Plant-Based ≠ Vegan: Why Labels Miss the Point (and What Really Matters for Your Health)

You’ve Probably Heard the Term “Plant-Based”

—But What Does It Mean?

When patients ask me about plant-based diets, it's common to see confusion on their faces. Are Frosted Flakes plant-based? Technically, yes. Soda? Surprisingly, also yes. Unfortunately, many sneaky processed-food companies will gladly put “plant-based” on their packaging to attract people. But if that’s the case, does “plant-based” actually mean anything useful for your health?

That’s where we need to pause and go deeper. Because the kind of plant-based eating I teach and live every day isn’t about labels. It’s about truly nutritious food. And the difference between processed “plant-based” foods and a whole food plant-based lifestyle? It can change everything from your energy to your blood pressure.

Plant-Based vs. Whole Food Plant-Based: What's the Difference?

There are a lot of labels out there for how you choose to eat. Most people are omnivores who eat some of everything: meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and plants. But there are lots of benefits to excluding animal products and focusing on plants, or eating plant-based (we’ll explore some of them below!).

Within plant-based eating, there are even more variations. You might have heard terms like vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian, pescatarian, or vegan. I've personally explored these ways of eating at various times.

Types of diets that follow the elimination of food, instead of adding it. A green checkmark is what is allowed on the diet, and a red X is what is eliminated.

However, there is one major issue with all these labels. They focus on what they are leaving out, not what they add in.

Unfortunately, simply removing groups of food from a diet doesn’t automatically make it health promoting, especially if you continue to eat ultra-processed foods or foods high in salt, sugar, and fat. Instead, we like to focus on what our diet should include!

Whole food plant-based (WFPB) eating simply means prioritizing whole, minimally processed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

The abundance of the WFPB diet has no restrictions.

The level of processing is so important because it determines how many of the original, health-promoting nutrients are found in the food.

The Apple Example: Understanding Food Processing

Let’s take a familiar example: the apple.

A whole apple—crisp, fresh, and eaten with the skin—provides fiber, water, natural sugars, vitamins, and phytochemicals that protect and nourish your cells. It's hydrating, filling, and supports digestion.

Turn that apple into applesauce, and you’ve already broken down some of the fiber. The texture is smoother, but your blood sugar will rise faster, and you'll feel full for less time.

Juice that same apple, and now you've removed nearly all the fiber. What remains is mostly sugar and water: easy to drink quickly, but not very satisfying or balanced.

Take it one step further and convert that apple into a shelf-stable snack bar. It’s often stripped of nutrients, loaded with added sugar, preservatives, and synthetic flavors. It may taste like apple, but nutritionally, it’s far removed from the fruit you started with. Often, the only vitamins and minerals present are actually added back in synthetically.

Oxidation plays a role, too. Just like a sliced apple turns brown when left out, exposure to air and time degrade nutrients. This is why lots of processed foods need to turn to additives and preservatives to keep things edible.

The green arrow shows that beneficial phytonutrients increase with less processing, and the red arrow shows that additives and preservatives increase with more processing.

This is the power and the cost of processing. Each step moves us further away from what the body truly needs: intact, nourishing food.

Four Major Health Benefits of a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet

1. Stable Blood Sugar and Insulin Resistance

Whole foods contain complex carbohydrates and fiber, ensuring stable blood sugar. Processed foods, on the other hand, spike your sugar levels and insulin. High insulin levels can cause insulin resistance, leading to diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.

2. Weight Management and Satiety

Fiber in whole plant foods makes you feel full and satisfied, helping manage your weight naturally. Fiber from supplements often lacks the same effectiveness, because the beneficial properties depend on fiber’s original size and form. (Learn more about fiber here!)

3. Heart Health and Cholesterol Control

WFPB diets naturally contain healthier fats (found in nuts, seeds, and grains) and less saturated fat (found in animal products, palm oil, and coconut oil). They also provide soluble fiber, which traps cholesterol in your gut and eliminates it from your body, helping maintain healthy cholesterol levels.

4. Strong Immune System and Cancer Prevention

Whole foods deliver vitamins like vitamin C and B vitamins, antioxidants, and phytonutrients essential for immune function and repairing cells. These nutrients are often lost during processing and must be artificially added back in ultra-processed products.

But Doctor, What About Protein?

