We all by now have heard of family or friends that have gone “vegan” or have adopted a “plant-based diet.” Others may even know people on a “whole-food, plant-based diet.” Some of this terminology is relatively new; some of it has a longer history. Further confusing things is how these terms are quickly evolving and often mean different things to different people. But what do these terms mean to most of us today? Let’s take a deeper dive.

What Is the Difference Between a Vegan Diet and a Plant-Based Diet?

A plant-based diet predominantly consists of plants; most people use the term to refer to a 100 percent plant diet, but some people include small amounts of animal products. A vegan diet totally eliminates all animal products.

Donald Watson coined the term “vegan” in 1944 to describe someone who fully abstains from all animal products for ethical reasons. It followed that a “vegan diet” completely eliminated animal-derived foods of all kinds, 100 percent of the time. Over time, more and more people have started to adopt the vegan way of eating for reasons other than animal welfare (such as health and the environment), and today “vegan diet” is commonly used to describe a diet that excludes animal products, regardless of motivation.

With a plant-based diet, the vast majority of food comes from plants. The term originated in the health science community, where it was more appropriate than “vegetarian” or “vegan.” First, the term is divorced from any ethical connotation; and second, it doesn’t mean “never eating meat” or “never eating animal products.” Consumption of very small amounts of animal foods can be inconsequential when speaking of the health benefits of a diet, an important nuance for science that is not captured by the term “vegan” or “vegetarian.”

What Is a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet?

A whole-food, plant-based diet—which is what Forks Over Knives advocates—is centered on whole, unrefined or minimally refined plant foods and excludes or minimizes meat, dairy products, eggs, and highly refined foods such as bleached flour, refined sugar, and oil. A person eating this way will eat mainly fruits, vegetables (including tubers and starchy vegetables), whole grains, and legumes.

The “whole-food” part of “whole-food, plant-based” has become increasingly relevant, as highly processed vegan foods have become more widely available, making it possible to eat a vegan diet while eating very few whole plant foods. Simultaneously, for marketing purposes, many manufacturers have begun labeling these highly processed vegan foods as “plant-based.” This has effectively made “plant-based” and “vegan” synonyms when it comes to food labeling. Foods sporting the “plant-based” label are generally vegan; whether or not they’re healthful is another issue.

Can You Be Vegan and Whole-Food Plant-Based?

Yes! It’s not just possible but common to be both vegan and whole-food, plant-based! Many people adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet and, after experiencing dramatic health benefits, become interested in other reasons for avoiding animal products, such as the environmental impact and ethical issues surrounding factory farming. We’ve also heard from vegans who gave up animal products for ethical reasons and, after some time, decided to adopt a whole-food, plant-based diet for their health.

How We Got Here: A Brief History of “Plant-Based”

In 1980, T. Colin Campbell, PhD, was at the National Institutes of Health researching the potential therapeutic impact of a low-fat, high-fiber, vegetable-based diet on cancer. Campbell sought a succinct term that encompassed this eating pattern without invoking ethical considerations. Thus the term “plant-based” was born into the world of nutritional science. A few years later, after testifying against the supplement industry, Campbell appended the “whole-food” modifier to clarify that it was whole plant-foods, not isolated nutrients, that had health-promoting effects.  

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

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In reality, eating a whole-food vegan diet isn’t foreign or strange; you will enjoy healthier versions of the foods you already love. Hearty dishes like lasagna, stews, and pizza—while prepared differently—are all on the menu.

I’ve followed this lifestyle for more than 15 years and can report that it has brought me incredible joy. The happiness I feel by eating right for my body, and in a way that is humane and less harsh on our natural resources, cannot be adequately measured in words.

I’m fortunate to have learned a lot over the years and am pleased to share some tips that I’m confident will help you stay on a healthy vegan path for a lifetime. If you are just starting out, check out our Vegan Diet for Beginners Guide.

1. Make starches and fruit the basis of your diet.

Many people immediately think of broccoli or kale when they hear the words “plant-based diet.” Although it’s beneficial to eat leafy vegetables in abundance, they simply do not have enough calories to fuel you and satisfy your appetite (a full pound of kale, for example, has only 223 calories). To succeed on this diet, it’s important that you eat enough healthy calories. This means making starches or fruit the center of your meal plate.

When making a savory meal, use foods like potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grains, and legumes to create meals you really enjoy. Think dishes like bean enchiladas, pesto pasta, and chickpea pot pie. Contrary to urban legend, we are not talking about a diet of bok choy here—thank goodness!

