Being a vegetarian can now have many names. According to vegetarian information site Veggie Visitors, true vegans do not eat animal products whatsoever, while lacto-ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy, and pesce-vegetarians eat fish. Flexitarian is a term for those who eat vegetarian food most of the time but occasionally add meat to their diets. Flexitarians are considered semi-vegetarians.
Background
The flexitarian way of eating was created by registered dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner. Blatner is the author of "The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Lose Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease, and Add Years to Your Life," which was inspired by her own lifestyle and dietary choices. In an interview with USA Today, Blatner explained that she's a vegetarian most of the time, but once in a while she felt the need to eat meat. Until she wrote the book, Blatner felt guilty that she was breaking her vegetarian commitment, so she decided to come up with an alternative plan that allows people to "cheat" once in a while without abandoning their mostly vegetarian lifestyle.
How It Works
According to registered dietitian Lisa Tracy, you can choose how many days of the week to go meatless. You can also start by swapping half of your meat intake with vegetable sources of protein such as beans or tofu. This can be done in a single dish. For example, Tracy suggests taking half of the meat away in a recipe and adding beans or a high-protein pasta as a replacement. If you are doing the flexitarian diet according to the book, the plan includes a basic daily intake of 1,500 calories divided into three meals and two snacks. Calories can be increased or decreased to fit your needs.
Types of Flexitarians
Blatner divides flexitarians into three types: beginners, advanced and experts. Beginner flexitarians have two meatless days per week, while advanced flexitarians have up to four meatless days and experts have five. The different types also eat different amounts of meat, with the beginners being allowed an average of 26 oz. of meat every week, while experts eat no more than 9 oz. Advanced flexitarians eat an average of 18 oz. of meat per week.
Benefits
The main benefit of following a flexitarian plan instead of eating only vegetarian is that you have more options. You won't get bored from eating only beans or tofu as your main source of protein and you won't have to give up your favorite meat dishes. According to green-living website The Daily Green, focusing your diet on fruits and vegetables can help you ward off stroke, heart disease and prostate cancer. Being a vegetarian is also kinder to the environment since it reduces greenhouse gas emissions created in the production of meat products.
Expert Insight
According to Medical News Today, becoming a flexitarian and reducing your meat intake will in turn increase your lifespan. In fact, vegetarians live an average of 3.6 years longer than meat eaters. A flexitarian diet will also help reduce your cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure. Medical News Today points out that vegetarians tend to weigh less than meat eaters, which keeps them healthier and stronger.
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