Wait...What's A Flexitarian?
The word flexitarian might sound other worldly, like the type of diet an alien would follow. One part worms, one part molecular mist? But the flexitarian diet is actually quite human, and with a little deductive reasoning, you'll probably be able to figure out what it consists of.
What is a flexitarian?
A flexitarian is someone who mostly eats a plant-based diet, but will occasionally eat meat or dairy. The term first appeared in the late 1990s, and was popularized by the author and nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner, who wrote the book The Flexitarian Diet in 2008. Since then, many people have used the term to define their diet as one that revolves around vegetables, fruits, and whole grains without the restrictions that a vegan or vegetarian diet has. Basically, it allows flexibility with eating animal products.
What does a flexitarian eat?
As with any diet, not every person who follows a flexitarian diet does it in the exact same way. There are flexitarians who follow a no-meat-during-the-week approach and keep Monday through Friday totally plant-based, with the option to eat animal products on the weekend. Others will follow a plant-based diet whenever eating at home, but indulge in meat, fish, or dairy when out to dinner, since guaranteeing diet purity can be difficult at a restaurant. And some others will take the diet day by day.
The one thing all this people have in common is that they are focusing most of their meals around non-animal products. But they don't limit themselves to just that, eating animal products sometimes, no matter how often that is.
If we follow the philosophy of Blatner's landmark book, flexitarians should avoid processed foods, refined sugars, and carbs, and when they do eat meat, dairy, seafood, and eggs, they should try to find them from sustainable, pasture-raised, organic sources. They also keep meat intake to less than 28 ounces per week, relying more on lean sources of protein.
When it comes to dairy, just like meat, the foods are theoretically consumed in moderation. Flexitarians will also often stick with yogurt, eggs, and lower-fat cheeses.
Isn't a flexitarian just like an omnivore?
Well, sorta. But also no. Omnivore is a more precise, scientific category for creatures that eats meats and plants, so you could say that most humans are omnivores. Yes, a flexitarian is an omnivore, but their focus by definition is much more on a plant-based diet. Put another way: All flexitarians are omnivores, but not all omnivores have the goals of flexitarians.
Starting a flexitarian diet
If this way of eating sounds intriguing, it's important to remember a few things: Always consult with your doctor before making any drastic changes to you diet. And instead of diving in cold turkey, so to speak, try a gradual transition of slowly lowering your intake of animal products week by week. You can also start substituting things in your diet. Try dolloping greek yogurt on your tacos instead of sour cream, or replace bacon with a tempeh version in a classic BLT.
Anyway you do it, just make sure the diet works for you!
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