Some common reasons to go on a meat-free diet are to improve your health, to lose weight, and for ethical reasons because eating meat requires killing animals. A meat-free diet is only healthier than a diet which includes meat if you make good decisions about your food choices. If you need help, a nutritionist can work with you to develop a meat-free meal plan which is nutritionally adequate.
Foods to Include
On a meat-free diet, you can eat all plant-based foods. You can have whole and refined grains, such as breads, pasta, rice, cereals and barley, nuts, seeds, plant-based oils and sweets. You can also have all kinds of fruits, non-starchy vegetables, starchy vegetables and legumes, which include soybeans, beans, peas and lentils. A meat-free diet may include dairy products and eggs. The diet does not include meat, such as beef, pork, lamb, veal, wild game, poultry or fish.
Variations
A common form of a meat-free diet is a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, which excludes meat, fish and poultry, but includes high-quality protein from eggs and dairy products. Milk, yogurt and cheese are also good sources of calcium, which is an essential mineral for strong bones. If you are vegan, or a strict vegetarian, you can only eat plant-based foods, avoiding all foods with animal-derived ingredients, including milk and eggs.
Recommendations
You can find lacto-ovo vegetarian and vegan, or strict vegetarian, adaptations of the USDA Food Guide in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Use these for guidance in planning your meat-free diet; they include recommendations for the number of servings you should get from each food group based on your calorie level. Instead of eating fish or using fish oil supplements, you can get omega-3 fatty acids from walnuts and flaxseeds or flaxeed oil. If you choose a vegan diet and do not eat any animal products, you may need a vitamin B-12 supplement.
Fat and Cholesterol
Fatty meats are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, and avoiding meat can reduce your intake. Saturated fat and cholesterol raise levels of bad LDL cholesterol in your blood, and may increase your risk for heart disease. However, a meat-free diet can be high in saturated fat or cholesterol if you eat butter, egg yolks, palm oil, coconut oil or full-fat dairy products. Instead, emphasize unsaturated fats, such as from nuts or canola, olive or soybean oil, and choose reduced-fat dairy products.
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