Reducetarian, flexitarian, vegetariantheres a diet out there for everyone. Thats why its more important than ever to make sure we get it all straight.

One diet (or lifestyle) thats been gaining in popularity among nutritionists, celebrities andmillennialsis the plant-based diet.The diet mostly appeals to anyone whos looking to live a healthier lifestyle,but its smaller environmental footprintmakes it particularly appealing to millennials.

If youve heard people talking about a plant-based diet, you may have thought this was basically just another word for veganism, but youd be wrong. Really wrong. And were going to explain why.

Vegans abstain from eating any animal products. According to The Vegan Society, Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.This means that many vegans also dont purchase leather goods. But it doesnt necessarily mean theyre eating lots of plant-based meals. Vegans could get through life eating processed foods and snubbing their veggies just like anyone else. Think potato chips, gummy candy, and even Oreos.

A plant-based diet, on the other hand, emphasizes eating whole fruits and vegetables, consuming lots of whole grains, and staying away from (or at least minimizing)the intake of animal products and processed foods for health reasons. That means that evenvegan dessertsmade withrefined sugar or bleached flourare out.

There are no strict guidelines or definitions for what constitute a plant-based diet other than focusing on eating lots of fresh produce and minimally processed foods. Some people on a plant-based diet dont eat any animal products, while others will eat a restricted amount. Its flexible in that way, but strict in its focus on eating whole foods.

Were not saying that a vegan cant be on a plant-based diet or vice versa, but the two are not interchangeable and we want to make sure you know it.

Link:

There's A Big Difference Between A Plant-Based Diet And A Vegan Diet - HuffPost