2. Eat the foods you enjoy and don’t worry about individual nutrients.

Many people view food as a nutritional balancing act, and they go through their day trying to make sure to get just the right amount of the countless number of nutrients out there. People are carefully calibrating their protein, carbs, lycopene, or whatever nutrient is in the news that week.

On a plant-based diet, such precision isn’t necessary and the worry that comes with it can hinder your ability to stay the course. Simply choose your foods from the categories of whole fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains, and legumes; eat a variety across these categories over time, and eat until comfortably satiated. The most important key to success is to find or make the greatest meals you can. Nothing will help you stay on the plan more than a killer sweet-potato lasagna.

3. Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Focus on the big changes like switching from meat, milk, and eggs to whole-plant foods. Such changes dramatically improve the nutritional composition of the foods you are eating, so this is where you will find the most noticeable and measurable improvements in your health.

Worrying about eating only fresh, local, or organic foods is folly when you were eating fast food and Ring Dings a few weeks ago. Since choosing whole plants is the most important thing you can do for both your health and the world around us, be sure that priority is well taken care of before seeking loftier goals.

4. Check online and call ahead when eating out.

If you’re looking for a place to go, a small amount of research goes a long way—and can usually be done in just a few minutes. For example, if you’re thinking about Italian food, search online to find restaurants and see what others are saying about them. Look around, read a few reviews and boom, you’ve found a place with multiple pasta dishes, some minestrone, and pasta e fagioli. Call and make sure the veggie options you like are vegan and can be done with no- or minimal oil—and you’re on your way!

If your friends or coworkers invite you out and they already have a place in mind, check out the menu online and gauge how veg-friendly it is. If veg doesn’t seem a priority, place a call ahead and let them know you are coming; the chef is almost always happy to accommodate. Let him or her know you like hearty foods like potatoes, pasta, beans and so on—this is your insurance against having your main meal be the dreaded plate of steamed asparagus.

5. Find your plant-based tribe.

Surround yourself with like-minded people who share your joy of living the plant-based life. Join groups on social media, attend local meetups, and, most importantly, make some real-life friends that share your enthusiasm.

Having people in your life that share your values will remind you of why you do what you do. It’s also a great way to exchange ideas from recipes and restaurants to handling family and social situations.

6. When vacationing abroad, travel to places where it’s easy to get great plant-based food.

The good news about traveling on a plant-based diet is the world is filled with places where animal-free foods are abundant. Regardless of what part of the world you are traveling to, you are likely to find some kind of plant-based fare that’s ingrained in the culture and will suit your needs.

If food is as important to you as it is for me, consider what your food options will be like when making your travel plans. It’s a good idea to research online to get a feel for the local vegan fare. Prior to staying in hotels or working with a guide, let your contacts know your dietary needs. You will be surprised how much they are willing to advise and help you navigate the waters.

When traveling to a place where you don’t speak the native tongue, ask someone who speaks both languages fluently to help you make a “cheat sheet” of all your dietary needs. When you’re out and about, just hand the small sheet of paper to your host or server—and all of your lives just became easier.

Below is the “cheat sheet” I use when I travel to Thailand. It translates to: I am a vegan. I do not eat any meat. I do not eat any food that has eggs, fish sauce, oyster sauce, or milk as a part of the ingredients. I can eat garlic.

(RELATED: Tips for staying plant-strong on the road) 

7. Be a patient advocate: Share your advice and enthusiasm when the time is right.

Our love of this lifestyle makes us want to shout about it from the rooftops. We want to share the message with everyone and have each person we meet adopt the lifestyle right away. And of course being a positive influence to the people around us is a noble goal!

However, as counterintuitive as it might seem, resist the urge to talk a lot about your lifestyle when meeting new people. Untimely discussions can lead to frustration and agitation, which can hurt potential friendships. Since food and health are sensitive topics, it’s important to first establish commonality. For example, if you share a love of sports or hobbies, it will establish the camaraderie needed to have more open and trusting conversations later on.

When is the time right? When someone begins asking questions and does so out of genuine curiosity. With much goodwill built up from the things you have in common, you’ll be on your way to making a difference in each other’s lives. The more positive relationships you can associate with your plant-based way of life, the more likely you will succeed in the long run.

I hope you found these tips helpful, and I wish you the best in your plant-based journey!

This article was originally published on July 20, 2016, and has been updated.

