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Lockert Walker
Professor Courtney Edwards
English 101
March 17, 2015

The Flexitarian Diet: Another new fad diet or a healthy eating plan that reduces meat
consumption?
The health consequences of unhealthy eating and dieting are serious. Scientific research
confirms that a poor diet increases the risk of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease,
obesity, cancer, diabetes and stroke. How does a person choose the right diet when there are so
many gimmicks and claims of results? It can be especially challenging to start and maintain a
diet when your schedule is hectic and your budget is tight. There are numerous diets that exist
for different purposes and results. Some are well-known and advertised like the Atkins,
Caveman, Vegan Before 6 (VB6) and Weight Watchers Diet. Others are unheard of, like the
Hallelujah Diet, This is Why Youre Fat and The Personality Type Diet (WebMD, 2005-2015).
Much evidence suggests that a plant-based diet can help prevent and reduce these chronic
diseases like coronary heart disease, obesity, cancer, diabetes and stroke. The Flexitarian Diet
has been considered as one of best plant-based diets by US News Best Diets (2015).
Of the 35 popular diets ranked by U.S News, the Flexitarian Diet has also has been
ranked as #3 in easiest diets to follow, #6 in best overall diets and # 8 for best diets for healthy
eating. According to the Centers for Disease and Control the focus should be on choosing a
healthy eating plan or balanced diet. To understand how the Flexitarian diet works, I would
explore Dawn Jackson Blatner book; The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Loss
Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life as well as other sources.

Using the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015 description of a healthy eating plan, I would
analyze if the Flexitarian diet is another new gimmick diet or if it is a refreshing approach to
eating healthy that highlights the need to reduce meat consumption.
Defining the Flexitarian Diet
There are different definitions or spins on the Flexitarian diet which can cause confusion
for someone who is trying to understand this diet and at the same time it can be annoying for
those are a vegetarians. Flexitarian is a marriage of the words flexible and vegetarian. Kim
ODonnel (2014) author, journalist chef and Seattle resident defines flexitarian as a person who
consumes meat in moderation as part of a plant-based diet. Dietician and media spokesperson for
the National Dietician Association Dawn Jackson Blatner is often credited for coining the term
flexitarian. However, in her book, The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Loss
Weight, Be Healthier, Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life (2009) she states, I did not
make that this word up. As a matter of fact it was selected by the American Dialect Society as
the Most Useful Word of the Year in 2003 (ix).
Dawn Jackson Blatner describes a flexitarian as a flexible vegetarian that is a
vegetarian who is flexible enough to eat some poultry, fish and meat. Mark Bittman, N.Y Times
food columnist describes this diet as one that is higher in plants and lower in animal products.
According to U.S News a plant-based diet is an eating approach that emphasizes minimally
processed foods from plants and is built around healthy protein like nuts, seeds, beans and tofu.
Modest amounts of low-fat dairy and fish, lean meat are eaten on a weekly basis. Red meat is
eaten very sparingly like once a month. Flexitarians are also called Semi-Vegetarians or MeatEating Vegetarians. The definitions have been resented by many vegetarians because it confuses

the definition of a true vegetarian (Jackson). Others wonder or argue, if the Flexitarian Diet is
just a fad.
Fad diets have grown in popularity over the past years; they seem to be everywhere; they
appear in popular magazines, they are discussed on talk shows, promoted by celebrities and
advertised on television and websites. Their messages are the same: they promise quick results,
are easy to implement and promise extraordinary improvements in how their followers will look
for feel. According to Zoltan (2011) a fad diet is a specific food regiment that is typically
limited to no more than five foods or to one food group designed to create extreme short term
weight loss (326). Zolton also points out that food fads can be seen when chefs rediscover and
popularize ingredients and foods that were once overlooked. The Washington State Department
of Health admits that it can be challenging to figure out what is a fad diet because of all the
information that is out there about nutrition and dieting. Although fad diets continue to be like a
revolving door, the Flexitarian Diet has all the features of a dietary choice that will grow and stay
with the public.
Blatner describes the Flexitarian diet as a non-diet-lifestyle approach to getting healthy
and states this diet provides more nutrients that a typical American diet like more Vitamin C and
E, Fiber, potassium and magnesium. When Mark Bittman re-launched his food column in the
New York Times titled: The Flexitarian: Healthy Meets Delicious, he emphasized that it is not
a diet column but an eating column that is geared towards the conscious and moderate eater.
Bittman argues that the word flexitarian contains many helpful implications for how people view
healthy eating and vegetarianism. Karen Ansel (2014)- a dietitian- states that this diet provides a
happy middle ground and offers a gateway into a more plant-based diet for not just adults but

