To truly embrace a whole food plant-based lifestyle, it’s helpful to know what isn’t included. Let’s break down the different types of plant-based diets to clear up any confusion! My focus is on healthy eating, without getting into animal rights restrictions.
Think about what the animals we consume eat! What’s in their diet? How were they treated—were they kept in clean, humane conditions? Did they eat foods laced with pesticides or GMOs? And what about antibiotics or growth hormones? It’s important to consider these factors. We are what we eat. That’s why Bri and I keep seafood to a minimum (not completely off the table, but definitely only on occasion) because of mercury concerns in our oceans. We also prioritize organic shopping whenever possible. It’s all about making mindful choices for our health!
Vegetarian
Vegetarians eat eggs, dairy and honey but do not eat meat, fish or seafood.
Lacto Vegetarian
Eat dairy and honey, do not eat eggs, meat, fish or seafood.
Ovo Vegetarian
Eat eggs and honey, do not eat dairy, meat, fish or seafood.
Pescatarian
Eat eggs, dairy, fish and seafood. This diet only restricts meat (chicken, beef, pork and lamb).
Pollotarian
Eat poultry (chicken, turkey, ducks) but no other animal meat, fish or seafood.
Flexitarian
Vegetarian but may occasionally eat meat or fish.
Vegan
Vegan is stricter than vegetarian in that it doesn’t allow any animal products (meat, fish, dairy, eggs or honey). Vegans eat primarily fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices.
Whole food plant-based
Vegan diet but limits processed vegan foods (ex. Vegan burgers, non dairy ice cream, donuts, potato chips etc). Primarily whole foods in their whole form – cooked or raw.
Plant Strong Whole food plant-based
This is our sweet spot for maximizing health benefits—though we might indulge in a little seafood when we’re on vacation or dining out! We know it’s not always easy to stick to our guidelines when we’re away from home, but we aim to stay within our 90% rule. If there aren’t other options, we’ll choose some fish or seafood.
Our whole food plant-based diet focuses on limiting fats and oils (I’ll share our formula for keeping it under 25% of calories from fat!), while also steering clear of refined sugars and excessive sodium. We prioritize whole grains—like cracked, whole, rolled, sprouted, or stoneground—for the best nutrition (keep an eye out for my flour blog!). Plus, we try to keep our calories to sodium ratio at 1:1 or lower. It’s all about making nourishing choices that feel good!
Grains eaten should be whole grain only for optimum nutrition (cracked, whole, rolled, sprouted or stoneground (watch for my flour blog).
Label Reading Guideline
Calories from Fat <25%
Total Grams of Fat per serving x 9 divided by total serving calories.
Example: 12 g fat x 9 = 108 divided by 245 total serving calories = 0.44 (44%) – well above 25%
Be sure to read your labels. I discovered that most breakfast cereals even have higher than 25% calories from fat due to added oils.
Mia & Bri’s 90% Rule
This is what a grocery shopping trip looks like for us. Note: No processed foods.
We love to shop for a colorful array of fruits and vegetables, ensuring we capture plenty of protein from nuts, seeds, tofu, quinoa, and a variety of beans. Plus, we grow many of our own veggies, so the picture above doesn’t even show the heads of lettuce, kale, and cherry tomatoes currently thriving in our garden. I’ll share more about our indoor and outdoor gardening adventures another day! 😊
Our 90% rule is simple: we aim to eat whole food plant-based 90% of the time, keeping fats to less than 25% of our calories (think whole food plant strong!). That leaves 10% for occasional treats like whole food plant-based meats and cheeses that don’t meet the fat criteria. This little indulgence—whether it's enjoying Mia’s Lasagna or adding some plant-based cheese to our pizza—makes our eating plan more enjoyable and helps us cater to guests’ tastes, too. I’ll highlight which recipes fall into that 10% category for special occasions!
To make weekly shopping easier I thrive off of Amazon I have included links to favorite foods (some may be harder to locate locally) that I can keep on hand to make weekly shopping about fresh foods. Now that you know the what and why, stay tuned for the “how” to embrace a whole food plant-based lifestyle. Rock on!
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