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It was after I read The China Study and some other books that I came to realize the extent of the evidence. Heart disease, the country’s leading cause of death, and other chronic diseases can typically be rendered harmless by a diet of whole-plant foods. I thought to myself: Isn’t this worth a front-page story in The New York Times or Newsweek? Millions of people are suffering from heart disease and type 2 diabetes, and no one is giving them the life-saving information they need.

I was a partner in a commercial real estate firm at the time and had no background in film. But I was convinced that a film was the most effective way to bring the message to a broad audience. So in October 2008, I took a leap, a giant leap, and decided to make the documentary. I also decided to fund this project by myself on a limited budget, despite receiving several investment offers. I recruited an award-winning production team and spent the next two years working on the film that would become Forks Over Knives.

Making the film was the most fulfilling experience of my life. My goal was to make the film persuasive and relatable, which is why we took the time to allow the audience to really get to know our lead subjects, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn. We spent little time focusing on the negatives and instead made the film about empowerment. We have more control over our health outcomes than we ever realized, and that’s a good thing!

The reception to the film was astounding. We did about 30 advance screenings beginning in the summer of 2010, all but one of which were sold out and often there were lines around the theaters. News about the film spread quickly, mainly by social media. In May 2011, the film was in theaters across the country; in September of the same year, the film was released on DVD, on Netflix, and other digital platforms. Meanwhile, the companion book that arrived that summer became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller. It was clear that a large number people were ready for the message and were grateful to have more control over their health.

I didn’t think of anything beyond the film and companion book, but there were so many people who were inspired to change their diets and take back their lives that were looking for support. So we’ve stayed around and spent the last five years since the film’s release endeavoring to help people on their plant-based journeys. Our team has enjoyed doing just that with three more books, a mobile app, an online cooking school, a meal planning service, and a website that is one of the most popular health destinations today.

People are ready for this self-empowering lifestyle, and I believe the tide is turning favorably. Plant-based eating has become such a rapidly growing trend that even meat companies are coming on board, and it’s now a common topic of conversation among even the most mainstream health publications. What was once seen as a radical way of eating is coming to be understood as healthy and commonplace.

I feel honored to be part of this plant-based movement and am thankful to see more and more people enjoying the lifestyle every year. The growing number of professionals such as doctors, nutritionists, researchers, chefs, and bloggers who support the whole-food, plant-based lifestyle gives me hope that someday we will live in a world where heart disease and type 2 diabetes will be nothing more than a very rare occurrence.

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Evelyn was one of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn’s patients in his original heart disease study. After reversing her heart disease, she became a passionate advocate for a plant-based diet. She was also a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. For many years, she was a communications professor at John Carroll University.

About 30 years ago, Evelyn suffered two heart attacks while in her fifties. After an angioplasty and a triple bypass, her cardiologist told her there was nothing more he could do for her and that she wouldn’t live out the year. Then she joined Dr. Esselstyn’s research study at the Cleveland Clinic, dramatically reversed her advanced heart disease, and lived for another thirty years.

I remember when I saw Evelyn on film for the first time. The footage brought me to tears because she reminded me of my grandmother and the grim prognosis she received for colon cancer. I only wish my grandmother had found the better path as Evelyn had. Thanks to Evelyn’s willingness to share her story, hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of people around the world will take the steps to avoid a life made tragically difficult or cut short by chronic disease.

Evelyn will live on through each and every person that is inspired by her story. There are so many people out there who found inspiration in Evelyn, turned their health and lives around, and are now enjoying a husband’s or wife’s company, celebrating a birthday, or playing with a grandchild. That’s quite a wonderful legacy and the reason we want to celebrate her life.

Watch Evelyn speak about her experience in the video below.

*Dr. Esselstyn’s groundbreaking long-term study demonstrated how a low-fat, plant-based diet could successfully reverse advanced heart disease. Learn more at his website and in his book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

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Jim was a professional bodybuilder for over 30 years, and was a soft-spoken and humble man who lit up the screen. Right up to his death in early 2016, he worked as a personal trainer in Venice, California. In 2000, Jim became a vegan for health and ethical reasons. He credited his diet for his age-defying physique and fitness level.

Jim Morris: Lifelong Fitness was a 2014 Slamdance Film Festival official selection and has been screened at festivals all over the world.

For more information on Jim or the film, please visit the film’s Facebook page or Jim’s own site.

You can also view more interviews with Jim Morris on Ryan Vance’s channel here.

