The Flexitarian Diet: A Detailed Beginner's Guide
The Flexitarian diet is an eating style that primarily promotes plant-based foods while moderating meat and other animal products.
It is more vegetarian and more flexible than vegetarian food.
If you want to add more plant-based foods to your diet but don't want to cut out meat entirely, flexibility may work in your favor.
This article provides an overview of the flexible diet, its benefits, meals to eat, and a week-long meal plan.
What is a flexible diet?
The Flexitarian Diet was created by dietitian Don Jackson Blatter to help people reap the benefits of a vegetarian diet, while still enjoying a moderate amount of animal products.
That is why the name of this diet is a combination of flexible and vegetarian words.
Vegetarians cut out meat and sometimes other animal foods, while vegetarians completely restrict meat, fish, eggs, dairy, and food products derived from all animals.
Since flexitarians eat animal products, they are not considered vegetarian or vegetarian.
A flexible diet does not have clear rules or a recommended amount of calories and macronutrients. In fact, it is more of a lifestyle than a diet.
It is based on the following principles:
Eat mostly fruits, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
Focus on plant proteins instead of animals
Be flexible and include meat and animal products from time to time.
Eat the least processed and most natural foods.
Limit sugar and sweets.
Due to its flexible nature and focus on what to include without limiting, the flexible diet is a popular choice for people seeking a healthy diet.
In his book, Don Jackson Blatter, the creator of the Flexistian Diet, explained how to start eating flexibly by mixing a certain amount of meat each week.
However, you need to start eating flexibly by following his specific recommendations. Some people can eat more animal products than others in the diet.
All in all, the goal is to eat more nutritious plant foods and less meat.
SUMMARY:
The Flexitarian diet is a semi-vegetarian eating style that encourages less meat and more plant-based foods. There are no specific rules or advice, making it an interesting option for those looking to leave animal products behind.
Potential Health Benefits
There are several health benefits of dietary flexibility.
However, since there is no clear definition of this diet, it is difficult to determine how and when the benefits of researching other plant-based diets apply to the Flexitarian diet.
However, research on vegetarians and the vegetarian diet is still helpful in highlighting how semi-vegetarian foods can improve health.
Eating mostly fruits, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and other minimally processed whole foods appears to be important to reap the health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Cutting back on meat while continuing to eat refined foods with plenty of sugar and salt won't have the same benefits.
Heart disease
Diets rich in fiber and healthy fats are good for your heart health.
A study of 445,000 adults over the age of 11 found that vegetarians had a 32% lower risk of heart disease among vegetarians, compared to vegetarians.
This is likely because vegetarian diets are often high in fiber and antioxidants that can lower blood pressure and increase good cholesterol.
A review of 32 studies on the effects of a vegetarian diet on blood pressure found that vegetarians had about seven points lower blood pressure than those who ate meat.
Since these studies look at strictly vegetarian diets, it is difficult to determine whether the Flexist diet will have the same effect on blood pressure and heart disease risk.
However, a flexible diet means that there are probably as many benefits as basically plant-based and completely vegetarian diets.
Weight loss
Flexible eating can also be good for your waistline.
This is in part because flexitarians limit high-calorie processed foods and eat more plant-based foods that are naturally lower in calories.
Several studies have shown that people who follow plant-based diets can lose more weight than those who do not.
A survey of more than 1,100 people found that those who ate vegetarian food for 18 weeks lost 4.5 pounds (2 kg) more.
These and other studies further demonstrate that vegetarians and those who follow a vegetarian diet lose more weight than cattle.
Since a flexible diet is more of a vegetarian than a very vegetarian diet, it can help you lose weight, but probably no vegetarian diet is possible.
Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a global health epidemic. Eating a healthy diet, especially one that is essentially plant-based, helps prevent and control this disease.
This is probably because plant-based diets help you lose weight and keep plenty of high-fiber and unhealthy fats and added sugars low.
A survey of more than 60,000 participants found that semi-vegetarians or flexitarians were 1.5% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than vegetarians.
Additional studies have shown that people with type 2 diabetes who ate vegetarian foods had 0.39% lower hemoglobin A1C (a three-month average of blood sugar) than those who ate animal products.
Cancer
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and lemons contain nutrients and antioxidants that can help prevent cancer.
Research suggests that vegetarian diets are associated with a lower overall incidence of all cancers, but especially with colorectal cancer.
A one-year study of colorectal cancer in 8,000,000 people found that semi-vegetarians were 8% less likely to develop this type of cancer than vegetarians.
Therefore, combining more vegetarian foods while eating flexibly can reduce the risk of cancer.
SUMMARY:
A flexible diet can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer and type 2 diabetes.
It can be good for the Environment
Flexible foods can benefit your health and the environment.
Cutting meat can help conserve natural resources by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing land and water use.
A review of studies on the sustainability of plant-based diets has found that switching from the average Western diet to a flexible diet, where meat is partially replaced by plant foods, can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by %%.
Eating more plant foods will encourage more land demand for people to dedicate to growing fruits and vegetables instead of feeding animals.
Growing plants requires much fewer resources for food than raising animals. In fact, plant proteins consume 11 times less energy than growing animal proteins.
SUMMARY:
Flexibility for plant proteins and eating commercial meat is good for the planet. Plant-based diets use fewer fossil fuels, land, and water.
Disadvantages of eating less meat and animal products
When flexible diets and other plant-based diets are well planned, they can be very healthy.
However, some people may be at risk of malnutrition when they leave meat and other animal products behind, depending on the adequacy of their other food options.
