Doesn’t it seem like every time we turn around there is a new diet taking the world by storm? Way back in the 1970s, Dr. Robert Atkins came up with the low-carb to no-carb diet fittingly called The Atkins Diet. From there it evolved to the keto diet which is highly popular today. In fact, there isn’t a major chain of grocery stores that doesn’t carry shelves upon shelves of keto diet products.
Moving on, any form of a plant-based diet is also trending and there are so many offerings in the frozen foods section of your local grocery store that your head is probably spinning before you move on to the next section. We have vegetarians and vegans who largely subscribe to plant-based diets, but did you know there is something called a “flexitarian diet” that is growing more popular by the day? It’s an interesting diet, no matter how or why it’s approached.
What in the World Is a Flexitarian Diet?
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Finally, this diet has a name! It’s actually a sort of modified vegetarian diet that allows for some meats, fish and dairy. Although the basis of the diet is vegetarian, some meats are allowed which is why it’s called a flexitarian diet. It’s a flexible vegetarian diet and thus the name. But why is it gaining in popularity these days? In fact, it is growing so quickly in popularity that many restaurants are adding flexitarian dishes to their menu. Check out https://nativefoods.com/the-flexitarian-diet/ to see how this popular chain of vegetarian/vegan restaurants is handling a flexitarian menu.
Let’s Borrow a Quote from the Bible
What many people living on a flexitarian diet are saying is that they simply can’t avoid all meat and dairy products. They do enjoy them too much and although they may have ethical reasons for not wanting to eat animals raised and slaughtered for food, they simply can’t stay away from an occasional hamburger or the ever-popular Southern breakfast of biscuits and sausage gravy. It’s like living that biblical phrase, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Limited Availability of Fresh Produce
In some areas of the country, fresh produce is extremely hard to come by. A walk through the produce aisles of any grocery store will show you that even seasonal veggies and fruits are in short supply these days. Sometimes it’s due to droughts. In fact, climate change is significantly affecting growing seasons in almost every area of the country.
This also drives the cost up, and many consumers simply can’t afford such giant leaps in cost. A small portion of meat can provide the proteins that a whole plate of plant-based proteins could offer, and so they add a little meat to their diet.
Keep an eye on the news and you will be seeing more and more about this ‘new’ flexitarian diet that is becoming so popular. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a ‘mostly vegetarian diet’ without being so strict. If you enjoy an occasional steak, then you are probably a flexitarian.
