Diet Plant-Based Diet 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What distinguishes a plant-based diet from a vegan diet?
- Plant-based diets allow fish; vegan diets do not
- Plant-based diets focus on whole plant foods and may include small amounts of animal products; veganism excludes all animal products (Correct answer)
- Plant-based diets are medically supervised; vegan diets are not
- There is no difference between them
Correct answer: Plant-based diets focus on whole plant foods and may include small amounts of animal products; veganism excludes all animal products
A plant-based diet prioritizes whole plant foods and may allow small amounts of animal products, while veganism is an ethical lifestyle that strictly excludes all animal products.
Question 2: Which nutrient is most commonly deficient in people following a strict plant-based diet?
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B12 (Correct answer)
- Magnesium
- Potassium
Correct answer: Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products, making supplementation essential for those following a strict plant-based diet.
Question 3: Which plant food is considered a complete protein (containing all essential amino acids)?
- Rice
- Lentils
- Quinoa (Correct answer)
- Almonds
Correct answer: Quinoa
Quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids, making it an excellent plant-based protein source.
Question 4: What is 'heme iron' vs 'non-heme iron' relevant to plant-based diets?
- Heme iron is from plants and is better absorbed; non-heme iron is from animals
- Non-heme iron is from plants and is less readily absorbed than heme iron from animals (Correct answer)
- Both types are equally absorbed regardless of source
- Heme iron causes anemia; non-heme iron does not
Correct answer: Non-heme iron is from plants and is less readily absorbed than heme iron from animals
Non-heme iron from plant foods is less bioavailable than heme iron from animal foods; pairing plant iron with vitamin C can significantly improve absorption.
Question 5: Which plant-based food is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids?
- White rice
- Flaxseeds (Correct answer)
- Iceberg lettuce
- White potatoes
Correct answer: Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are rich in ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), an omega-3 fatty acid, and are one of the best plant-based sources of this essential fat.
Question 6: A whole-food plant-based diet (WFPB) emphasizes which types of foods?
- Processed vegan foods and plant-based meats
- Unprocessed or minimally processed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains (Correct answer)
- Raw foods only with no cooking
- Plant-based supplements and powders
Correct answer: Unprocessed or minimally processed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains
A whole-food plant-based diet emphasizes minimally processed plants — vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds — over processed substitutes.
What distinguishes a plant-based diet from a vegan diet?