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Nutrition & Dietetics vocabulary · Diets and Meal Planning

Plant-based

Meaning in nutrition & dietetics, with examples

adjectiveCommon term

In nutrition & dietetics, plant-based means: Describing a diet or food that comes mainly or entirely from plants, such as vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. It may or may not include small amounts of animal foods.

In Turkish: bitki bazlı, bitkisel ağırlıklı

How it is used

Widely used in research, guidelines and food marketing: plant-based diet, plant-based protein, plant-based milk alternatives. It is broader and less strict than 'vegan'. In marketing, 'plant-based' products can still be highly processed.

Example sentences

  1. Depending on the definition, a plant-based diet can still include some fish and dairy.

  2. The hospital added more plant-based protein dishes, such as chickpea stew, to the menu.

Common collocations

  • plant-based diet
  • plant-based protein
  • plant-based alternatives
  • mostly plant-based
  • veganDescribing a diet or lifestyle that avoids all animal products, including meat, fish, eggs, dairy and usually honey. As a noun, a vegan is a person who lives this way.
  • vegetarianDescribing a diet, meal or person that excludes meat, poultry and fish. Many vegetarians still eat eggs and dairy; as a noun, a vegetarian is a person who eats this way.
  • Mediterranean dietA traditional eating pattern of countries around the Mediterranean, rich in vegetables, fruit, legumes, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and fish, with moderate dairy and little red meat.
  • ultra-processed foodAn industrial food product made mostly from refined ingredients and additives, such as many soft drinks, packaged snacks, instant noodles and processed meats. The term comes from the NOVA classification.

More terms: Diets and Meal Planning

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.