Thinking of going vegan? What you need to know first

The consumer shift to plant-based alternatives has changed fast food and grocery options, as Impossible Burger and Beyond Meat have become massive companies capitalizing on the trend. According to a 2017 study, as many as 6% of US consumers say they are vegan, compared to just 1% in 2014.

I chose to follow a vegan diet partly for environmental reasons and partly for health reasons

Like Roitman, many choose to go vegan for its health benefits. In fact, studies have found that similar to vegetarian diets, vegan diets have a lower risk of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and cancer, according to Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian nutritionist and plant-based food and sustainability expert. Another main motivation is the fact that vegans have the lowest impact on the environment, according to Palmer. And yet others simply wish to follow a vegan lifestyle for ethical reasons.

A vegan diet is more than simply a “plant-based” diet

A vegan diet is much more stringent than flexitarian eating, or even vegetarianism. In fact, a vegan diet is 100% plant-based, meaning it’s devoid of all animal foods, including dairy (cheese, yogurt, milk, cream, butter); eggs; meat, poultry or seafood; and for many, honey, explained Palmer.

A vegetarian diet excludes all animal flesh (meat, poultry, seafood) but allows for dairy, eggs and honey. Flexitarian eaters focus on plant-based foods but may still include animal-based foods in limited amounts, including meat, poultry and fish, as well as dairy and eggs.

Though some people, including food bloggers, may use the terms “plant-based” and “vegan” interchangeably, plant-based is an “umbrella term” and does not equate to being vegan, added Kimberlain, who is also a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. For example, while all vegans are plant-based, not all plant-based eaters are necessarily vegan. “Plant-based eaters may have a small portion of cheese or other animal protein,” Kimberlain said.