What is a Plant Predominant Eating Pattern?

Abstract

The article outlines various plant-predominant diets that focus on consuming plant-based foods and their impact on health. It categorizes diets into vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, Mediterranean, low-fat, very low-fat, and raw food diets, each with different levels of animal product inclusion.
The vegan diet excludes all animal products, while the vegetarian diet may include dairy and eggs. The flexitarian diet allows occasional meat consumption, and the Mediterranean diet includes fish, seafood, and moderate dairy and poultry. Low-fat and very low-fat diets prioritize whole, minimally processed foods and exclude unhealthy fats and sugars. The raw food diet focuses on uncooked plant foods.
It is important to note that not all vegan diets are high-quality, as they can include unhealthy processed foods. In contrast, a whole foods plant-based (WFPB) diet is nutrient-rich and associated with reduced chronic disease risks.
Specific diets for medical conditions are DASH diet for blood pressure, the Portfolio diet for cholesterol, the MIND diet for Alzheimer’s and cognitive health, and the low-fat plant-based diet for type 2 diabetes management. The Fasting Mimicking Diet (FMD) and the historical Rice diet are also mentioned.
Their maybe concerns about protein intake in plant-based diets, but it is possible to meet protein needs through diverse sources. Vegetarians and vegans might need slightly more protein due to lower digestibility of plant proteins and that older adults could benefit from higher protein intake for muscle and bone health. However, excessive animal protein consumption is linked to health risks and reduced life expectancy.