Over the past weekend, I had the chance to check out Calgary VegFest 2026! It was a fun, inclusive event focused on plant-based living, compassion, and sustainability. Although the weather took a turn for the worse and we got rained on, it was still a wonderful time. It was my privilege to speak at the event, where we discussed everything from Lifestyle Medicine and plant-related eating patterns, to how to make health habits actually stick and the power of speaking to yourself kindly. You will get to read these health nuggets and more over the next few blog posts.

(Short on time? Click here for The Bottom Line)

VegFest 2026 was hosted by the Calgary Vegan Society, and I appreciate how the organization welcomed individuals who were plant-curious and still exploring plant nutrition, rather than having a vegan-exclusivity focus. Given the nature of the event and organization, it was an excellent opportunity to chat through the various plant eating patterns and their strengths, pitfalls, and areas of common ground.

As you know, I am a strong advocate for Whole-Food, Plant-Predominant (WFPP) eating. But that is not the same as Vegan. Or Vegetarian. Or Whole-Food, Plant Based. So, what are the differences? Is there any overlap? Let’s learn together:

  • Whole-Food, Plant-Based (WFPB): prioritizes eating 100% plants and directly minimizes consumption of refined oils, added sugars, and processed foods.
  • Vegan: zero animal products are consumed, meaning no meat, dairy, eggs, or honey. Does include consumption of oils and processed foods.
  • Vegetarian: excludes meat and seafood, but may include dairy, and/or eggs, and processed foods and oils.

The best overlap here is that the foundation of each of these eating patterns is to eat a variety and diversity of plants. Remember, these are your fruits, vegetables, legumes (including beans, lentils, soy), healthy whole grains, nuts and seeds (in moderation), and herbs and spices. But the differences are critical, especially when it comes to your health.

Personally and professionally, I strive for the 80/20 WFPP approach. Why? It has the same solid foundation of a plant-focused approach, and comes with benefits of high-nutrient density foods, chronic disease prevention and reversal, the ability to optimize heart and metabolic health, and helps you live longer. WFPP also allows for flexibility and accommodates individual needs, reduces all-or-nothing thinking and the pressure associated with that, and is far easier to maintain long term.

Vegan diets specifically, do give similar benefits due to the plant foods involved, especially including better heart health and metabolism. It has much of the same high fibre, low-calorie density eating vibe that WFPP does. Moreover, Vegan eating patterns support planetary health, environmental sustainability, animal ethics and welfare, and even resource and nature conservation.

However, among all these benefits is a trap door, which is really important to keep in the back of your head. Just because the Vegan diet is plant heavy, does not mean that it is automatically the healthiest diet. This is because of the “Junk Food” Trap. Highly-processed vegan foods are often high in sodium, refined oils, and sugars, all of which are damaging to your health and wellness. I invited folks to reflect on this at the event, and I hope you can too.

Although there are many eating patterns, when it comes to the best nutrition recommendations for various chronic diseases and optimal health seeking, there is strong consensus on a few key pieces, and a clear bottom line.

Whether it’s the Mediterranean Diet to improve heart health, DASH Diet for blood pressure management, Pritkin Diet to manage cholesterol, MIND Diet for dementia, Canada’s Food Guide, WFPP, Vegan, Vegetarian, etc… They all have one thing in common. Eat. More. Plants.

You do not need to only eat all plants. If you already do, and/or wish to, fantastic. But for most folks, especially those who aren’t getting enough plants and fiber to begin with, adding a few servings to your meals throughout the week goes a long way to better health.

The action for the week is obvious this time (eat more plants) and your weekly challenge below specifically helps with that too. I’d like to share one more thing before we wrap up.

Something that stood out to me the most at VegFest 2026, was the strength of community and the abundance of compassion. It was inspiring to see folks from all walks of life come together for a shared purpose, around a shared belief with aligned value systems. This was beautiful as it afforded an opportunity for social connection where individuals could meet like-minded folks. The kindness and warmth from the organizing team, other vendors and speakers, and of course, the attendees, was heartwarming.

Better health and your best self is not always about nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. Community matters greatly. You are a human being, meant to connect, and be connected. It doesn’t just have to be about the Vegan Society. It goes to show the importance of finding your community and connecting with those that you resonate with, and who relate to you. Community also creates a sense of camaraderie and brings a lot of support, which then makes nutrition changes, or any other behaviour changes, much, much, easier to tackle.

So, I hope you get to eat more plants as always, and have the support you need to do so.

As always, chase progress, not perfection.

I believe in you,


Dr. Khimji


This Week’s Challenge

Enjoy 2 daily servings of fruit this week!


The Bottom Line

There are differences between Vegan, Vegetarian, and Whole-Food Plant Based (WFPB) eating patterns. Although all prioritize whole plant foods such as fruits, veggies, legumes, nuts/seeds, etc., of these, WFPB is best for your health, because you can actively and concurrently de-prioritize and eliminate consumption of highly processed foods, refined sugars, saturated fats, and processed oils. Overall for health, I recommend an 80/20 Whole-Food Plant Predominant (WFPP) approach, as it helps you eat high nutrient density, low calorie density foods, prevents chronic diseases, improves metabolic health, and helps you live longer! It also reduces all-or-nothing thinking and pressure. If you eat Vegan for the environment and the animals, that is excellent. But be careful when it comes to health because highly-processed Vegan foods are still junk and unhealthy. It’s also cool to me that every chronic disease, heart health, or longevity “diet” points to a foundation of plant foods. So, eat more plants!
PS. I was happy to see the sense of community at VegFest 2026 and I hope you get to make new friends and spend time with loved ones, a little more this week than you otherwise might!