Vegan, vegetarian, plant-based: Simplified

‘Vegan’, ‘Vegetarian’ and ‘Plant-based’ are buzzwords that appear on almost every fitness niche in our blogosphere. It is easy to confuse these words, because adherents of these lifestyles often have similar values such as concerns for the environment and animals. While they may look interchangeable to someone unfamiliar, they have vastly different definitions especially if you are a health or fitness coach.

The primary difference you will see is that ‘plant-based’ is often used by people who avoid meat and dairy for nutrition or fitness-based reasons (e.g. dairy causes acne or bloating). Meanwhile, ‘vegan’ and ‘vegetarian’ are often used by people who avoid animal products for ethical or environmental reasons. However, as you will see below, there are deeper differences between the three.

Vegan, vegetarian, plant-based broken down

Vegetarian = abstains from eating the flesh of animals, but the dairy and egg products that come from animals are often still consumed. A vegetarian checks food labels to ensure there is no animal flesh present, however, they are not usually concerned by other animal derived ingredients. Sometimes, a vegan diet is roped into research and studies showing extremely positive outcomes on vegetarian diets. (Ex: a vegetable and noodle soup in chicken broth, veggie pizza with mozzarella cheese, and a breakfast of eggs and toast with butter are all vegetarian.)

Plant-based = a diet that is mostly plant-dominant, but is not always plant exclusive as some concessions for eating animal products are occasionally made out of convenience, tradition, perceived necessity, or habit.

Usually their commitment to abstaining from all forms of animal products is either growing stronger as they are learning to become more aware, or they find that being mostly plant-based creates the conscious comfort they are looking for. Those living a plant-based lifestyle can closely resemble a reducetarian, but not necessarily an abolitionist.

Whole Food Plant-Based = (WFPB) this diet is plant-exclusive, and the primary motivation of this abolitionist approach is for personal longevity by avoiding all diet-induced illness. It is self-motivated, and based strictly on scientific, testimonial and personal evidence of disease reversal, prevention and overall

improvement to health. The term WFPB was coined by Dr. T Colin Campbell in the 80’s after the conclusion of the largest and longest study performed on human nutrition to date called The China Study. WFPB dieters sometimes acknowledge the benefits to the planet and animals as a bonus outcome, however it is not the primary motivation for choosing to adopt this lifestyle. This diet avoids processed oil, white flour and white sugar, and seeks to nearly eliminate the consumption of processed food. There is crossover to health promoting labels of food and other products such as organic, non GMO, and local. And those who tend to identify as WFPB for health might also be empathetic to the plight of animals and the planet, or can be indifferent.

Vegan = this is a plant-exclusive diet and lifestyle which is motivated by consciously avoiding, as much as possible, any use, cruelty and exploitation of all animals within as well as outside of the daily diet. The primary motivation of this abolitionist approach is to exclude all participation of harm towards animals and/or the planet. The vegan diet acknowledges the benefit to the prevention of deadly illness caused by the consumption of animal products.

This sounds a lot like WFPB diet. On the surface, they can look the same. Both promote a diet of whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruit and also the elimination of animal products including meat, fish, eggs, dairy, gelatin and other animal byproducts from one’s diet. But here is the main difference….

A whole foods plant based lifestyle is a committed stance towards one’s health through nutrition.

A vegan lifestyle is a committed stance against cruelty, unnecessary use of and exploitation of all animals, dietary or otherwise. It’s easy to confuse the two based on what is not consumed, which is why it’s important for you to uncover your client’s true motivation (aka The Big Why) for choosing this path.

Depending on the individual, the vegan diet does allow processed vegan foods as well as fatty, sugary treats - basically, a vegan version of various junk foods and sweets like cookies, cakes, brownies, donuts….you get the idea. This is a path of moral consistency where there is crossover to cruelty-free brands that extend outside of diet, such as clothing, household products and personal care products. Vegans fall anywhere on the plant-exclusive spectrum from Whole Vegan foods to vegan junk food.

In a nutshell, a “vegan diet” only tells you what someone doesn’t eat. And a vegan diet is often confused with variations of a plant-based diet. Once you assess where your client’s motivations and current level of education is on the subject of veganism, then you can better determine how to communicate with them as it relates to their diet. And as you determine if they are more healthy or ethically driven, you can utilize that to your advantage to help them stay accountable to their Big Why.