Compiled & reviewed  by
Dr.Sanjana.VB.BHMS.DBRM.CDN

Obesity diet-flexitarian

   Flexitarian diet is a diet comprising both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. So it is a better choice for those who cannot limit meat from the diet ,and at the same time they want to remain fit losing weight.

Simply, flexitarian diet is a combination of being “flexible” and “vegetarian.”

The flexitarian diet is listed on U.S. News Best Diet Rankings as the second best diet, falling just behind the Mediterranean diet. 

The flexitarian diet allows consuming fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes and nuts, but occasionally you can still enjoy meat and other non veg food.

However, there are guidelines about meat intake; how much (and why types) of meat you can eat. 

 you could be consuming between 9 and 28 ounces of meat a week while following flexitarian diet.

There are three basic stages of this eating pattern in flexitarian diet. You need not cut down meat immediately. The meat consumption is reduced through 3 consecutive stages.

Stage 1

 In the beginning stage you should keep your overall meat consumption to no more than 28 ounces a week for the five days you do consume it. A card-deck sized portion of chicken or steak is about 3 ounces.

Stage 2

As you get accustomed to eating more fruits and vegetables, focus on following a full vegetarian diet three to four days a week. Don’t consume more than 18 ounces of meat during the rest of the week.

Stage 3

Follow a vegetarian diet for five of the seven days in a week. For two days you can consume meat, but do not eat more than 9 total ounces. 

Types of meat you can eat include: 

 Choose organic, free-range, pasture-raised or grass-fed beef, chicken or turkey. And always choose leaner cuts to minimize extra animal fats.

In flexitarian diet there is no restrictions for eating fish in moderate amounts. Just be sure to choose wild-caught varieties. 

 In this style of diet , proteins from plants sources are preferred  instead of animal proteins.

What are the risks and benefits of eating a flexitarian diet?

 Flexitarian diet lowers the risk of heart diseases and cardiovascular events. Indeed, it is a weight loss helping diet. The vegetables and fibers add more fibers to the diet and help to reduce the  risk of Type 2 diabetes or management of pre-diabetes.

It may help to prevent some types of cancers.

Reducing meat consumption can lead to some nutrient deficiencies like vitamin B12, zinc etc. However, vitamin and mineral fortified food intake can compensate for that. 

Also, some people who suffer from IBS may not tolerate more plant-based diet. If you have digestive issues, recognize which fruits and veggies you cannot tolerate and exclude them and substitute with other kinds of fruits with similar nutritional value.

It will be more beneficial if you include organic unprocessed vegetables in your flexitarian diet style. 

The flexitarian diet is made to be inclusive, but you do want to limit animal protein (including seafood) and processed foods and beverages.

Major ingredients of flexitarian diet:

·       Fruits

·       Vegetables

·       Plant proteins (beans such as black, kidney or navy, edamame, chickpeas, lentils, tofu).

·       Whole grains (brown rice, oats, barley, quinoa).

·       Plant-based milk (although dairy milk is OK in moderation).

·       Eggs. 

·       Dairy (cheese, yogurt or dairy alternatives).

·       Nuts, nut butters, seeds and healthy fats.

·       Oils, herbs and spices.

What to limit in flexitarian diet?

·       Meat - poultry, beef, chicken breast, turkey breast

·       Fish (salmon, tilapia, cod, and shrimp). 

·        Added sugar or refined carbohydrates.

·       Saturated fats like butter, margarine.

Research data about flexitarian diet & benefits

Research data reveals that flexitarian diet provides benefits for body weight, improved markers of metabolic health, blood pressure, and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. It may also have a role to play in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease.

Reference

1.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5216044/   

2.  https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28111625/