Copyright © 2021 · Vegetarian Health Institute

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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................................. 1

How to Start Reducing Your Meat Intake.................................................................................................5

Top 5 Tips to Reduce Your Meat Intake...................................................................................................8

Assess Your Lifestyle, Needs, and Expectations................................................................................8
Have an “Abundance Mindset”............................................................................................................9
Do Your Research.................................................................................................................................. 9
VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt: How to Make “Meaty”
Meals That Your Meat-Eating Family and Friends Will Love .................................................11
Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals............................................................................................................................15
Make It Fun!.........................................................................................................................................16
Bonus Tip.............................................................................................................................................17

3 Key Considerations When Adopting a Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet...........................................18

Deficiencies .........................................................................................................................................18
VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt:
The Truth About Vitamin B12.................................................................................................19
Meat Detox Symptoms.......................................................................................................................22
Getting Enough Protein......................................................................................................................22
VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson:
Six Ways To Get Plenty Of Protein.............................................................................................. 23

Recipes
Balsamic Orange Glazed Tempeh ....................................................................................................26
Seitan Merguez Sausage....................................................................................................................27
Open-Faced Burritos...........................................................................................................................28
Yuba Rolls with Black Chanterelles and Anise Scented Tofu.........................................................29
Basic Flax Cracker Recipe...................................................................................................................30

Recap and Next Steps..............................................................................................................................31

References .................................................................................................................................................32
Introduction
You may not realize it now, but by opening this book you are making a giant leap towards better
health for yourself, animals, and the planet. Hooray!

In this book, we’ve put together everything you need to know to start reducing your meat
intake, including samples of lessons from our VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program! PLUS,
we’re giving you five mouth-watering, plant-based recipes to prove you don’t have to sacrifice
deliciousness to live according to your values (and they’re packed with protein specifically to
make it even easier to replace the meat in your diet).

This book covers the benefits of reducing your meat consumption, tangible ways you can
achieve this, and the nutritional in’s and out’s of a plant-based diet. The goal is to get you feeling
your best and make your meat reduction journey as seamless as possible.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 1

To begin, let’s quickly review four key reasons why you might be interested in consuming less
meat in your diet.

• The Environment

According to the North American Meat Institute [1], 9 billion (with a B!) chickens,
121 million hogs, 2.2 million sheep and lambs, 241.7 million turkeys, and 32.2 million
cattle and calves were slaughtered in 2017 to meet the incredible demand for meat in the
United States.

To raise this many meat-producing animals requires millions of hectares of land and
billions of gallons of water. Especially because, when you farm animals, you must also
use land to grow food for them. In fact, the single largest reason for deforestation is the
production of meat [2]!

This is just one of the reasons why meat production and climate change are directly
linked. With deforestation, we lose millions of trees that our world depends on to absorb
carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas.

This level of animal farming also causes excessive amounts of methane, yet another
greenhouse gas that leads to more of the sun’s heat being trapped within our
atmosphere, raising global temperatures.

2 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

• Your Health

Multiple studies have been conducted on meat consumption as a predictor of health,

and have concluded that a diet high in meat puts people at an increased risk of stroke,
diabetes, various cancers, and heart disease. For example, a study by the British Medical
Journal (BMJ) found that at an increment of one serving per day, red meat and/or
processed meat consumption put people at about a 12% higher risk for coronary heart
disease (CHD) than those who did not eat these products [3].

Yet another area meat intake impacts health is our gastrointestinal tract, aka our gut. As
we know, gut health is central to healthy metabolism, moods, hormones, and immunity.
A study by the European Heart Journal found that meat, and red meat in particular, is
especially detrimental to the gut microbiome. It promotes inflammatory bowel disease
and raises levels of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a byproduct of “bad” gut bacteria that
has been linked to a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes [4].

The study further indicated that consuming meat is linked to many more gut-related
issues, including depression, irregular bowel movements, bowel irritability, inflammation,
metabolic issues, and hormone imbalance.

For most people, a reduction in meat intake leads to many positive changes in their well-
being, especially when their meat consumption is replaced with whole foods and plant-
based proteins. Due to the added nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants from shifting towards
a plant-based diet, you can look forward to an increased sense of vitality and lightness.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 3

 • Your Wallet

Pound for pound, plant-based foods are cheaper than meat!

