The Flexitarian diet

A diet that incorporates all the food groups, fits in with your lifestyle and encourages snacking? We tested the flexitarian diet to see if it lived up to the hype.

The flexitarian diet emerged after an increasing number of health-conscious people started swapping their usual meat fix for a healthier and lower fat vegetarian option. These individuals still ate meat occasionally but they wanted to reap all of the rewards a vegetarian diet offered without giving up their beloved meat entirely and so, the term flexitarian was born.

The benefits
Vegetarianism is a very healthy diet and people who don't eat meat generally weigh about 15% less than meat eaters, live longer, have lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels and have a reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease and cancer. The flexitarian diet has all of the health benefits of vegetarianism but still allows some meat to be incorporated occasionally for those who can't bear to never again taste a beef burger, chicken kiev or fish finger.

Another big plus for this diet is that you can incorporate it into your own lifestyle without having to completely disrupt your life. You can continue to eat out without breaking into a sweat and enjoy lots of tasty, nutritious foods and no doubt discover new ones if you follow the flexitarian diet plan.

If you're a serial dieter, as so many of us are, this diet will come as a welcome relief from the monotony and tasteless options other diets offer. The diet is very flexible, meaning you have a greater chance of sticking to it rather than becoming bored after a fortnight. Also it doesn't ban any foods entirely - even chocolate is allowed - so you can finally embrace the age old saying ‘a little bit of what you fancy does you good'.

The negatives
If you're not used to eating vegetarian food some of the recipes might prove a little getting used to and, as with most diets, you'll need to prepare your meals from scratch so you need to be organised when it comes to the food shopping and cooking ahead. There is also the issue of nutrient deficiencies when cutting back on meat, so make sure you invest in a multivitamin containing B6 and iron to ensure energy levels don't drop. Cheese is also limited on this diet due to the high fat content so make sure you take in plenty of milk or take a calcium supplement to keep bones healthy.

Overall this diet offers a balanced, flexible approach to eating and is an ideal solution for someone wanting to eat healthily without having to stick to many restrictive rules. The diet plan included in the Flexitairan Diet book has plenty of delicious recipes to suit all tastes and incorporates snacks as well so there is very little chance of hunger pains, erratic sugar levels or cravings.

Take a look at the seven-day flexitarian diet plan.

The Flexitarian Diet by Dawn Jackson Blatner is available from Amazon. Looking for flexitarian friendly food? The Flexitarian Diet book was launched in association with tibits restaurant in London. Visit www.tibits.co.uk to find out more.

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