods on a consistent basis you’ll need to take a vitamin D supplement. Sunlight is another source of vitamin D.

You’ll also need enough zinc in your diet to support a healthy immune system, enough iron to maintain energy and immunity and enough vitamin B12 to produce red blood cells and prevent anemia. This means you’ll want to:

• Eat whole grains, beans, tofu and fortified cereals for zinc and iron.
• Eat nutritional yeast and soy products to get your vitamin B12.

Risks and challenges

Following a plant-based diet means saying goodbye to all animal products — including lean meat and dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese and ice cream.

“That’s easier said than done for many of us,” Patton recognizes. “But when you have the right guidelines and wrap in changes over time, replacing animal products in your diet is possible.”

Remember: If you don’t plan your plant-based diet correctly, you may risk not meeting all of your protein, vitamin and mineral needs. And you won’t feel or look your best if you develop a nutritional deficiency. But there are easy ways to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need.

Be sure to meet with your primary care doctor or a dietitian at least once a year to have your labs measured to assess for any deficiency.

Bottom line?

Think you want to give a whole foods, plant-based diet a try? If so, again, don’t feel like you need to overhaul how you eat all at once — you may have a better chance of success making small changes over time.

And following a whole foods, plant-based diet can help you focus on eating healthy and may lead to you feeling better.

“Once you begin, in time, you’ll fill your kitchen with what you need and it will get easier every day,” encourages Zumpano. “A plant-based diet may seem restrictive, but you can look at it as a simpler way of eating.”