Definition of terms- let’s be sure we are speaking the same language.

I thought it would help to have a post defining some of the terms used on this website, and when talking about diet in general. These are not the dictionary definitions, just plain English so we can think about things correctly.

So here you go.

Eating "close to the source".  This is just a way to think about every fruit, vegetable, nut, root, plant, etc. and all the things they can easily be made into.  You can think of it as nutrients starting in the soil.  Sun and water hit the plant, that draws the nutrients into what we see as fruits, leafs, roots, seeds, etc.  Basically every single food you see in the supermarket and every food you have ever eaten that is not a Cow, Chicken, Sheep, or Fish is food close to the source.  These foods direct from the land and are first consumed by us after being grown.

When some animal comes along and eats the food that has grown in the ground (or on the bush or tree), the food gets turned into energy so the animal can grow.  When another animal (or a person) eats the first animal, they are generally eating the muscles, in order to gain nutrients into their own body.  This is therefore eating not as "close to the source".  It's not that you can't get nutrients that way, but for people, getting the nutrients and calories "second hand"  comes with a price.  That price is cholesterol, fat, concentrations of pesticides, hormones used in animal farming, etc.

Meat.  This would or course be any kind of muscle or other food derived from a land animal (or a bird).  So that would include steak, lamb, chicken, etc.  We can also include though fish, which although seen as a great alternative to meat by many, comes with it's own health risks which increasingly include mercury and other toxic pollutants that are in the ocean and get concentrated in the bodies of fish.

Plant-based diet.  This is a term I won't use so much on this site because honestly, it sounds a bit wimpy.  But like it says, it means a diet that is primarily made of close to the source foods such as fruits, vegetables, and the foods that they can be made into (breads, pastas, casseroles, tofu, or whatever).

Carnivore.  This is a type of animal that basically cannot easily digest plant foods and eats only meat, like a tiger or wolf.

Vegetarian.  Someone who does not eat any meat or fish, but does eat dairy and eggs.  I think we should try to stay away from terms like this because they make is seem like you need to be all or nothing, which is just not true,  Even the biggest meat eating person doesn't not eat ONLY meat.  And I don't like the concept of "becoming a vegetarian" like you have suddenly changed.  We don't have a special name for someone who avoids wheat gluten, or someone who eats only low fat foods.  Think of it all on a sliding scale.  Some people eat a higher percentage or meat in their diet, some less, some none,  I believe less is good, and none is even better, but you should take the test and see what your body tells you.

Vegan.  Someone who eats no meat or fish, and also no dairy or egg or other animals products.  This term also can confuse the issue because some people see it as a bigger lifestyle that goes beyond what food you eat.  If you choose for example to not wear fur or even leather, there are good reasons to do that, but this site is about nutrition and athletic performance, so we'll generally stick words that keep us focussed on that.

I hope these definitions help you navigate this site.