also children. The Flexitarian diet can make people aware of the need to increase their
consumption of plant-based foods and reduce their meat consumption of meat.
Reduction of Unhealthy Meat Consumption
Blatner (2010) stated that although meat is an important part of the diet is should be
limited because of health and disease prevention. For instance, a plant based diet decreases your
risk of diabetes and cancer and promotes weight loss, improved heart health longer life
expectancy. The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee found moderate to high
evidence that higher intake of red and processed meat was identified as detrimental compared to
lower intake. De Bakker and Dagevos (2012) looked at the negative impact of meat
consumption on our environment and argue that meat has a significant impact on the
environment more than any other food because of its requirements. They also pointed out that to
raise and transport meat requires a great amount of energy, food, water and space. For instance,
more than 260 million of acres of forests have been cleared to create cropland to feed farmed
animals. 70% of the cereals and grain we grow are used to feed animals who in return produce
little meat and dairy products. More than 2,400 gallons of water are required to produce 1 pound
of meat; compared to the 25 gallons that are required for 1 pound of wheat. The 2015 Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee shared the same view pointing out that current evidence shoes
the average U.S diet has a larger environmental impact in terms of increased greenhouse gas
emissions, land use ,weather use and energy use compared to the Vegetarian diet and a Healthy
U.S style diet.
Given the impact of meat consumption on our environment, a Flexitarian diet can help to
make our diet more sustainable while reducing the carbon footprint that raising and transporting
meat has on our environment. According to United States Department of Agriculture, meat

consumption in the U.S has dropped down to slightly to186.6 pounds; this was in 2011. Prior to
that it was 203.2 pounds. A 2012 NPR-Truven Health Analytics poll was done to find out about
peoples meat consumption, particularly read meat consumption. The poll found the following:
56 % reported that they eat red meat (defined as all meat products except poultry and fish) one
to four times per week, and nearly the same number 55 percent say their meat intake hasn't
changed in the past three years. But 39 percent said they eat less meat than they did three years
ago. The following chart from the survey shows the reasons people gave for reducing their meat
consumption.

Source: Barclay (2012)

However, the Earth Policy Institute shows an interesting trend in the types of meat that has been
consumed. For instance, as the consumption of beef began to decline in the 1970s, poultry began
to rise quickly. Then, chicken exceeded beef as our No. 1 meat of choice. However, our
consumption of pork has also risen somewhat over the years (Barclay 2012).

Source: Barclay (2012)

However, according to Carrier (2011) we still eat more meat more than any other nation
in the planet. We are still eating 8 ounces a day which based on the American Heart
Associations standards- is quite a lot. The American Heart Association recommends 3 to 6
ounces of meat that is lean per day. However, Kim ODonnel (2014) author, journalist chef and
Seattle is encouraged about the slight shift in meat reduction. She notes this the challenge to the
meat eating status quo is in part due a collective shift in perception and attitudes about meat in
the past five years. The perception and attitudes stem from concerns about personal health,
animal welfare, environmental impact and food safety.
The Flexitarian Diet understands how difficult it is for some people to be weaned from
eating too much meat and has a beginner level in addition to the advanced and expert level. The
beginner level encourages 26 ounces of meat or poultry per week. Overall, a diet higher in plantbased foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in
calories and animal-based foods is more health promoting and is associated with less

environmental impact than is the current U.S. diet (2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory
Committee).
How Does the Flexitarian Diet
In The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Loss Weight, Be Healthier,
Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life Blatner offers guidelines on how to follow this
diet. She points out that following a Flexitarian Diet is not about restricting or taking away food;
it is about adding five food groups to your diet. The five food groups include: (1) the new
meat: lentils, tofu, beans, eggs, nuts, peas and seeds; (2) fruits and vegetables; (3) whole grains,
(4) diary and (5) condiments-dried herbs, salad dressing and natural sweeteners. Blatner created
a five-week meal plan that provides breakfast, lunch, and dinner and snack recipes. This plan can
be followed as outlined or modified for different weeks to meet your needs. The choices for
breakfast are about 300 calories, for lunch 400 calories, 500 calories for dinners, snacks are 150
calories. The meal plan can be modified for fewer or slightly more calories depending on a
persons age, activity level, weight, health status and gender. In addition to the five-food groups
and five week meal plan, Blatner also offers lots of recipes and trouble-shooting ideas
Karen Ansel a nationally recognized registered dietitian nutritionist and author offered
suggestion on how the Flexitarian Diet can be implemented particularly to children. She
recommends rethinking what goes on your plate-by having your plate look like the USDAs
MyPlate where vegetables and fruits cover half their plates; then the lean protein and whole
grains are divided 50-50. Ansel also cautions that it can be easy for macaroni and cheese, pizza
and French fries to become center stage when meat moves to the sidelines. However, they types
of foods lack the nutrients like other plant based food. She recommends using meal plans to help
with ideas of how and what to eat.

