Plants. They’ve been here long, sustaining life for numerous animals and the human race. It only makes sense that a diet high in these most natural foods would provide many physical and mental health benefits. But how can you start a plant-based meal plan? What about plant-based protein? Can you get enough of it? And is there a difference between vegan and plant-based diets?
There are many questions regarding a plant-based diet for beginners, PVL is your go-to resource. We’ll explain the different plant-based diet structures, how to plan your veggie-based meals, and a few plant-based diet recipe ideas to help get you started on your nutritional journey.
Vegan vs Plant-Based Diet Plan
- Vegan: This is the most straightforward; you eat no animals or animal byproducts. Even food items like honey or gelatin are off-limits. It’s strictly fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Essentially, anything grown out of the earth is considered vegan. When it comes to vegan vs. plant-based, vegan is as straight and narrow as possible, while plant-based allows for leeway in terms of animal byproducts.
- Vegetarian: This is a less strict version of veganism, where some animal byproducts can be consumed. Here, vegetarian means a combination of the following two variations, where you eat everything a vegan eats plus dairy and eggs.
- Lacto-Vegetarian: Veganism plus dairy products such as milk, cheese, and other cow byproducts. This assists you in keeping your protein amount high for health purposes.
- Ovo-Vegetarian: Veganism plus eggs, aiding in protein content while maintaining a near-100 percent vegan diet.
- Pescatarian: Blurring the line between herbivore and omnivore, a pescatarian eats plants and fish. Consuming sea creatures helps with healthy fats, protein, and other important nutrients not typically found in plants.
Plant-Based Diet & Meal Plan Tips for Beginners
Plant-Based Protein
No matter the diet, you want to ensure you’re ingesting enough protein to keep your muscles full and fed. Protein also helps you feel full after a meal. An excellent rule of thumb is to get 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of body fat daily. For a 200-pound person, that’s 160-200 grams, which is a lot on an omnivorous diet, much less a plant-based one. Here are some plant-based protein sources that come from plants (actual protein content will be found on nutritional labels):
- Legumes: Beans, Lentils, Chickpeas
- Nuts/Seeds
- Peas
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Soy/Tempeh/Tofu
- Spinach/Greens
- Plant-Based Protein Powder
Eat Often
As a human, you need fuel to run efficiently. Starving yourself doesn’t help your body lose weight; it’ll help you preserve additional fat stores because your system thinks it’s under threat of starvation. So eat multiple meals per day, eating until you feel satiated. A good plant-based meal plan also has snacks at the ready – fresh fruits and veggies that are ready to eat straight from the grocery store. Drink lots of water, too; this is another way to keep yourself full and satisfied.
Simple Plant-Based Diet Recipes
A vegan diet plan almost lives and breathes on specific recipes, such as stir-fries, soups, and salads. These can be found all over the internet. Again, ensure they include tons of plant-based protein to maintain your fitness goals and not whither away because of a lack of nutrients. Veggie patties, tofu, tempeh, and other similar food items can easily substitute animal protein. Season these generously, drizzle with high-quality olive oil, and you won’t miss skimping on meat.
Article by Terry Ramos
