The beauty of a modern plant-based diet is its uncomplicated definition. Dietitians define these eating patterns as those which focus primarily on plant foods — including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and beans — but do not disallow animal products like meat, dairy, or eggs. Essentially, meals are simply based on plant products. Pretty self-explanatory.

Such a definition allows a health-conscious consumer the flexibility to adhere to a variety of heart-healthy diets, like vegetarian and Mediterranean diets, as well as an escape from the anti-meat or anti-animal-product boundaries that might otherwise deter a well-meaning dieter from their plan altogether.