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Whole food describes natural foods that are not heavily processed. That means whole, unrefined, or minimally refined ingredients.

Plant-based means food that comes from plants and doesn’t contain animal ingredients such as meat, milk, eggs, or honey.

A whole-foods, plant-based diet lets you meet your nutritional needs by only eating natural, minimally-processed foods where none of the ingredients come from animals.

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Here’s a quick overview of the major food categories you’ll enjoy on a plant-based diet, with examples:

• Fruits: any type of fruit including apples, bananas, grapes, strawberries, citrus fruits, etc.

• Vegetables: plenty of veggies including peppers, corn, avocados, lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, collards, etc.

• Tubers and grains: root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, parsnips, sweet potatoes, beets, etc.
  Whole grains: grains, cereals, and other starches in their whole form, such as quinoa, brown rice, millet, whole wheat, oats, barley, etc. Even popcorn is a whole grain.

• Legumes: beans of any kind, plus lentils, pulses, and similar ingredients.

There are plenty of other foods you can also enjoy— including nuts, seeds, tofu, tempeh, whole-grain flour and breads, and plant-based milks. However, we recommend eating these foods in moderation, because they are more calorie-dense and can contribute to weight gain.