What is a plant based diet?
A plant-based diet is a way of eating that involves food primarily from plants. This includes all types of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. The diet minimises or avoids intake of any animal products, such as dairy, fish, meat, eggs and poultry.
Is it the same as a vegan diet?
Not completely. While all vegan diets are plant-based, not all plant-based diets are strictly vegan. You may still occasionally include animal products, depending on your preferences.
Health benefits of a plant based diet
There are numerous benefits linked to following a plant based diet. These include:
- Lower risk of heart disease: A meta-analysis published in 2019 found that plant-based diets are associated with reduced cardiovascular risk.
- Improved blood sugar control: Plant-based diets are linked to lower rates of type 2 diabetes. This could be due to the association of plant based diets with lower BMI, or a high fibre content, which helps to support better blood sugar levels.
- Weight management: Higher fibre intake on a balanced plant based diet has been shown to improve satiety and reduce calorie intake. This may be because high fibre foods take up more stomach volume vs calorie dense foods.
Guide to transitioning into a plant-based diet
1. Start slow with some meatless days
Why not start with “Meatless Mondays”, and then slowly build in more meals across the week, exploring different plant based options. Gradual transitions will help prevent any overwhelm and digestive discomfort, which can otherwise happen when too much fibre is introduced too quickly.
Tip: Swap a chicken stir-fry with marinated tofu and vegetables with brown rice.
2. Prioritise whole plant foods
There are plenty of ‘meat substitutes’ such as vegan sausages, burgers and nuggets now readily available. Whilst it’s tempting to swap to these compared to the animal products, these are often highly processed. Instead, work on including minimally processed options like:
- Legumes and beans (red lentils, kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas)
- Unprocessed soy (soy/edamame beans, tofu, tempeh)
- Whole grains (quinoa, oats, brown rice, freekeh, millet)
- Fruits and vegetables (broccoli, chard, kale, mushrooms, bananas, berries)
- Nuts and seeds (pumpkin and chia seeds, walnuts, almonds)
Tip: Whole foods will be more nutrient-dense and promote better gut health, feeding the healthy gut microbes.
3. Replace animal proteins with plant proteins
Switching to a plant based diet means you will need to focus on regular protein intake, as there can be limited plant based sources of protein. Not meeting protein requirements can be detrimental to long term health. Here are some great examples of protein rich plant foods, to regularly consume (always check the label as different products may vary in protein content).
- Tofu (17g protein per 100g)
- Tempeh (22g per 100g)
- Seitan (23g per 100g)
- Lentils (6-9g protein per 100g cooked)
- Edamame beans (14g per 100g)
- Chickpeas (7g protein per 100g cooked)
- Quinoa (8g per 180g cooked)
Tip: Aim for between 1.0–1.2g/kg of body weight for general health, or between 1.4-1.6g/kg of body weight if you are regularly active.
4. Balance your plate for key nutrients
Making sure your meals are balanced with different macronutrients, will ensure an overall healthy plant based diet. This means, every meal should have a source of:
- Protein (see above for key proteins)
- Healthy fats (avocados, olive oil, nuts/seeds)
- Complex carbs (brown rice, potato/ sweet potatoes and other wholegrains)
- Fibre (either from fruits & vegetables, pulses and beans, or wholegrains. Aim to slowly work up to around 30g fibre per day, if not more).
Tip: Certain supplements may need to be considered. This includes Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, Iron, Zinc, Calcium, and Omega-3s (from algae oil if fully vegan). Consult a dietitian to help ensure you are taking only what is required.
5. Plan ahead and meal prep
When following a plant based diet, planning ahead can help to ensure your meals are well balanced, varied and full of nutrition. It also makes it easier to avoid processed or convenience foods. Consider the following to help with meal planning:
- Batch cook grains and legumes and store in the fridge.
- Prepare snacks (such as hummus + veggie sticks, chickpea ‘mash’ for wraps).
- Freeze meals such as homemade soups, curries, or chilli, for easy future meals.
