How To Eat Well If You Want To Cut Out Meat

Both vegetarianism and veganism are social dietary trends that consist of cutting out meat for various reasons, such as animal cruelty and health problems. These dietary trends also have a positive impact on the environment, because when you cut out meat, you reduce the environmental impact of animal feeding and irrigation.

Nutritionists have suggested that a balanced diet should include all the nutrients in moderation. In other words, the healthiest way to eat is a variety of foods in appropriate and recommended amounts.

If you have decided to cut out a food (such as meat), you should keep in mind some important aspects so that your body does not end up suffering.

Cutting out meat: a growing trend

Let’s take Spain, for example. According to the ANIBES study conducted by the Spanish Nutrition Foundation, approximately 2% of the Spanish population has stopped eating meat daily.

Similarly, this study points out that 12% of the country’s population does not eat processed meat. In addition, it is worth mentioning that vegans (those who do not eat any animal products) make up only 1% of the Spanish population.

On the other hand, the results of another study show that a significant number of Spaniards have reduced their consumption of red meat. In fact, 43% of Spaniards have cut back on red meat.

If you want to cut out meat in your diet or just reduce it, be sure to read the following tips to prevent negative consequences for your health. In any case, you should know that every person is different and specific nutritional needs vary from individual to individual.

For this reason, it is best to make gradual changes in your diet along with the help of a professional. A qualified nutritionist will be able to guide and follow you through this process.

Eat other sources of protein if you are going to cut out meat completely

First of all, it is important to remember that you must continue to eat protein that comes from other food sources. For example, if you are not vegan, eggs can be a great source of protein as well as healthy fats, which can replace other animal products.

The most recommended are 4 eggs per week or 2 egg whites per day. If you have the opportunity, it is always best to choose organic eggs from hens that have not been abused.

Apart from eggs, there are plenty of other types of foods that can provide a good protein base. However, you should visit a specialist to get them to recommend the right diet for your individual nutritional needs.

Some high protein options include:

• Vegetables (soybeans, edamame, broccoli, asparagus, mung bean sprouts and Brussels sprouts)
• Nuts (almonds, pistachios, walnuts, cashews and hazelnuts)
• Cereals (oats, quinoa, teff, wild rice, buckwheat, millet and sorghum)
• Seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds)

• Legumes (lentils, peanuts, green peas, chickpeas, pinto beans, red beans, black
• turtle beans and marine beans).

An important thing to keep in mind is that when you combine grains with legume protein, you are consuming higher quality protein. A well-known example of this is lentils and rice. The quality and quantity of the protein is higher in this case than if you combined rice or lentils with sausages, for example.

Do not overdo it with dairy products

It is important to remember that especially when you are not vegan, it is not wise to overdo it with dairy products. This is because eating too much of them can increase cholesterol levels.

This habit can also cause digestive problems.

There are also new options such as soy milk, oat milk, almond milk, coconut milk and rice milk based products that can be very healthy dairy products for people who have decided to cut out meat or become vegan.

Make sure you get enough vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin. It plays a significant role in the formation of red blood cells, cell metabolism, nerve function and DNA replication.

If you have decided to cut out meat completely, you may probably have a deficiency of this vitamin, although your body may store many years’ worth of B12.

For this reason, it is important that you check your B12 levels frequently, and that you eat foods that provide you with enough B12, such as eggs, dairy products and spirulina.

The main reasons for cutting out meat

Four years ago, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), an organization under the auspices of the World Health Organization, warned of the possible health consequences of eating large quantities of processed meat.

They mainly warned that excessive consumption of meat may be associated with colon cancer. The conclusions regarding the consumption of red meat were not so clear, but the IACR associated it with a higher risk of developing certain diseases.

In addition to health reasons, many people decide to cut out meat due to animal cruelty in the food industry.

Furthermore, the mass production of meat contributes to deforestation due to excessive grazing of cattle.

Cut out meat properly

If you want to cut out meat, make sure your new diet covers all your nutritional needs. For this, we recommend that you go to a nutritionist who can guide you in your healthy eating habits.