Can You Eat Yogurt on a Plant-Based Diet?

A plant-based diet focuses on consuming more than 50% of calories from plant sources. This type of diet is not the same as a vegan diet, which excludes all animal products.

Understanding Plant-Based Diets

Just like a car, a plant-based diet can include various elements. For example, a car's base is metal, but it also has glass, plastic, rubber, and other materials. Similarly, a plant-based diet can include dairy products, such as yogurt, if you choose to include them.

Eliminating Dairy

Yogurt made from milk is not a part of a plant-based diet if you strictly adhere to it. Therefore, you have the choice to either relax your diet restrictions or find suitable substitutes for dairy products.

As a vegetarian, I have no problem consuming yogurt, milk, curd, or butter. However, strict plant-based diets exclude all dairy products, including yogurt.

Plant-Based Alternatives to Yogurt

An overall plant-based diet emphasizes the consumption of all healthy plant foods and reduces the intake of animal products, including dairy. This includes milk, cream, ice cream, yogurt, and cheese.

Vegan yogurt, made from plant-based sources such as peas, soy, coconut, cashews, and almonds, can be a healthy addition to your diet. The best vegan yogurts tend to contain no added sugar and are rich in protein, as well as live and active cultures.

Abstraction in Plant-Based Diets

One level of abstraction in a plant-based diet means that you can include ingredients that are derived from plants but may have been processed through animals. For example, since cows eat grass, milk and beef can be considered part of a plant-based diet. However, seafood, such as tuna, which feed on other fish, cannot be part of this diet if you follow a one-level abstraction approach.

For those comfortable with one level of abstraction, dairy products, including yogurt, can be included. However, strictly plant-based diets do not allow any form of dairy products, including yogurt.