With proper planning, shopping for local and seasonal whole foods, and doing most of
your cooking at home, eating a plant-based diet is highly cost-effective.

Plant-based foods cost much less than meat simply because it takes far less energy,
space, water, physical effort, and resources to grow plants. Additionally, there are many
plant-based foods you can buy in bulk and store for extended periods, such as grains,
nuts, seeds, and legumes, that cut costs even further.

• Reducing Inhumane Treatment of Animals

It should come as no surprise that mass-produced livestock is subject to grotesquely

inhumane treatment.

Battery cages, pens with less than a square foot of space, constant artificial insemination,
force-feeding, chemical feeds, and mass slaughter are standard practices used by factory
farms. These large-scale farming operations do whatever it takes to maximize profits with
the least amount of resources possible given to the comfort and well-being of the animals.

Animals are not treated as living, feeling beings. They are “the product.”

While the numbers shared above may make some people feel like their choices alone
won’t make an impact, we know that every ounce of effort counts. It is estimated that, in 1
year on a vegan diet, a person can save over:

3 10,000 square feet of forest

3 400,000 gallons of water
3 14,500 pounds of grain
3 7,300 pounds of carbon dioxide, and
3 365 animal lives

That’s just ONE person! If you’re ready to be that one, read on to discover how you can
reduce your meat intake.

For more information about how to

successfully and sustainably transition to plant-based living,
check out the VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program.

4 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

How to Start Reducing Your Meat Intake
Reducing your meat consumption comes by making many different choices – both large and
small. Don’t be deterred by the misconception that reducing or eliminating your meat intake
has to be an “all or nothing” endeavor. If you fear that cutting out ALL meat at once may be too
challenging, that’s okay! There are many levels of conscious meat reduction, and all can and do
make a positive impact.

The most important factor is setting clear rules (and exceptions, if any) for yourself that you can
confidently sustain long term. Pay attention to how your changes make you feel, your overall
goals, and know that you can continually adapt!

Lifestyles That Intentionally Reduce Animal Product Consumption

Here are some definitions of popular lifestyles you may fall under when starting your meat
reduction journey:

• Vegetarian

A vegetarian diet completely eliminates meat. That means no seafood, fish, poultry, beef,
pork, or game. A general “lacto-ovo vegetarian” diet may include milk, cheese, honey, and
eggs. Common variations on this diet include a “lacto vegetarian,” which eliminates eggs
but allows dairy, or an “ovo vegetarian,” which eliminates dairy but allows eggs.

The advantage of a vegetarian diet is that it’s an excellent lifestyle to improve your health
without getting the sense that you’re veering too far away from food you are used to
eating. Since it is less restrictive, vegetarianism can also be useful for people who travel
frequently, or have limited access to plant-based foods.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 5

 • Vegan

A vegan diet also completely eliminates seafood, fish, poultry, beef, pork, or game, plus any
animal by-products, including honey, dairy, and eggs. Many who choose to identify as vegan
do so because it has become synonymous with a “vegan lifestyle” or “vegan philosophy.”
In addition to avoiding animal products in their diet, vegans will also avoid clothes, dyes,
makeup, and any other items linked to the exploitation of and/or cruelty towards animals.

In short, all who live a vegan lifestyle follow a vegan diet, but not all who follow a vegan
diet live a fully vegan lifestyle. Both categories of people are “vegan.”

There are many advantages of a vegan diet, especially when done with appropriate
planning, supplementation, and plant diversity. Digestion, immunity, cardiovascular
strength, and so many other health factors commonly improve on a vegan diet. Some
vegans may eat more processed foods than others – a vegan who consumes no processed
foods would be called a “Whole Foods Plant-Based Vegan.”

• Whole Foods Plant-Based (WFPB)

As the name implies, adherents to this diet consume whole, plant-based foods but do
not necessarily eliminate the consumption of animals and animal products. The theme of
this diet is to avoid processed foods, which includes oil, and to consciously reduce animal
product consumption to a level that is more sustainable for the planet. A variation on this
diet, called simply “plant-based,” implies that a person does consume oil.

