Heart Health
Plant-based diets that protect your heart
Limiting animal-derived foods is only part of the story.
 Image: © AnnaPustynnikova/Thinkstock
If you're not totally sure what constitutes a plant-based diet, you're not alone. Many people believe a plant-based diet means a vegetarian diet — a family of eating patterns that omits some or all foods that come from animals (see "Vegetarian variations").
But plant-based diets don't necessarily exclude animal-derived foods. While the main focus is on plants — grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes (dried beans and peanuts), and nuts — these diets may include limited amounts of fish, meat, poultry, and dairy products.
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