{"id":5861,"date":"2021-01-23T14:59:00","date_gmt":"2021-01-23T01:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.myfoodbag.co.nz\/?p=5861"},"modified":"2023-08-09T12:45:18","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T00:45:18","slug":"my-food-bags-guide-to-flexitarian-eating","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myfoodbag.co.nz\/explore\/2021\/01\/23\/my-food-bags-guide-to-flexitarian-eating\/","title":{"rendered":"My Food Bag’s guide to flexitarian eating"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Get 30% off your first order with the code FIRST30! Scroll to the bottom to see our three options to help include flexitarian eating into your routine. www.myfoodbag.co.nz<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We’re sure you’ve heard the term flexitarian, but what does it mean exactly, we hear you ask?<\/h4>\n

In a nut shell, it’s a semi-vegetarian way of eating that’s becoming more and more popular alongside the rise of plant based and vegan eating. Flexitarians are mostly plant based, but include small amounts of meat, fish, eggs, and dairy from time to time. Whilst eating an entirely plant-based diet might not be for all of us, the beauty of flexitarianism is that we can incorporate some of the healthy philosophies of plant based eating, while still enjoying great quality meat from time to time.<\/p>\n

There’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying turkey at Christmas time, freshly caught snapper during summer holidays or a beautiful piece of perfectly cooked aged steak, and by seeing meat as more of a treat, we can enjoy it more when we do choose to eat it without feeling restricted!<\/p>\n

If you’re thinking that you want to eat less meat for whatever reason, but don’t really know how to start, flexitarianism could be perfect for you. Less of the strict rules associated with some other diets and instead, simply aiming to eat more plants on a daily basis.<\/h4>\n

One of the key nutritional benefits of a whole food, flexitarian diet is the fibre intake<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the bulk of our diet whole foods (such as fruit, veggies, whole grains, and nuts & seeds) we are eating lots of fibre. Fibre is not only important for keeping our gut healthy, but it\u2019s also protective against a number of diseases. We should aim to eat at least 25-30g per day (1 cup of brown rice has around 4g, or 1 cup of veggies has about 9g).<\/p>\n

Another key benefit of a<\/strong> whole food, flexitarian diet is the nutrients<\/strong><\/p>\n

Mother Nature was on our side when it came to nutrition! Plants (like veggies, nuts & seeds, and whole grains) as well as eggs, milk, fish, and meats (in small quantities<\/em>) are bursting with essential nutrients like vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. <\/p>\n

When we start to tamper with these foods too much via food processing, they tend to lose their nutritional goodness. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to opt for unprocessed or minimally processed foods.<\/p>\n


So, if that\u2019s the case, why the smaller quantities of meats? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Meats do contain plenty of beneficial nutrients; red meats are a rich source of iron, and both red meats and poultry are top sources of protein. But alongside this, they also contain reasonably high amounts of saturated fats (particularly red meat). High amounts of saturated fats in our diets have shown to a negative effect on our health, namely our heart health. Reducing the amount of meat we consume each week can make a huge difference to our long term health (the NZ Heart Foundation recommend eating less than 350g cooked red meat each week).<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Curious about protein while eating a diet lower in meat? Check out our blog here<\/a> on our fave plant based protein sources!<\/p>\n

If eating flexitarian sounds delish to you, check out the options from My Food Bag to make it easier:<\/h3>\n

My Choice<\/a><\/h4>\n