The flexitarian diet is a plant-based diet that claims to reduce your carbon footprint & improve your health with an eating regimen that's mostly vegetarian but allows for the occassional meat dish.
This diet is the outcome of people who are adopting a more environmentally sustainable approach to their eating habits by reducing meat consumption in favor of alternative protein sources including nuts, beans, peas, and other legumes.

Flexitarian Diet

Health

Switching to a flexitarian diet means that you're opting for quality lean meat - chicken, turkey - and lessen the intake of processed meat. 
There is not much drawbacks to this diet because each and every meal will include lots of plant-based meals, fruits, and vegetables.
Wholegrain foods provide fiber, iron-fortified meals come from dark green, leafy vegetables, and vitamin C absorption comes from juices or tomatoes.

The Nutrient Sufficiency of the Flexitarian Diet

Flexitarianism&nbsp;or ‘casual vegetarianism’ is an increasingly popular, plant-based diet that claims to reduce your carbon footprint and improve your health&nbsp;with an eating regime that’s mostly&nbsp;vegetarian&nbsp;yet still allows for the occasional meat dish. The rise of the flexitarian diet is a result of people taking a more environmentally&nbsp;sustainable&nbsp;approach to what they eat by reducing their meat consumption in exchange for alternative protein sources.Discover our full range of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/collection/ingredient-focus" dir="ltr">health benefit guides</a>&nbsp;and also check out some of our delicious <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/plant-based-diet-recipes" dir="ltr">plant-based recipes</a>, from <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/vegan-chilli" dir="ltr">vegan chilli</a>&nbsp;to <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tarka-dhal" dir="ltr">tarka dhal</a>.<h2>We asked dietitian Emer Delaney for her view…</h2><h3>What does ‘flexitarian’ mean?</h3>Following a flexitarian&nbsp;diet&nbsp;highlights an increased intake of plant-based&nbsp;meals without completely eliminating meat.&nbsp;It is about adding new foods to your diet as opposed to excluding any, which can be extremely beneficial for health. These plant-based foods include lentils, beans, peas, nuts and seeds, all&nbsp;excellent <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein-vegetarians" dir="ltr">sources of protein</a>.It is also widely accepted that <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/spotlight-high-fibre-diets" dir="ltr">soluble fibre</a> found in lentils and beans helps to reduce high cholesterol as part of a healthy diet, so including these regularly is definitely recommended. Nuts and seeds such as linseed (flaxseed), pine nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and walnuts are high in the heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats which help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and provide essential fatty acids. Research has shown that practicing a flexitarian diet in conjunction with physical activity can promote a lifestyle consistent with recommendations for <a href="http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses/650/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">reducing risks of breast and prostate cancer</a>.Read more about <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/spotlight-high-fibre-diets" dir="ltr">high fibre diets</a>.<h3>What are the healthiest meats to include?</h3>When people do choose to eat meat, opting for good quality&nbsp;lean meat is best,&nbsp;such as chicken or turkey. I would advise having processed meats such as bacon, sausages, salami, ham and pâtés very occasionally as they are high in both saturated fat and salt and provide very little in the way of vitamins and minerals. Research from the World Health Organisation found that eating 50 grams of processed meat every day may&nbsp;<a href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(15)00444-1/fulltext" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">increase&nbsp;the risk of colorectal cancer</a>, so it’s best to limit&nbsp;these foods.<h3>How can I ensure I’m getting all the nutrients I need from a flexitarian diet?</h3>If you’re thinking about changing to a flexitarian diet, I would advise plant-based foods at every meal, at least&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-counts-five-day" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">five portions of fruit and vegetables a day</a> and wholegrain foods. It is a good idea to include alternative <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/pump-iron" dir="ltr">sources of iron</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;may be lacking due to a low intake of red meat.&nbsp;Good sources include low sugar, iron-fortified breakfast cereals and&nbsp;dark green, leafy&nbsp;vegetables such as&nbsp;spinach, cabbage, kale and broccoli. As vitamin C increases iron absorption, a small glass (150ml) of fruit juice or salad items like sweet peppers, lamb’s lettuce and tomatoes with meals is recommended.This article was last reviewed on 4th July 2018 by Kerry Torrens.<a href="http://www.myprivatediet.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" dir="ltr">Emer Delaney BSc (Hons), RD</a> has an honours degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Ulster. She has worked as a dietitian in some of London’s top teaching hospitals and is currently based in Chelsea.A nutritionist (MBANT)&nbsp;Kerry Torrens is a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including BBC Good Food magazine. Kerry is a member of the The Royal Society of Medicine, Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT).All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website <a href="https://www.bbcworldwide.com/home/terms-and-conditions/" dir="ltr">terms and conditions</a> for more information.Have you tried following a flexitarian diet? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below…