Many people start with WFPB or as a “flexitarian” (see description on pg. 7) because
animal products are not entirely off the table. By eliminating the consumption of
processed foods and lowering their intake of animal products, many people find this to be
a diet they can maintain while still experiencing significant health benefits. A typical plate
might include fresh vegetables, whole grains, and vegetable sides. To this, a small 2-3
ounce portion of meat may be added or cheese sprinkled over the vegetables, instead of
animal-based products being the main event of the meal.

• Pescatarian

Pescatarians follow the same rules as a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet, except the consumption
of seafood and fish is allowed.

Those who change to a pescatarian diet may still see improvements in their heart health,
vitality, and inflammation levels. With the elimination of beef, poultry, and pork, keeping
seafood in the mix can help reduce meat withdrawal symptoms (more on this below).

6 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 • Reducetarian/Flexitarian

A reducetarian or flexitarian diet follows a mostly vegan diet, with the occasional serving
of meat. How “occasional” is defined is up to the individual. A flexitarian dieter’s primary
focus is to reduce their carbon footprint by consuming less meat.

There are no universal or strict rules to what flexitarians eat, only that they intentionally
and significantly reduce the quantity and frequency with which they consume animal
products.

The advantage of a flexitarian diet lies in its name; it’s flexible and, in theory, less
intimidating. A flexitarian diet may resonate well with people seeking a small, slow dietary
change. It is often the first step for those actively seeking to reduce their animal product
intake and their carbon footprint.

As long as the majority of the diet consists mainly of whole, plant-based foods, any of these
dietary styles can lead to an improved health status. For optimal health, we do recommend
a whole foods plant-based diet. However, it’s crucial that anyone planning to adopt a plant-
based diet is well informed and prepared before making the change. This is why we created the
VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program.

Key Takeaways:
At the end of the day, there’s no one-size-fits-all diet because we are all so different.
What may work for someone you know isn’t necessarily going to work for you. You
need to find a diet that supports your lifestyle, daily activity, relationship with food,
and any underlying health conditions. Put simply, the “right” diet choice for you is
the one that makes YOU feel your best.

Use these diet descriptions as a guide and fine-tune them to meet your specific
needs. Not only will this ensure that the diet you follow leaves you feeling
energized, nourished, and satisfied... it will also make you want to stick to it!

For detailed nutritional guidance on getting ALL the nutrients you need
while eating a plant-based diet,
enroll in our VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program!
Get an extra 67% off for a limited time!

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 7

Top 5 Tips to Reduce Your Meat Intake
1 Assess Your Lifestyle, Needs, and Expectations

What does your diet currently look like?

Would you benefit from taking it slow or going cold… tofurkey? ;-)
How much time do you have to cook and/or meal prep?
Are prepared vegan dishes a better option for you?

Your reasons, your health status, your culinary knowledge, your support system, your daily life,
and your environment are just a few factors that will make your plant-based journey unique to
you.

That’s why it’s important to know yourself. How much meat do you currently eat? Why do you
choose it? Do you eat it because it’s all you have access to? Is it what you’re accustomed to? Is it
because it’s what the people around you are eating? These are all things you need to get in tune
with to set yourself up for success.

If you can, write these observations down. Now take it one step further and think about the
level of difficulty these obstacles present. Using a scale of 1-10 (where 1=very unsure; 10=totally
certain), rate how confident you feel that you can overcome these obstacles. Is there anything
you could do to bring everything closer to a 10? Brainstorm solutions and write down your
answers. Start with the barrier that feels easiest to overcome, and only move on once you’ve
mastered that challenge. Continue this check-in process as you move forward.

8 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 2 Have an “Abundance Mindset”

Focus on what you can add to your diet, not on what you’re missing.

The culinary world of plant-based foods is ripe with opportunities to expand your kitchen skills.
As you hunt for satisfying substitutions to fill your plate, you’ll quickly discover that there’s a
whole rainbow of plant foods eager to win over your tastebuds. Legumes, pulses, whole grains,
pseudo grains, roots, mushrooms, leafy greens, collard greens, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds,
herbs, and spices are all on the table.

