Which Plant-Based Diet Is Right For You?

I’m a big fan of plant-based diets. They’re an excellent way to improve and maintain your good health. And there are different types that you can experiment with to find out what works best for you.

Plant-Based Defined

Vegan

A vegan diet is the most restrictive and difficult plant-based diet to maintain. Vegans exclude meat, fish, poultry, and all animal-derived foods, such as honey, eggs, and dairy, from their diet.

Vegetarian

Vegetarians exclude meat, fish, and poultry from their diet, but they do eat animal-derived products.

Pescatarian

This is a vegetarian diet that includes fish or a high-quality fish oil supplement. I believe this may be a better option for children and older adults. A pescatarian diet is a vegetarian diet that includes fish or a high-quality fish oil supplement. I believe this may be a better option for children and older adults. Fish or a fish oil supplement provides fatty acids needed for proper brain development in children and numerous heart health benefits for older adults.

Flexitarian

The broadest category of plant-based diets is flexitarian. Flexitarians eat meat, fish, and poultry, but only in limited amounts. How limited? No more than 20 to 25 percent. If, and when, you can, try to consume free-range organic poultry, grass-fed beef, and wild-caught fish with the least amount of mercury.

No matter which plant-based diet you choose, you’ll experience some great benefits that you won’t want to give up, like,

1. Natural weight loss.
2. Support for a healthy immune system to help protect you from illnesses and diseases.
3. More, long-lasting energy.
4. A better mental outlook, including an improved sense of well-being.

If you’re interested in a strict vegetarian or vegan diet be sure to read up on potential nutritional deficiencies and how to avoid them. You’ll find the information on the pages in the Nutrition section.

Vegetarian & Vegan