A plant-based diet for beginners might be a good start if you’ve been tempted to eat less meat or want to get more fruit and vegetables into your diet. Being plant-based doesn’t necessarily mean giving us meat or animal products completely, but it does mean concentrating more on plant-based foods, including whole grains, nuts, legumes and beans.

A plant-based diet is also beneficial if you want to lead a healthier lifestyle or lose weight. Studies have shown that those on a plant-based diet tend to have a lower BMI and are less at risk of heart disease or developing chronic health conditions.

Changing to a plant-based diet can be difficult to navigate, so we’ll look at what foods you can eat, along with the best vegan protein powders to give you a helping hand. We also chat to nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert about how transitioning to a plant-based diet can be beneficial for the environment and our health.

What is a plant-based diet?

A plant-based diet is one that concentrates on eating foods that are derived from plants, such as fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds. Whether you opt to follow a plant-based diet for just a few months, or you want to cut out meat and eat more plant-based food to feel healthier, this way of eating is different to a vegan diet. Plant-based diets normally cut out processed foods and focus on plant-based whole foods, but you also have the option of eating some foods from animals. Vegans cut out anything that has come from an animal, including meat, poultry and dairy products, while not necessarily cutting out processed foods from their diets.

“A plant-based diet focuses on foods primarily from plants,” says Lambert. “This includes not only fruits and vegetables, but also nuts, seeds, oils, wholegrains, legumes and beans. It doesn’t mean that you are vegetarian or vegan and never eat meat or dairy. Rather, you are proportionately choosing more of your foods from plant sources.”