What is a vegan, or plant-based, diet?

A plant-based diet and a vegan diet are similar in that both diets avoid all animal products. But a plant-based diet, a term we prefer to use, is a diet that is based on nutritious, whole food plant-based options like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. A plant-based diet does not include processed foods like soy burgers, fake “meats”, chips, cookies and so on.