Reframe thoughts like “I took away my [insert meat], now what?” to the more empowering,
“I’m going to have at least 3 colors at each meal, and at least 1 of those will be a non-starchy
vegetable.” Though it may seem minor, this shift in thinking can make a significant positive
difference in your mood and energy towards sticking to your dietary changes.

All it takes is a bit of creativity, learning a few new recipes, and focusing on what plant-based
foods you’re adding as opposed to the meat that you’re taking away from your diet.

3 Do Your Research

For starters, read this ebook! You can also obtain the ultimate, comprehensive, science-based course
on transitioning to a vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based lifestyle with the VegHealth Nutrition
Mastery Program. Discover all that’s included at www.VegHealthMastery.com.

As with any new endeavor, information is power. Reducing your meat intake is no exception.
Research helps you to identify, prepare for, and/or prevent potential roadblocks before
they happen. Even the cleanest whole foods plant-based diet has limitations, such as the risk of
B12 deficiency (more on this in the Considerations section on pg 18).

Beyond nutritional risk factors, it’s also useful to research things like restaurants that offer meat-
free options, simple recipes you can master, and what plant-based protein options are available
at your local grocery store.

Find the types of resources that resonate with you. Videos, podcasts, books, lifestyle websites,
ebooks, and, of course, the VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program, are great information
sources that can help you thrive on your plant-based journey.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 9

The two most common barriers people encounter when they start to reduce their meat
consumption are:

1. Not Feeling Full

A common pitfall of many dietary changes is that people don’t feel full or satisfied
after a meal (particularly when they’re in a “subtraction” mindset instead of one of
“abundance”). This is especially true for people used to having meat as the center of
their meal. Avoid this pitfall by doing your research on plant-based proteins, and set
a goal to fill at least half your plate with non-starchy vegetables. Bean and lentil
burgers, a side salad with quinoa, and green pea soup make for an excellent
protein-packed meal.

2. Not Knowing How to Cook Plant Proteins Properly

Believe it or not, on a culinary level, plant protein doesn’t veer that far off from
working with meat. The way you would grill burgers, bake chicken, or make a stir-fry
with beef isn’t that different from how you would grill veggie burgers, bake tofu, or
make a stir-fry with tempeh. Is there a specific meat or dish you love? Search it on the
internet with “vegan” or “plant-based” in front of the name, and you will no doubt find
a meat-free version.

From eggplant steaks, lentil bolognese, and tofu tenders to mushroom burgers, there’s
a plant-based alternative to most meaty dishes. In addition to the 200+ recipes included
in the VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program, there are also lessons on how to
veganize your favorite comfort foods, baked goods, and meat-like dishes. Read on for
an excerpt from our lesson on making meaty meals.

10 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt:
How to Make “Meaty” Meals That Your Meat-Eating
Family and Friends Will Love

When we crave dishes with meaty flavors and textures, what we miss isn’t animal flesh.
It’s really two things:

1. A meaty texture we can sink our teeth into.

2. Umami – the fifth flavor. This is a satiating sensation on your palate rather than an
identifiable flavor (like sour, sweet, or spicy). It’s the savory or “meaty” flavor.

Achieving a “Meaty” Texture

The meatiest foods are the ones with a firm

texture. The following foods are great for
achieving this:

• Tempeh
• Pressed tofu
• Mushrooms, when cooked
“right”
• Seitan

For a texture that reminds

some of poultry “skin,” seek out
fresh tofu skin (which is called
“yuba”) and use it like a spring roll
wrapper, wrapped around shredded
vegetables and tofu, brushed with soy
and oil, and baked.

It’s very savory. Seitan, in particular, can be

manipulated to take on textures that are very close to meat. It
depends on how it’s seasoned and whether it’s wrapped tightly in
cheesecloth for a very firm sausage texture. It’s also great for medallions
and can also be baked as a loaf. Then moisture penetrates it, giving it a
softer but still chewy texture.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 11

 VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt:
How to Make “Meaty” Meals That Your Meat-Eating
Family and Friends Will Love

Unlocking Umami Flavour

The glutamate family of amino acids, especially glutamic acid, is known for providing this
elusive umami flavor. We all know of monosodium glutamate (MSG), aka salt of glutamic
acid. We usually steer clear of it for potential health risks. But MSG occurs naturally in the
foods listed below, and it’s the key to creating the umami effect.