This diet has been ranked #3 out of 35 diets in being the easiest to follow because it
emphasizes progress one step at a time and flexibility. The book and website includes lots of
practical guidelines and meal plans. Actually, half of the book focuses on recipes. The resources
that are provided take a lot of the hard work that is often involved in planning. There are no strict
diet plans or counting of calories or tracking of carbohydrates grams.
Criticisms of the Flexitarian Diet
Denise Webb, doctor and registered dietitian, point out that this diet is very healthy and
the lack of rigidity is advantageous. However, this may not be good for some people who are
looking for more definitive direction. For instance, she points out that there are some people who
want to eat a mostly plant based diet but are not ready to go meat free. She argues that the book
does not provide step-by-step directions on how to include meat in a mostly vegetarian diet or
how to wean yourself gradually from meat, poultry and fish instead this is left up the reader.
Webb argues that there are too much choices where there are millions meal combinations that
can be created with recipes. Webbs criticism is constructive.
Nevertheless, Blatners book is not meant to be a one size fit all approach but instead it
offers guidelines and flexibility for the readers. It is up to the reader to seek out additional
resources or help through their medical professional or their dietitian for their own personalized
needs. In examining the book, Blatner does offer specific meal plans that includes a five-week
meal plan and has three levels of flexitarians that point to the amount of weekly meat
consumption. In the beginning of the book she has a survey to help the readers determine their
FlexScore whether they are a: beginner, advanced and expert flexitarian. This was a good tool
because it helped the reader to understand that healthy eating is a journey. My only criticism,
however, would be the descriptions of the different levels. For instance, it emphasized how much

meat is eaten based on the levels. I would have also loved to see how much vegetables and fruits
that are supposed to be eaten especially if I am totally new to this type of eating.
The recently released 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages Americans to
eat more plant-based foods. The report found that a diet higher in plant-based foods, such as
vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and lower in calories and animal-based
foods is more health promoting and is associated with less environmental impact than is the
current U.S. diet. The benefits of a plant-based diet include improved health, longer life
expectancy, and weight loss and decreased risks of cancer and diabetes. You do not have to be a
be a full-fledged vegetarian to gain the benefits of healthy eating. With meat as a side dish
instead of a main staple, and an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, legumes and nuts,
the Flexitarian diet is certainly not another new gimmick diet but is a refreshing approach to
eating healthy that reduces meat consumption.

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Works Cited
Ansel. Karen. Should your Child Be a Flexitarian? Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 21
Jan.2014. Web. 05 Feb.2015.
Barclay, Eliza. A Nation of Meat Eaters: See How it all Adds Up. NPR. Web. 27 June, 2012.
Web. 12 Feb. 2015
Carrier, Daniel. et al. Trends in Meat Consumption in the United States Public health
nutrition. 14:4 (2011): 575-583. PCM. Web. 7 Feb 2015
De Bakker, Erik, and Hans Dagevos. "Reducing Meat Consumption in Today's Consumer
Society: Questioning the Citizen-Consumer Gap." Journal of Agricultural and
Environmental Ethics 25.6 (2012): 877-94. ProQuest. Web. 10 Feb. 2015
Dietary Advisory Guidelines Committee. 2015. Web. 1 Feb 2015
Jackson, Dawn. The Flexitarian Diet: The Mostly Vegetarian Way to Loss Weight, Be Healthier,
Prevent Disease and Add Years to Your Life. McCraw-Hill. 2010. Print.
ODonneil, Kim. Become a Flexitarian. Mother Earth News. 264, 2014. Academic Search.
U.S News Best Diets 2015, Web. 5 Feb. 2015. http://health.usnews.com/best-diet
Sabat, Joan, and Yen Ang. "Vegetarian Diets." Encyclopedia of Lifestyle Medicine & Health.
Ed. James M. Rippe. Vol. 2. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Reference, 2012. 1117-1124.
Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Jan. 2015.
WedMD. Weight Loss and Diet Plans, 2005-2015. Web. 9 Feb. 2015.

How do Plant-Based Diets Work?" U.S.News & World Report 01 2013: 1. ProQuest. Web. 2
Feb. 2015.
Popper, Pam. Flexitarian Eating: Fat Protein and Alzheimers Disease. Online video clip.
YouTube. YouTube, 03 Apr. 2013. Web. 08 Feb.2015.

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Washington State Department of Health. Healthy Eating. (n.d). Web. 215 February 2015.

Zoltan, Melanie Barton. "Food Fads." Food: In Context. Ed. Brenda Wilmoth Lerner and K. Lee
Lerner. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2011. 326-329. In Context Series. Gale Virtual Reference
Library. Web. 16 Feb. 2015. URL