6. Read labels carefully
Many packaged products labelled as “plant-based” can still be high in sodium, sugars, or saturated fats. Look for:
- Short ingredient lists
- Minimal additives and preservatives
- Whole food ingredients
Common mistakes to avoid when going plant-based
1. Not consuming enough calories
The energy (calories) from whole plant foods can often be lower when compared to an animal based diet. This means that there may be a concern with consuming fewer calories than our requirements, so it’s important to ensure you are eating the volume of foods required to help meet energy needs.
2. Skipping protein planning
Protein requirements can be met on a plant based diet, but it is important to plan to include a diverse range of plant based proteins and with different food combinations. This means you are more likely to get all the amino acids your body requires to support muscle maintenance.
3. Relying on processed meat alternatives
Plant-based doesn’t always mean healthy. Limit the ultra-processed meat substitutes in your diet and be sure to opt for whole food sources where possible.
4. Not checking supplement requirements
There are certain nutrients that can be harder to obtain whilst following a plant based diet. In particular, vitamin B12, which is not found naturally in plant foods. If you are also consuming animal products such as dairy, eggs or poultry in a majority plant diet, you may not need to supplement. However, requesting a blood test, and checking with a dietitian to assess your diet, is important.
What are the key nutrients to pay attention to?
| Nutrient | Function | Plant based sources |
| Vitamin B12 | DNA protection, red blood cell formation | Fortified foods such as cereals, plant milks, breads and nutritional yeast |
| Iron | Supporting oxygen transport via red blood cells, producing haemoglobin, immune function | Legumes, dark green vegetables, nuts and seeds, dried fruits, whole grains and fortified foods* |
| Calcium | Bone, teeth and nail health, muscle function and blood clotting | Green leafy vegetables, calcium set tofu, almonds, chia seeds and sesame seeds |
| Zinc | Immune function and enzyme activity, as well as DNA synthesis | All nuts & seeds, lentils and beans, whole grains |
| Iodine | Essential to produce thyroid hormones, involved in regulating growth and metabolism | Sea vegetables (nori/kelp etc), fortified plant milks, iodised salt |
| Selenium | Acting as an antioxidant to support thyroid function and immune health | Brazil nuts (consume 1-2 daily as these are very concentrated selenium sources). Or sunflower seeds and sesame seeds. |
| Omega 3 | Supporting brain, eye and heart health | Walnuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, flaxseeds, algae ** |
*Plant based sources of iron are more poorly absorbed compared to animal based sources. To support absorption, consume plant based iron sources with a source of vitamin C. E.g. Lentils with tomatoes, green vegetables with lemon etc.
** Plant sources of omega 3 fatty acids include ALA which is converted into longer chain omega-3s like EPA and DHA. However, this conversion is not very efficient, with only about 5-10% of ALA typically converted to EPA and less than 2% to DHA. Therefore, an omega 3 algae based supplement may need to be considered.
Example one-day meal plan
FAQ’s
Q: Will I get enough protein on a plant-based diet?
Yes you can – it’s important to ensure you are having a diverse range of plant based protein sources, as listed above. Keep these different throughout the week to ensure you are obtaining a range of different amino acids (which are the building blocks of protein).
Q: Can children or older adults go plant-based?
Yes – proper planning will create nutrient dense meals that can meet the requirements of children and older adults on a majority plant diet. Certain nutrients may need to be supplemented, as recommended above.
Q: Do I need to go 100% vegan?
It’s not necessarily. Even shifting slightly toward a majority plant diet can improve health outcomes. Remember, being it is not the same as a vegan diet.
Transitioning to a plant-based diet is a journey, not an all-or-nothing switch. Focus on making consistent, balanced, and purposeful changes that you enjoy and can sustain. To ensure you are consuming a diverse and balanced plant based diet and for support with planning and meal guidance, reach out to our plant based specialist dietitians today – you can book in a free discovery call to find out more!
