Table 1.

Descriptions of various plant-based dietary patterns.

Dietary Pattern	Description
Healthful plant-based	High consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and unsaturated vegetable oils, and lower or no consumption of animal products (meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs) and processed foods
Unhealthful plant-based	High consumption of fruit juices, sugar-sweetened beverages, refined grains, potatoes, and sweets and desserts, and lower consumption of animal products (meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs) and healthy plant foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and unsaturated vegetable oils).
Vegan	Excludes all animal products (meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs) and is based solely on plant-based foods
Vegetarian	Excludes meat, fish, and poultry but does include eggs and dairy, in addition to plant-based foods
Pescatarian	Excludes meat and poultry but includes fish, dairy, and eggs, in addition to plant-based foods
Semi-vegetarian	Includes all animal products, including meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs, in addition to plant-based foods. However, red meat intake is limited
EAT-Lancet reference	Consists of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and unsaturated oils; low to moderate consumption of seafood and poultry; zero to low consumption of red meat, processed meat, added sugar, refined grains, and starchy vegetables