i suspect that the culture wars have made some phrases impossible to ever become mainstream despite them being correct/accurate and “plant-based diet” is one of them as much as “woke” or “alternative lifestyle”

if you call it something that side steps this baggage and can inherit a cultural/historial tradition that rivals modern day meat diets – like “traditional indian cuisine” or “indigenous mexican cooking” – then it gets more mileage.

Tries to bolster the oil industry

Instead triggers a global expansion of solar

Changes the nutrition guidelines to include higher portions of meat

Instead triggers expensive meat and a dramatic increase in demand for local produce and eggs