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We are pleased to announce that the Forks Over Knives Recipe App is now available for iPhone and iPod touch.

Launching with 130+ recipes — including soups, stews, wraps, pastas, breakfasts and desserts — the Forks Over Knives Recipe App offers a wide range of hearty and delicious plant-based dishes. The app features contributions from over 20 leading plant-based chefs and will be updated with new recipes each week.

The app has been thoughtfully designed to make every aspect of cooking healthy meals intuitive and fun. High-resolution images accompany each meal and easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions make preparation and cooking a breeze. A built-in shopping list enables you to track the items needed from the grocery store. In addition, you can add notes to a recipe, save favorites for later, and see which recipes are trending in the community.

Click here to download it for either iPhones or Android devices.

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In a previous blog post for FOK, you wrote about how plant-based living saved you from a life of drugs and crime and even saved you from an early death. How can people struggling to find their way use this lifestyle as a springboard to a meaningful life?

Well, once you make serious choices about how you live your life in terms of your diet, many positive things will happen from there. For me personally, I do not want to be responsible for the suffering of other living beings because I choose to eat them. Also, both the current health crisis in America and the state of our environment can be reversed by switching to an organic, whole-food, plant-based diet. It’s a win-win-win situation.

Another important outcome of eating in the mode of goodness (satya) and living a life of ahimsa (nonviolence) is the shift in consciousness that accompanies it. Many people will attest to similar results. I was subjected to violence my entire young life. I was even incarcerated for two years. And I became very violent as a result. All of that has changed now, and that kind of radical shift is available to anyone. Change how you eat and search spiritually for your path, and amazing things will happen. I guarantee it.

Since you turned 50, you’ve completed two Ironman triathlons, and you have long been a workout warrior. What is your regular workout regimen like? How has a plant-based diet supported your fitness-oriented lifestyle?

Yes, two full Ironmans and an Olympic-distance one, too. I did my first Ironman on no sleep and a stress fracture in my foot. I played a concert the night before with my band the Cro-Mags, drove back from Philly, and got in the water for the swim. I finished in 95-degree heat. I’m turning 52 in a few months and have another Ironman and Olympic race coming up. I’m in the gym or out training every day. Eating a plant-based diet helps me recover quicker and gives me sustained, clean energy. I laugh when people ask me where I get my protein. I tell them what I did training-wise that day and what I ate, and they shut up real quick.

You have a new book out called Meat Is for Pussies. Please tell us about the book and why you decided on such a provocative title.

The book is a how-to guide for dudes who have bought into the stereotype that you need meat, eggs, fish, dairy, and the rest to be tough. It explains why the tough person should rebel against these industries by adopting a plant-based diet. In doing so, they’ll be standing up for their families, the animals, and the environment, all of which need our bravery.

We have an epidemic of bad health in America, and many stubborn men refuse to listen or change. They’re suffering from all kinds of diseases due to bad diet and lifestyle, yet most do not realize how much their food choices are damaging them. My book is written for those dudes in their language. I’ve already received hundreds of emails from guys who the book helped, many of whom wouldn’t normally have considered this way of life.

Why is it not tough or manly to eat meat?

Because as I say in the book’s introduction, a bad diet will make you feeble and dependent on the drug companies to keep you alive. Look at what these industries are doing — everything is being destroyed. They are killing millions of people. Is it macho to have a heart attack and die? To not be there for your kids? Is it macho to destroy the planet for all the kids that have to be here for generations to come? And what’s so macho about getting your colon removed and having to crap in a colostomy bag? Nothing. As my boy Rip Esselstyn says in Forks Over Knives, “Real men eat plants!”

You have been doing the plant-based lifestyle for more than thirty years. Tell us what it was like to live this way 30 years ago in comparison to today.  

Back in the day it was rough, especially going on tour. We had to bring 25-pound bags of rice and beans in the van and cook at people’s houses. Now, wherever we are in the world, all we have to do is enter the city into HappyCow, and we’ll find tons of places to eat and shop organic. It’s never been easier, and some of the most amazing veg chefs are out there whipping up incredible meals.

What is your favorite whole-food, plant-based meal?  

I love kale, quinoa, and beans.

Do you have any other big projects on the horizon? Please share.

I’m writing a dramatic TV show, making films, and training for more Ironman races. And I’ve recently been approached by a pretty legit production company about doing a TV show about health. Mainly, my mission in life is to help others, especially the youth. People reached out to me and saved my life by teaching me about food and philosophy … I owe a huge debt to the planet — and I will be working that off ‘til I take my last breath.

