What I’ve learned over the years about veganism, and why I prefer “plant-based” instead
Nearly three years ago, much to my life-long vegetarian boyfriend’s surprise, I decided to completely cut out meat. I can’t quite remember the exact justification behind my impulsive decision, but I never turned back. In just a few weeks, my severe and chronic (I’m talking gradually-worsening-pain-since-elementary-school-with-no-end-in-sight kind of chronic) digestive issues were reduced significantly, allowing me to live my life with semi-normality—something I had almost forgotten by that point. Just six months later, I decided it was time for me to take the next step and eliminate all animal products to the best of my ability.
Three years might not be a long time, but I’ve learned a lot along the way; every day of my plant-based journey provides a new lesson. Before I get into my experience, I want to provide some clarity on the different terms used to describe various plant-based diets.
What is a plant-based diet, and how does it differ from veganism?
I like to think of “plant-based” as an umbrella-term for everyone who is actively working on reducing or eliminating his or her meat, dairy, and animal product consumption. For simplicity, I’m focusing on three different descriptions for someone who might follow a “plant-based” diet:
Someone who is plant-based follows a diet that is entirely, or mostly, comprised of plant foods—think vegetables, fruits, seeds and nuts, legumes, and whole grains. The key word here is mostly; other words to describe this diet could be vegetarian or flexitarian. My favorite example is the Blue Zone diet, which is primarily plant-based (roughly 90%), with variations in the types of animal products consumed based on the region. (Blue Zones are regions around the world with the highest concentration of centenarians and astonishingly low rates of chronic diseases. A plant-based diet is one of the key lifestyle characteristics that are common across all Blue Zone regions.)
A whole-foods, plant-based diet takes it a step further and emphasizes whole and minimally processed foods, meaning Impossible Burgers and Beyond Sausages might not make the cut. (Sorry, faux-meat lovers. Myself included.)
I tend to think of vegan diets as the most strict kind of plant-based diet, often expanding beyond just diet alone and guiding one’s entire lifestyle. Someone who follows a vegan diet does not consume any animal meats, animal by-products (e.g., eggs, butter), or products made from or tested on animals (e.g., leather, certain makeup brands). Some vegans also exclude honey from their diet and lifestyle. I’ve noticed a lot of vegans also are very environmentally conscious and emphasize this in other parts of their life, such as reducing waste and plastics. (Unfortunately, certain trendy but unsafe practices such as water-only diets and raw veganism also tend to be associated with the vegan community.)
What’s the Difference Between a Plant-Based and Vegan Diet? — Healthline
Lessons learned, and why “plant-based” is a better approach for me
Being plant-based is more inclusive, less intimidating, and more attainable than veganism.
How people label their diet is incredibly personal, and I don’t think people should be attacked for the specific labels they identify most with. (After all, I semi-jokingly referred to myself as a pesca-vegan for about a month, when I was vegan with the exception of eating salmon. Also known as ‘seagan,’ or literally whatever you want to call it.)
That being said, I do think perception matters: something as simple as a label or how you describe your diet can help shift your mindset and potentially make your diet more sustainable. For example, if you have to go on a low-FODMAP diet for IBS, or a gluten-free diet for Celiac disease—both of which are, while oftentimes necessary, tremendously difficult diets to transition to—it can help to shift your mindset. Instead of restricting foods, it might help to think that you are simply emphasizing other foods or creative recipes that meet your body’s needs.
More to the point: I found myself gravitating to the idea of a plant-based diet rather than a vegan one, despite not changing anything about my actual diet. I was still eating non-animal foods, but “veganism” seemed to focus too much on restriction, while “plant-based” focused more on abundance. Specifically, an abundance of fruits, vegetables, and all the plant-based foods your body and brain love. To me, it seemed like a plant-based diet celebrated adding as much plant-based foods to your diet as you can (including 100% plant-based!), while veganism seemed to look down on any deviation from a strict, animal free diet and lifestyle.
The message to emphasize more plant-based foods comes off as more accessible to communities who might not have the resources to go vegan; more inviting to those who feel like they might not be able to adhere to a vegan diet, possibly turning them off from the diet altogether; and less scrutinizing for those who want to be vegan, but are worried about feeling guilty or receiving backlash for not being fully vegan.
While I have no plans to reintroduce animal products to my diet, I am more comfortable thinking of my diet as one that rewards me for including more plants. I’m also not perfect, nor do I have any desire to be; I will sometimes enjoy marshmallows, take fish oil supplements, or try a bite of non-vegan dessert. (Okay, the last one is rare because dairy really does hurt my stomach. Not fun, no matter how delicious that chocolate molten lava cake is.)
