Whole-Food Plant Based (WFPB)

A whole-food, plant-based diet consists of “whole foods” which means natural foods that are not heavily processed. These are whole, unrefined, or minimally refined ingredients. The “plant-based” part means only foods that come from plants and does not include any animal ingredients: meat, seafood, milk, eggs, or honey. Of late, many proponents now exclude all oil as well – considering it “highly processed” although some are not.

Vegan

Veganism is more than a diet, it is also a philosophy and lifestyle. Here is the Vegan Society’s definition: It is a “way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”  A vegan diet excludes meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy products — and foods that contain these products. (note: It is possible for a vegan diet to be unhealthy since it does not eschew refined and processed foods.)

Vegetarian 

Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat, which may also include by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianism may be adopted for various health, moral or lifestyle reasons, including, the objection to eating meat out of respect for sentient life. There are three sub-types: 

• Lacto-vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish, poultry and eggs, as well as foods that contain them. 
• Ovo-vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, seafood and dairy products, but allow eggs. 
• Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs.
  

Pescan, Pegan, Pescatarian(Pants + Fish?)

There are several variations on this theme of plants plus fish. 

• Pescatarian (vegetarian plus fish) is the most traditional diet; it excludes meat and poultry, dairy, and eggs, but allows fish.
• Pescan (vegan plus fish and eggs) was recently coined by cookbook authors Jacqueline King and Abbie Cornish; it consists mostly of vegetables (eat the rainbow), fruits, fungi, grains, legumes, nuts (in as natural a state as possible), and sometimes eggs or wild-caught seafood and does not contain red meat, poultry, or dairy. 
• Pegan  (paleo plus vegan), was developed by Mark Hyman, MD and outlined in several books – including his recently-released “The Pegan Diet”. It combines some principles of the paleo diet and veganism and prescribes a plant-based eating style – largely vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds -, plus pastured eggs and some high-quality grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish (as condiments) and avoids dairy, grains, legumes, sugar, and processed foods.

In most cases, the wild-caught fish are preferably chosen from the EWG’s SMASH (Salmon, Mackerel/Mussels, Anchovy, Sardines, Herring) list of fish. These are generally wild-caught, low in mercury and high in omega-3s and sustainable.  Cultivated Mussels and Brook Trout are exceptions.  See their website – ewg.org – for more descriptions and second-tier of acceptable seafood as well.

Mediterranean

The foundational elements of the Mediterranean diet are also plant-based: vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, beans, whole grains and extra virgin olive oil. In addition, moderate amounts of fish and seafood are eaten at least twice a week and poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt about once a week. Red meat and sweets are eaten only occasionally. 

Diabetes Prevention (CDC DPP)

There is, or soon will be, an optional track for the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program that is a plant-strong diet. The expectation is that participants will gradually adopt something akin to the WFPB diet over the year-long life-style program (that includes many other facets as well.) A WFPB diet has been shown to significantly reduce diabetes and to even more significantly reduce the markers that predict the condition.

MIND

MIND stands for Mediterranean + Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.  It was developed by Dr. Martha Clare Morris, then director of the Rush Institute for Healthy Aging, to prevent cognitive decline. It combines and modifies two popular diets:  DASH “Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension” (high blood pressure) and Mediterranean. Her ten-year, thousand-person study showed that the top third of adherents reduced their risk of developing Alzheimer’s by 53%!

KetoFLEX 12/3

KetoFLEX is a plant-forward, very moderate ketogenic diet designed to optimize cognition. It was developed to support the Bredesen protocols (PreCODE and ReCODE) to prevent or to reverse/arrest cognitive decline particularly Alzheimer’s disease.  “Keto” stands for Ketosis – the process by which your body breaks down its own fat to use for fuel. “FLEX” describes both metabolic flexibility (the ability to use either glucose or fat as a fuel source) as well as the flexitarian diet, in which animal protein is either optional or a condiment. 12/3 refers to the minimum amount of fasting time each day – at least 12 hours – between dinner and breakfast and the minimum of 3 fasting hours between dinner and bed. The KetoFLEX diet is also grain-free and minimizes the inclusion of starchy root vegetables.