Foods with natural umami flavor:

• Sea vegetables
• Tomatoes
• Mushrooms
• Fermented foods

In terms of flavor and achieving that meaty quality, many cooks keep coming back to mushrooms
and fermented condiments like tamari and miso. The fermentation is caused by yeast, a fungus
that is part of the mushroom kingdom.

Fun Fact
Mushrooms and yeasts have amino acid chains that are a little
closer in similarity to the animal kingdom than that of the plant
kingdom, which is why they provide a “meaty flavor.”

The influence of heat and sugars on these amino acid chains is

the key to achieving a meaty quality. It’s known as the Maillard
Reaction. It’s similar to caramelization, but as the denatured
proteins caramelize, they react by binding with sugars.

This process is achieved through high dry heat, as moisture inhibits

this process.

12 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt:
How to Make “Meaty” Meals That Your Meat-Eating
Family and Friends Will Love

The Maillard Reaction in Effect:

To demonstrate, imagine taking two oyster mushrooms. You throw one in a pan with a little
water and place the other on a grill, broiler, or sear with a little oil in a sauté pan. After cooking
both for two minutes, the boiled mushroom is flabby and bland, while the grilled, broiled, or
seared mushroom smells more mushroomy or meaty, and has a little brown or char. When
salted, it should be far more satisfying.

Why the difference? The high heat breaks down the proteins and caramelizes them with the
mushroom’s naturally occurring sugars. Boiling just disperses these elements.

Quick tip
Don’t crowd your pan when searing mushrooms, vegetables, or
vegetable proteins. You need space so the moisture can evaporate
and help you achieve the Maillard Reaction (vs. boiling them!).

The Savory Delights of a Smoky Flavor

Lastly, the process of smoking foods

creates that satiating meaty quality
that many of us pine for in our meals.
Fortunately, you don’t need a smoker to
achieve this quality. What’s more, using
the ingredients below might be safer than
smoking foods because the ash and tar are
filtered out.

Ingredients to use for a smoky flavor:

• Smoked salt
• Smoked paprika
• Smoked dulse
• Smoked tea leaves (Lapsang Souchong tea)
• High-quality liquid smoke

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 13

 VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt:
How to Make “Meaty” Meals That Your Meat-Eating
Family and Friends Will Love

The Joys of Soy and Other Fermented Products

Soy sauce and miso are great for maximizing meatiness in vegan cuisine. You’ll see it in many
savory plant-based recipes; again, a yeast-fermented product high in glutamates.

That said, you can achieve a similar effect with other yeast-fermented products, such as balsamic
or red wine vinegar, both fermented products high in natural sugars.

Key Takeaways:
• If you’re craving meat, make a dish that recreates a
meaty texture or captures the umami flavor (or both).
• Firm vegetables like tempeh, pressed tofu, mushrooms,
and seitan provide a great firm texture.
• Eat mushrooms, sea vegetables, tomatoes, and fer-
mented foods for a full umami flavor.
• Add a smoky flavor or use fermented products like soy
sauce to kick the flavor up a notch.

14 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 4 Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals

A “SMART” goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timed. SMART goals are a classic
organizational tool for good reason. They help you identify your strengths and areas for improvement,
they allow you to visualize and track your changes, and they provide a distinct sense of direction.

The following is an example of a SMART goal:

“For the next 7 days, all of my lunches will be free of beef, poultry, fish, or pork. For any lunch
that would typically contain meat, I will make a smoothie using [insert recipe] with 3 ounces of
silken tofu as my protein source. I will portion out the ingredients and freeze them for the week
this Sunday.”