Your plant-based journey might not be linear, and that’s OK.
There’s a misconception that the “right” way to go vegan, or go plant-based, is through linear progression: for example, increasingly eliminating meat products, then fish, then dairy, and then expanding into lifestyle, until—voila!—you are now and forever officially a vegan. No mistakes or setbacks allowed.
But based on my personal experience and the stories I’ve read, seldom is this actually the case—and it makes sense that it isn’t. Transitioning to a plant-based diet takes a lot of trial and error and experimentation. (I can’t tell you how long it took me to figure out which desserts and bakery items had dairy in them. Spoiler: it’s a lot of them. But fear not, because vegan desserts are quickly catching up—and many are just as good as non-vegan desserts.) This process of trial and error can take many forms. If someone is reducing meat for health reasons, they might do it for a few weeks or months, and then try meat again to see how they feel. Some people who have a history of eating disorders might find that a restrictive mindset can be triggering, and will need to adjust to their diet accordingly.
And this is what I love most about the “plant-based” diet vs. the vegan one—it doesn’t matter how you become plant-based, as long as you make an effort to increase your intake of plant-based foods!
Militancy is not the answer.
Diet is complex; it’s influenced by a range of factors, some of which are difficult or impossible to change—mental health, past experiences, family traditions, cultural or religious practices, proximity to healthy foods (i.e, living in a food desert), and certain medications and health conditions, to name a few.
So it’s hard to imagine that criticizing someone for not being vegan will ever be received positively. And why should it? We can’t know everything about someone’s situation, and criticizing someone’s choices—or lack thereof—can come off as insensitive or just ignorant. This might be why vegans get a bad reputation for being militant, offensive, “privileged,” and bad for the movement overall. My favorite YouTuber, who happens to be vegan herself, published a great video on this very topic.
For some, it’s hard not to be angry when you first go vegan. I definitely was, and I desperately wanted everyone I knew, loved, and cared about to join me. And while the intention might be in the right place, it’s just not realistic; it can easily drive a wedge between you and your loved ones, and drive away those who would potentially transition to veganism or even add more plants to their diet.
I often remind myself of my meat eating days, and how resistant I was to all the anti-meat messaging from vegans. I always acknowledged the harm committed by the meat and dairy industry, and believed veganism was probably better for myself and the planet, but I just wasn’t motivated to change—and my absolute love for meat and cultural ties to it made it even harder. Having that experience is helpful for when I need to empathize with those who might be averse to veganism or apathetic to a more plant-based diet.
Finally, a plant-based diet can improve a lot of aspects in your life—but it can’t address everything.
Everyone is motivated by a different reason to adopt a plant-based diet. Whether it’s to improve health, reduce one’s negative effect on the environment, or to minimize harm committed against animals, something sells the plant-based diet. While a lot of claims are true and backed by rigorous research (e.g., reducing hypertension and cholesterol levels) a plant-based diet is not the solution for everything.
When I first transitioned to a plant-based diet, I saw absolutely no improvement in my struggle with acne. And yet, I am constantly bombarded with social media posts and promises about how a vegan diet will “vanish acne forever.”
Everyone will have a different experience; for example, cutting out dairy will actually be a godsend for a lot of people’s acne and skin struggles. Regardless, it’s important to go into a plant-based diet with the understanding that it is simply one facet of your health and goals, and can’t possibly be a magic bullet for all your problems.
Promoting plant-based diets as the cure for everything might encourage people to adopt the diet for unsustainable and unrealistic reasons, potentially even discouraging people when they don’t experience these promoted benefits quickly or fully.
While certain benefits of a plant-based diet are widely researched and acknowledged by the medical and environmental community, you will need to find your own realistic and sustainable motivation to transition to a more plant-based diet. Adopting the diet just to be more fit, get clearer skin, or whatever else you see promoted online might not be fulfilling enough to last. (Besides, exercise, mental health, sleep, stress, and so many other factors play such a large role in your overall health and can’t be discounted.)
For me, being plant-based is all about feeling good and healthy for the first time in my life from a digestive perspective; protecting the environment, dignifying animals, and even reducing how much I partake in cruel migrant and worker conditions are also reasons that keep me motivated.
I fully understand that veganism might not be for everyone (e.g., those with serious food allergies to soy, wheat, or nuts might find themselves severely restricted on a vegan diet). But I am hopeful that plant-based diets, which are less restrictive and emphasize adding more plant-based foods to your diet, will catch on and be more sustainable for people.
Everyone’s plant-based journey will look and feel different. I am beyond thankful for all the wonderful changes mine has brought over the years, even with all the trials and errors, detours, and the steep learning curve I personally faced. I’m excited to see how I continue to grow from here on out.