Protein worries are common, but rest assured, you can get all essential amino acids (protein building blocks) from a WFPB diet. Think of protein like building a wall. Animal proteins (like meat) and plant proteins (like beans and rice) are just different-colored walls, but they are both made from the same types of blocks. Both are complete and strong when built properly. Combining grains and legumes, like rice and beans, ensures you get all the amino acids your body needs. (Learn more about amino acids and protein here!) Why not just eat animal products for protein, since they have all the amino acids? It’s true that animal proteins are considered “complete,” meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids your body needs. But here’s the bigger picture: they also come packaged with components that may work against your long-term health.

• Saturated Fats: Most animal proteins contain higher levels of saturated fat, which can raise LDL cholesterol and contribute to atherosclerosis (a buildup of plaque inside your arteries that restricts blood flow and increases your risk of heart disease and stroke). (Hooper et al., 2020)
  

• Inflammatory Compounds: Grilling or frying meats can produce compounds such as advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs) which have been linked to inflammation and, in some studies, increased cancer risk. (Uribarri et al., 2010 and Zheng & Lee, 2009)
  

• Missed Nutrients: When you rely heavily on animal-based meals, you often miss out on the fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients that only plants provide.
  

So while animal products can deliver protein, it’s worth asking: what else are they delivering alongside it? And could plant-based sources—like lentils, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, and beans—give your body what it needs without the extra burden?

The goal isn’t to eliminate, but to choose wisely and nourish your body in a way that supports your energy and longevity.

Yes, You Can Eat Plant-Based and Still Be Puerto Rican

Dr. Gio is getting fresh bananas to continue enjoying a whole food plant-based diet, next to his dog Moses. Even the dog wants to eat it!

Growing up in Puerto Rico, our meals were simple but nourishing: rice, beans, boiled plantains, yuca, and other fresh local foods. Meat was there, but it wasn’t the center. Beans were always my favorite. But over time, things changed. More and more processed foods made their way into our pantries. Fast food became easier to access than home-cooked meals. And slowly, our health as a community began to suffer.

I saw it happen in my own life too.

When I left the island for med school, things got worse. I was studying late into the night, eating whatever I could grab quickly—fast food, canned meals, snack bars. It caught up to me. I developed chronic gastritis that left me in constant pain. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t focus, and I felt like I was falling apart.

That’s when I started to make small changes.

First, I cut back on red meat. Then chicken. I started eating more fish, and eventually shifted toward whole, plant-based meals. Not because I was following a trend, but because I wanted to feel better.

And I did! My digestion improved. I slept better. I felt sharper in school. Step by step, my body healed.

Today, I still eat the foods I grew up with, but in a way that supports my health. I make beans without pork. I boil instead of fry. I use “sofrito” and other fresh herbs for flavor. I’ve learned that we don’t have to give up our cultural dishes. We just need to prepare them with care. Reclaiming those roots, with intention, has been one of the most powerful parts of my wellness journey.

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

Health isn't about perfection, it's about making progress. What's your motivation? Perhaps it's avoiding disease, feeling energetic, or simply wanting to feel good in your body again.

If you're curious how a whole food plant-based approach could transform your health, book a free consultation. We'll explore your unique journey together.

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Your health deserves a thoughtful approach. Let's discover what works best for you.

Warmly,

Dr. Gio

Giomarell Feliciano, M.D., MPH, NBC-HWC, is a medical doctor and board-certified health coach who helps busy professionals reclaim their wellness through plant-based nutrition, emotional resilience, and sustainable lifestyle changes.

Reference:

Hooper L, Martin N, Jimoh OF, Kirk C, Foster E, Abdelhamid AS. Reduction in saturated fat intake for cardiovascular disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2020, Issue 8. Art. No.: CD011737. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011737.pub3. Accessed 01 August 2025.

URIBARRI, J., WOODRUFF, S., GOODMAN, S., CAI, W., CHEN, X., PYZIK, R., YONG, A., STRIKER, G. E., & VLASSARA, H. (2010). Advanced Glycation End Products in Foods and a Practical Guide to Their Reduction in the Diet. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 110(6), 911-16.e12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2010.03.018

Zheng, W., & Lee, S.-A. (2009). Well-Done Meat Intake, Heterocyclic Amine Exposure, and Cancer Risk. Nutrition and Cancer, 61(4), 437–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/01635580802710741