John Joseph is lead singer of the Cro-Mags, which he co-founded in 1981. He is author of The Evolution of a Cro-Magnon and Meat Is for Pussies. John is writing a new book and a screenplay and is training for an Ironman triathlon. Visit Pure PMA for more from John. 

Photo by Ray Lego

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Our goal has always been to bring you the leading information in the plant-based world – and to that end, ForksOverKnives.com will feature daily blogs from an elite network of contributors. These contributors will include medical doctors, dietitians, chefs, athletes and more, who will write about, first and foremost, the diet and health connection.  We will also include blogs on plant-based fitness and how food choices impact the world around us.

Note that we will announce new articles on Facebook, Twitter and Google +, so please follow us on these social media channels to learn about the latest postings.

We remain committed to bringing you valuable information and intriguing stories – the kind of which, we hope, will have a positive and lasting impact on your lives and the lives of the people around you.

Enjoy the new ForksOverKnives.com, and we look forward to the conversations ahead!

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My friend could see I was anxious to read the book. So although he hadn’t read it himself, he loaned it to me. By this time, I had long been interested in nutrition and had come to the thinking that degenerative diseases were for the most part avoidable, and probably even reversible, through a healthy plant-based diet and lifestyle. Making a convincing case for it, though, was elusive.

For many years, I felt helpless by the suffering of loved ones and frustrated that their doctors would indicate surgery and medicine as the best and only answer. I had a different way of thinking. While these loved ones were interested in what I had to say, I wasn’t a doctor, so my thoughts didn’t carry the weight to make a difference.

After reading The China Study, life would change. In his book, Dr. Campbell wrote about his own peer-reviewed research, which was remarkable in its breadth and scope. Campbell also wrote about the abundance of reliable research that shared a consistent conclusion. I came to realize that there was persuasive evidence about diet and health—and it was beyond anything I had imagined. Further, the case for what worked was simple, clear, and consistent. This was big news that for some reason was not reaching the public.

Many of us and our loved ones are medicated, sick and dying prematurely. Due to skyrocketing health care costs and an aging population, it is burdening our economy in an unsustainable way. This is arguably the issue of our time. Yet we have before us what could be a real solution to a real problem—if only we would take it seriously.

I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to this subject. Ultimately a feature film seemed like the most effective medium to bring this hopeful message to as many people as possible—and to do so without interference. A feature film would also be an effective way to deliver what this concept needed: moving stories with impactful visual images. It is one thing, for example, to read about a heart disease patient who likely would have passed away twenty years ago. It’s something different to see that person before you, alive and well, sharing  their story.

With these concepts in mind, Forks Over Knives was born.

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Knowing that they were coming to southern California for speaking engagements, we all thought it would be great to watch it together during their visit here. Previously, Colin and Karen had viewed unfinished film segments and were familiar with the script. But this was the first time seeing the full film with music and everything intact.

Colin and Karen were enthusiastic by what they saw. The screening and their reaction was another memorable moment in the journey. It was obviously memorable also for the ten or so people that were in attendance.

For many years, Dr. Campbell’s groundbreaking research did not come to the forefront and make it into the public domain. Dr. Campbell struggled to persuade his academic colleagues thinking that the convincing evidence he found would advance this concept into the world. He finally concluded, after trying for decades, that the deck was stacked. Important colleagues were too conflicted by outside interests and no amount of evidence would make a difference.

Fortunately, Dr. Campbell decided to take his findings directly to the public and joined up with his son, Thomas, to write The China Study. The booked has changed many lives, and has put forth a new kind of thinking on nutrition. Four years later, Forks Over Knives, which covers a lot of Dr. Campbell’s research, is set for release.

I have often wondered how things might have been different by now if some of Dr. Campbell’s key colleagues—particularly those involved in shaping public policy and thinking—had embraced his research. However, it is not unusual that revolutionary ideas are met with resistance and take years to become part of public life. And like other great ideas, I believe this one will gain wide acceptance—even if it takes more time than it really should.

The private screening with Colin and Karen, it seemed, was emotional for everyone. We were all aware of the decades-long struggle the two had undergone to get to this point. I believe in the next few years, the Campbells will see the ideas they struggled to advance finally take hold in a significant way. The movement and shift in thinking will be undeniable. On the ground, this will mean more and more people living healthier lives. While delayed, this is the payoff they had always wanted.

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