Step Aside Vegans, Flexitarian Diet is the New Food Trend

Flexitarian diet is the new food trend. Other than eating plant based food items, it also lets you consume meat.

You can now have a nutritious diet, without giving up on your meat cravings. 

(Photo: istock) 

Do you want to be health conscious but you are afraid of giving up entirely on your meat-heavy diet? We’ve got just the perfect fix for you!

Flexitarianism might be the next big food trend. With our fast moving, contemporary lifestyle, it gets difficult to monitor what we consume on a daily basis. But here’s the best thing about a Flexitarian diet- it doesn’t restrict your food options, just regulates them.

What is the Flexitarian Diet ?

The Flexitarian diet focuses more on the consumption of plant-based food while simultaneously reducing your meat intake. It is a conscious decision of leaning towards the vegetarian side without all together giving up on your meat portion. Therefore, it is a win-win situation for all the meat lovers .

In simple terms, Flexitarian can be broken down into ‘flexible’ and ‘vegetarian’. It is also referred to as ‘casual vegetarianism’.

Flexitarian diet was introduced by Dawn Jackson Blanter in his book ‘The Flexitarian Diet’.

Here’s What You Should Eat in Flexitarian Diet

Unlike other diets, this one gradually shifts to consuming more vegetarian and plant based ingredients. It makes you add more veggies to your meals, which encourages you to have a healthier lifestyle.

Flexitarian diet includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.  (Photo: iStock)

• Fruits: apple, grapes, oranges, pineapples
• Proteins: tofu, green peas, lentils, chickpeas
• Vegetables: green beans, corn, carrots, cauliflower
• Nuts & seeds: cashew, chia seeds, olives, almonds

Meat Items You Should Eat While on Flexitarian Diet

It’s optional vegetarian. So it lets you incorporate non-veg items in your meals too. However, certain kind of meat items are preferred over others. Think organic or free range.

• Eggs: free raised or pasture raised
• Fish: wild-caught
• Grass fed or pasture raised meat

Food Items To Avoid

While this diet is more flexible than the others, there are certain food items that should be avoided.

• Fast food (a big no!) – burgers, pizza, fries, chips
• Added sugar & sweets: cakes, pastries, donuts, cookies
• Processed meat: bacon, sausages
• Red meat should be avoided

Being a Lazy Vegetarian?

Some might say it seems like a very lazy approach to becoming a vegetarian, but research has suggested that it can do wonders! Unlike vegetarianism, or its more extreme form veganism, it allows your body to adjust itself to getting proteins from sources other than meat, therefore, gradually monitoring the changes that take place in your system.

Some other benefits:

• Flexitarian eating makes you less susceptible to heart diseases as the food consumed is rich in fiber and healthy fats
• As you are focusing more on plant based foods, it ultimately leads to weight loss
• It lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, as plant based foods are rich in fiber and low on unhealthy fats and added sugar
• All the fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds help in preventing cancer

But the point to be remembered is that the ultimate goal of a flexitarian diet is not to convert you into a vegetarian. It just makes you more flexible in your dietary approach and enables you to reap proteins from all sources available.

Expert’s Take

A Flexitarian diet enables you to have the best of both worlds. As you are getting rich proteins, vitamins and iron from plant based food like beans, lentils, tofu and nuts. But at the same time getting them from non-veg food as well. And consuming meat as long as you are doing so in the right amount is ideal for the body. So, a flexitarian diet lets you have a well balanced diet.

Rupali Datta,  Nutritionist