The flexitarian diet is an eating plan that encourages you to consume mostly plant-based food and drink, whilst including some animal products, such as steak or a2 milk, in limited amounts.
If you’re struggling to go fully vegan or veggie but you want to be more plant-based, flexitarianism could be a great eating plan for you. Here are five reasons to consider a flexitarian diet:
1. You’ll Eat Like A King
A flexitarian diet is predominantly plant-based, which means that you’ll be eating an incredible array of colorful fruits and veggies, legumes, nuts, seeds, and fermented foods. Any plant-based diet really does open up the doors to all kinds of foods you may not have tried before, or thought of as the main events of a meal.
As an example, let’s look at a flexitarian chicken salad. Suddenly the chicken isn’t the star of the salad anymore. You’ve got homemade hummus, toasted seeds, plump chickpeas, rainbow quinoa, a fresh assortment of leaves, heirloom tomatoes, sauerkraut, and avocado as a base. Yummy, right?! A flexitarian diet contains meat, dairy, and seafood, but the plants still take center stage, making for an incredibly delicious diet. In fact, you may even discover that the meat detracts from the veggie delights, helping you gradually transition away from animal products in a comfortable, natural way.
2. You’re More Likely To Stay Predominantly Plant-Based
84% of vegetarians and vegans return to meat. There are lots of reasons for this, but flexitarianism could certainly prevent a full move back to carnivory if you have struggled with being meat-free.
Flexitarianism enables you to swap your usual acai bowls or smoothies for your mom’s famous bacon and eggs from time to time. This allows you to stay predominantly plant-based while still fitting in seamlessly with family traditions. It’s a great way to keep the ethos of vegetarianism in your life without feeling totally restricted by it.
3. You’re Still Helping The Environment
Being fully vegan is great for the environment, but if you can’t handle being that strict all the time, flexitarianism is still much better for the planet than a standard American diet. As we have all seen in various studies and articles, meat (especially red meat) is not eco-friendly at all. By eating less steak and more plants, you are doing something truly great for your planet.
4. You’re Still Getting Health Benefits
Being vegan has excellent health benefits and is thought to:
- Boost your vitamin intake
- Reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers
- Help you lose weight
- Reduce blood sugar
- Boost kidney function
- Help with pain management of certain conditions
A recent study showed that a predominantly plant-based flexitarian diet still has amazing health benefits despite the inclusion of some animal products. So, if you want to be healthy but veganism is too much for you, flexitarianism is a fantastic step forward into a healthier life.
5. It’s Easier
There’s no getting away from the fact that being flexitarian is easier than being vegan. You can still eat anywhere, you don’t need anything special at barbecues, you can satisfy meat or cheese cravings whenever you want – there are no barriers to success. Flexitarianism is also a fantastic stepping stone to full veganism if you aren’t a both-feet-in kind of person.
“Eat food. Not Too Much. Mostly Plants.” – Michael Pollan
Going flexitarian is a fantastic option if you aren’t sure about veganism or you know that it is too restrictive for you at this time. The environment, your health, and your eating habits still benefit hugely from this change to a flexitarian lifestyle, so why not give it a go today?