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Going on a diet means fasting some foods or foregoing others completely for a certain period, and that’s usually the drawback for most people. Common diets include cutting out carbohydrates (carbs), going off meat, reducing dairy product intake etc., but for those who were used to eating what they’d be forsaking, intense cravings usually come back to bite them. Often, one must be strict on themselves and follow the do’s and don’ts guidelines religiously, but we have found a new regimen that’s flexible enough to allow a steak or a burger as part of the diet. Sounds slightly too good to be true? Here’s more information on it.
We’ve heard of plant-based diets and their main focus is on eating all things grown in soil, basically vegetarianism, but a flexitarian diet is one that beats the odds. As you may have guessed, the flexitarian diet is a flexible, vegetarian plan. While the aim is to load up on as many whole grains, fruits and vegetables, you can occasionally work in some meat products. Your favourite turkey steaklets from Woolworths online specials or the new McDonalds Grand Chicken special will no longer be guilty pleasures for “cheat days”, making you feel bad for indulging, but you can work them into your plan so that eating this way becomes your lifestyle and not just an every now and again plan.
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So how exactly does the flexitarian diet work?
Dawn Jackson Blatner created this diet with the following principles:
- Whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables should make the greater part of your meal
- Limit sweet foods and added sugars
- Eat mostly protein from plant sources and not animal products
- Indulge in the least processed and most natural foods you can find
- Do eat some meat and animal products every now and again
This approach advocates for healthier eating, rather than start-stop restrictive regimes. It focuses on what to include in your meals, rather than what to avoid. Agreed, there are other like-plans, but Blatner orchestrated this one differently.
How is the flexitarian diet different from other meat-inclusive diets?
A flexitarian prioritises eating vegetables and reducing the amount of meat taken at one’s own pace, whilst other omnivorous diets let you eat as much meat as you please without the intention of making your meals veggie-forward. You slowly add meat-free meals to your plan, gradually aiming for meat-free days.
As a beginner, Blatner encourages you to have six to eight meatless meals a week, then you aim for nine to fourteen as an intermediate, and eventually get to fifteen plus meals as an advanced flexitarian.
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What do you gain from following a flexitarian diet?
Sometimes, when you become an extreme vegetarian or vegan, you lose out on important nutrients and may suffer from certain deficiencies as a result of going off meat completely. Vitamin B12 is one such nutrient that’s naturally found in animal products. Lack of vitamin B12 may lead to blindness, muscle weakness, numbness, and anaemia.
Following a flexitarian diet allows you to still get those important nutrients from animal products, whilst enjoying the benefits of a mainly vegetarian plan. Weight loss is the number one benefit as you’ll eat and feel full on fewer calories. You can also lower the risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
What’s a typical flexitarian meal like for South Africans?
We are privileged to have a large variety of fruits and vegetables at our disposal, and our meat is generally non-GMO, so we can enjoy packaged goodness in our meals. This flexitarian lifestyle is easy to adopt because it doesn’t require you to go out of your way to look for specific foods that you don’t typically eat regularly. Here are a few sample recipes:
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Summary
A flexitarian diet encourages less meat-eating and roots for more plant-based ingredients in your meals. It is not restrictive, it allows you to reduce your meat and animal products intake at your own pace. It is also easy to follow, keeps you well-nourished and helps you to save money. Best of all, it is well suited to a South African lifestyle.
