It comes down to a flexible vegetarian diet. Vegetables are given priority, but eggs or dairy are not excluded. The meat is left for more special occasions, but it can be eaten. And without guilt!
Today the dietary options are increasingly varied: vegetarians, vegans, raw food … We are concerned about what we eat, how it affects our health and, above all, we try to eat less and less meat.
- According to the latest report by the consulting firm Lantern, Spain is already among the 10 countries where the largest population opts for a basically plant-based diet.
- Their data reveal that women are the ones who most choose this model and that the main reason is for health, although environmental or animal protection arguments are also used.
Within this upward trend, a new diet has emerged: the flexitarian. A dietary proposal that has emerged as one of the most balanced.
But … what do flexitarians really eat? How is it different from the vegan diet? What benefits does it bring to health? Dr. Sonia Ruiz, dietitian-nutritionist at the Teknon Medical Center and the Mi Tres Torres Clinic in Barcelona, clarifies this for us.
WHAT DOES THE FLEXITARIAN DIET CONSIST OF?
The basis of this dietary proposal is a vegetarian diet with a low consumption of products of animal origin. Dr. Ruiz explains the origin of the term and the reasons for its good acceptance:
What’s true about the alkaline diet
The name Flexitariana is the result of combining the word “flexible” with “vegetarian”. In other words, it would be a flexible vegetarian diet because animal products are not completely restricted, and those that are consumed are organically raised and from sustainable fishing.
It is very fashionable because there is increasing awareness and, consequently, rejection of massive animal exploitation and the environmental impact generated by the consumption of animal parts.
It is a flexible vegetarian diet
That is why the flexitarian diet is a good option for those who want to reduce their meat consumption, but who do not impose it as a prohibition.
It can also be a first step for those who, over time, want to end up being a vegetarian or vegan.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM VEGANISM
A flexitarian can go two or three whole days without trying a food of animal origin, but veganism is much more than that.
HEALTH BENEFITS
Dr. Sonia Ruiz reminds us that when opting for a specific diet and reducing any food from our menus, it is recommended that we go to a nutritionist so that we do a correct planning and we do not lack nutrients. That said, if done right, the flexitarian diet has many health benefits:
- It has a cardioprotective effect because it is low in saturated fat and rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
- Its contribution in fiber, antioxidants, complex carbohydrates preferably whole, vitamins and minerals, helps prevent different chronic diseases and reduces the risk of tumors such as colon.
And it has a great advantage over the vegan diet: the sporadic intake of fish and meat provides vitamins that being vegan it is very possible to have a deficiency.
