The common denominator associated with a healthy plant-based diet is the greater prominence of minimal processed plant-derived foods, like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and seeds. This is also the position of the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), both defining a plant-based diet as a variety of dietary patterns with predominantly plant-derived foods and lower consumption or exclusion of animal products [1, 2].

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In accordance with the WHO and BNF, a healthy plant-based diet includes the following characteristics:

• High consumption of fruits and vegetables
• High consumption of whole grains (e.g., brown rice, whole grain bread, whole-wheat pasta, oats)
• Moderate consumption of low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, and legumes
• Moderate consumption of seafood
• Low consumption of both meat and processed meat products, refined grains, sugar-sweetened foods and beverages, salt, and saturated fat

This definition not only includes different forms of vegetarian diets and the vegan diet but also the Mediterranean diet, the Nordic diet, the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH diet), and other dietary patterns [1, 2].

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References‍

1. WHO. Plant-based diets and their impact on health, sustainability and the environment: a review of the evidence: WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2021 [Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/349086]BNF.
2. Plant-based diets 2019 [Available from: https://www.nutrition.org.uk/putting-it-into-practice/plant-based-diets/plant-based-diets/]

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