Possible nutritional deficiencies to be aware of on a Flexitarian diet include:
B12 vitamin
Zinc
Iron
Calcium
Omega-3 fatty acids
A review of studies on vitamin B12 deficiency found that all vegetarians are at risk of deficiency, with 62% of pregnant vegetarians and up to 90% of older vegetarians deficient.
Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products. A B12 supplement may be recommended depending on the amount and quantity of animal products to include flexibility.
Flexitarians may also have low zinc and iron stores, as these minerals are best absorbed in animal feed. Although it is possible to get enough of these nutrients from plant foods, flexitarians must plan their diets to achieve this.
Most nuts and seeds, whole grains, and lemons contain iron and zinc. Adding sources of vitamin C is a good way to increase iron absorption from plant-based foods.
Some flexitarians may limit milk and need to eat plant-based sources of calcium to get adequate amounts of this nutrient. Calcium-rich plant foods include bok choy, kale, fat, and sesame seeds.
Lastly, flexitarians should be aware of the proper omega-3 fatty acids, which are commonly found in fatty fish. Plant sources of omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) include walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseed.
Remember that dietary flexibility gives you the facility to consume different amounts of meat and animal products. If the diet is well planned and includes a variety of whole foods, nutritional deficiencies are not a concern.
SUMMARY:
Limited use of meat and other animal products can lead to some nutritional deficiencies, especially B12, iron, zinc, and calcium. Flexitarians may be at risk based on their food preferences.
Food for Flexitarian diet
Flexitarians emphasize limiting animal products to plant proteins and other generally minimally processed plant foods.
Regular meals include:
Proteins: Soy, Tofu, Tempath, Lemon, Legumes
Starchy vegetables: greens, bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots, cauliflower.
Starchy vegetables: winter squash, peas, corn, sweet potatoes.
Fruits: Apples, oranges, berries, grapes, cherries.
Whole grains: quinoa, teff, buckwheat, Ferro.
Nuts, seeds, and other healthy fats: Almonds, flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, cashews, pesto, peanut butter, avocados, olives, coconut.
Alternatives to plant-based milk: Almond, coconut, flax, and soy milk.
Herbs, spices, and condiments: basil, oregano, mint, thyme, cumin, turmeric, ginger.
Spices: Reduced sodium soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, salsa, mustard, nutritional yeast, ketchup with no added sugar.
Drinks: stagnant and sparkling water, tea, coffee.
When including animal products, choose the following if possible:
Eggs: Outdoors or on the grass.
Poultry: Organic, free-range, or grass-fed.
Fish: caught in the wild.
Meat: grass-fed or pasture-fed.
Dairy: Organic from grass-fed or pasture-fed animals.
SUMMARY:
The Flexitarian diet includes a wide variety of plant-based foods, including an emphasis on plant protein over animal protein. When including animal products, consider choosing free-range eggs, wild-caught fish, and herbed and dairy meats.
Foods to Minimize on the Flexitarian Diet
The flexible diet encourages not only limiting meat and animal products, but also highly processed foods, refined grains, and added sugar.
Dietary supplements include:
Processed meats: bacon, sausage, mortadella.
Refined carbohydrates: white bread, white rice, bagels, chrysanthemums.
Added sugar and sweets: sodas, donuts, cakes, cookies, candy.
Fast food: French fries, hamburgers, chicken nuggets, smoothies.
SUMMARY:
Food flexibility doesn't just mean reducing your meat intake. Restricting processed meats, refined carbohydrates, and added sugars are other important aspects of the Flexist diet.
Examples of flexible meal plans for a week
This week-long eating plan gives you the ideas you need to start eating flexibly.
Monday
Breakfast: Cut oatmeal with apples, ground flaxseed, and cinnamon.
Lunch: Salad with vegetables, shrimp, corn, black beans, and avocado.
Dinner: Lentil soup with whole wheat bread and salad.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Whole wheat toast with avocado and poached eggs.
Lunch: Burrito bowl with brown rice, beans, and vegetables.
Dinner: Zucchini noodles with tomato sauce and white beans.
Wednesday
Breakfast: Coconut yogurt with bananas and walnuts.
Lunch: Wrap whole wheat with hummus, vegetables, and lentils.
Dinner: grilled salmon, baked sweet potatoes, and green beans.
Thursday
Breakfast: Made with smooth brown milk, spinach, peanut butter, and frozen berries ie
Lunch: Kale Caesar salad with lentils and tomato soup.
Dinner: baked chicken, quinoa, and fried cauliflower.
Friday
Breakfast: Greek yogurt with blueberries and pumpkin seeds.
Lunch: Swiss chard mixed with vegetables and peanut sauce.
Dinner: lentils and salad
Saturday
Breakfast: Very simple eggs with saturated vegetables and fruit salad.
Lunch: Peanut butter sandwich with crushed berries on top of whole wheat bread.
Dinner: Black bean burger with avocado and sweet potato fry.
Sunday
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with tofu with vegetables and spices.
Lunch: Quinoa salad with dried cranberries, walnuts, and whipped cheese.
Dinner: Stuffed peppers with ground turkey and salad.
Following a flexible diet to limit meat and animal products when concentrating on nutritious plant-based foods. Some people may choose to eat more or fewer animal products than the above meal plan.
SUMMARY:
This week-long meal plan gives you food ideas to start with flexible meals offers you can choose to remove or add more animal products as per your choice.
BOTTOM LINE:
The semi-vegetarian Flexitarian diet focuses on healthy plant proteins and other minimally processed whole plant foods but encourages moderation in meat and animal products.
Eating Flexitarian helps you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. It could also be good for the planet.
But it is important to plan well on your flexible food choices to prevent nutritional deficiencies and reap optimal health benefits.
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