Plant-based diets are increasingly popular, but what are the health benefits of being a flexitarian? We asked a dietitian to give her view…

Flexitarianism or ‘casual vegetarianism’ is an increasingly popular, plant-based diet that claims to reduce your carbon footprint and improve your health with an eating regime that’s mostly vegetarian yet still allows for the occasional meat dish. The rise of the flexitarian diet is a result of people taking a more environmentally sustainable approach to what they eat by reducing their meat consumption in exchange for alternative protein sources.

Discover our full range of  <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/collection/ingredient-focus">health benefit guides </a> and also check out some of our delicious <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/plant-based-diet-recipes">plant-based recipes </a>, from <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/vegan-chilli">vegan chilli </a> to <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/tarka-dhal">tarka dhal </a>.

We asked dietitian Emer Delaney for her view…

Following a flexitarian diet highlights an increased intake of plant-based meals without completely eliminating meat. It is about adding new foods to your diet as opposed to excluding any, which can be extremely beneficial for health. These plant-based foods include lentils, beans, peas, nuts and seeds, all excellent <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/best-sources-protein-vegetarians">sources of protein </a>.

It is also widely accepted that <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/spotlight-high-fibre-diets">soluble fibre </a>found in lentils and beans helps to reduce high cholesterol as part of a healthy diet, so including these regularly is definitely recommended. Nuts and seeds such as linseed (flaxseed), pine nuts, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and walnuts are high in the heart-healthy polyunsaturated fats which help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels and provide essential fatty acids. Research has shown that practicing a flexitarian diet in conjunction with physical activity can promote a lifestyle consistent with recommendations for <a dir="ltr" href="http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses/650/" rel="noopener noreferrer">reducing risks of breast and prostate cancer </a>.

Read more about <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/spotlight-high-fibre-diets">high fibre diets </a>.

What are the healthiest meats to include?

When people do choose to eat meat, opting for good quality lean meat is best, such as chicken or turkey. I would advise having processed meats such as bacon, sausages, salami, ham and pâtés very occasionally as they are high in both saturated fat and salt and provide very little in the way of vitamins and minerals. Research from the World Health Organisation found that eating 50 grams of processed meat every day may <a dir="ltr" href="http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(15)00444-1/fulltext" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase the risk of colorectal cancer </a>, so it’s best to limit these foods.

How can I ensure I’m getting all the nutrients I need from a flexitarian diet?

If you’re thinking about changing to a flexitarian diet, I would advise plant-based foods at every meal, at least <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/what-counts-five-day" rel="noopener noreferrer">five portions of fruit and vegetables a day </a>and wholegrain foods. It is a good idea to include alternative <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/pump-iron">sources of iron </a> that may be lacking due to a low intake of red meat. Good sources include low sugar, iron-fortified breakfast cereals and dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, kale and broccoli. As vitamin C increases iron absorption, a small glass (150ml) of fruit juice or salad items like sweet peppers, lamb’s lettuce and tomatoes with meals is recommended.

This article was last reviewed on 4th July 2018 by Kerry Torrens.

<a dir="ltr" href="http://www.myprivatediet.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Emer Delaney BSc (Hons), RD </a>has an honours degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Ulster. She has worked as a dietitian in some of London’s top teaching hospitals and is currently based in Chelsea.

A nutritionist (MBANT) Kerry Torrens is a contributing author to a number of nutritional and cookery publications including BBC Good Food magazine. Kerry is a member of the The Royal Society of Medicine, Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC), British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT).

All health content on bbcgoodfood.com is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional. If you have any concerns about your general health, you should contact your local health care provider. See our website <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.bbcworldwide.com/home/terms-and-conditions/">terms and conditions </a>for more information.

Have you tried following a flexitarian diet? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below…

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