This goal is…

• Specific, because it includes which meal will be meat-free, what kind of animal products
are to be avoided, what the new meals will look like (the recipe and inclusion of tofu as a
comparable substitution), and how this person plans to have the meals ready.
• Measurable, because it includes a time frame (the next 7 days). Also, by specifying what
animal products to avoid, it allows easy measurement of whether or not the goal was
followed.
• Achievable, because smoothies are usually very easy and fast because there’s no cooking
involved. As stated in the goal, they can also be prepared ahead of time, making following
through more achievable.
• Realistic, because it is set for a short amount of time. Additionally, replacing lunches with
smoothies may be more realistic than replacing them with a complicated new recipe if the
person has no prior cooking experience.
• Timed, because it is set for “the next 7 days.” The unwritten intention is that the person
will then check in, evaluate how they did, and either modify or continue with the goal.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 15

 5 Make It Fun!

Similar to having an abundance mindset, framing your lifestyle changes as “fun” instead of a chore
can make the experience easier and will increase your odds of maintaining your changes. Recipe
exchanges with friends, finding new restaurants, dishes, and ingredients to try, or taking plant-based
cooking lessons are all ways to bring more joy to reducing your meat consumption.

How you feel as you shift towards eating less meat and more plants is in your hands. If you think
the process is going to be hard, it will be. If you think it’s going to be amazing, it will be!

Sharing your journey with your friends and family can be a great way to gain support
and motivation. With the wonders of the internet, you can also find social support through
local or online groups with people on a similar path. There you can all share your knowledge,
experiences, recipes, and tips, like how to conquer cravings.

Living a meat-free lifestyle is more popular than ever, which means access to plant-based food
is more accessible than ever before! There’s an exciting world of plant-based grocery items
and restaurants intent on minimizing the effort it takes to be happily meat-free. Restaurants
especially can help you discover what kinds of plant-based dishes you enjoy and might like to
add to your growing collection of go-to meatless recipes.

Documenting your plant-based journey can be a joy as well. Whether you do this with
beautiful photos, a food journal, a dedicated group chat among a community sharing your
experience, or social media stories documenting your experience, look for ways to make your
experience more meaningful.

16 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 6 Bonus Tip: Remember Your “Why” and Be Gentle With Yourself

Modifying your diet and lifestyle is a big change. In addition to changing what you eat at home,
it can also involve changing how you shop, how you cook, how you socialize, and even how you
feel towards food.

This is why it’s useful to identify WHY you want to make changes before you start. Write down
your reasons, and stick them somewhere you can easily spot them. Then, if you ever feel that
you’re struggling to keep up with your new lifestyle, go back to your why. This will be the most
powerful motivator and can help keep you centered as you move forward with your efforts.

If you do fail to meet your goals, be gentle with yourself. Try to identify why it happened, what
you can learn from the experience, and how you can change your goals to make them more
realistic and achievable next time.

In general, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to avoid comparison. Don’t judge
yourself or others. As you work towards reducing your meat intake, listen to your body and
note how the changes you’re making make you feel. Naturally, some people will be able
to reduce meat more easily, while others may find it to be more of a challenge. Some may
find small, gradual changes work best for them, while others may feel that an immediate and
dramatic change would benefit them the most. All approaches and paces are valid. Focus on
yourself and own your journey.

Need Extra Support?

When you enroll in our VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program, you get
members-only access to our private Facebook groups where you can get
customized guidance on how to live a healthy vegan lifestyle from the community,
as well as our in-house Registered Dietitian Nutritionist!

Enroll now and get an extra 67% off for a limited time!

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 17

3 Key Considerations When Adopting
a Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet
As mentioned earlier, even the “healthiest” diets have limitations. Before reducing or eliminating
animal products in your diet, therefore, there are three main concerns you need to be aware of.

1. Deficiencies

While it is possible to obtain the majority of your nutrients from whole food, plant-based
sources, it does take a conscious effort, and some nutrients are more challenging to acquire
than others. People who follow a vegan or plant-based diet need to be more mindful of their
intake of vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, iron, and vitamin B12.

In the VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program, we cover how to obtain these crucial
nutrients in depth. While most needs can be met through foods, vitamin B12 must be
consumed via fortified foods or supplements. Why? Read the highlights from our lesson on
B12 on the next page...

18 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt:
The Truth About Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin needed in DNA synthesis. It’s critical in maturing red blood
cells in your bone marrow. And it helps nerve fibers form and function in your brain, spinal cord,
and peripheral nerves. With a deficiency of B12, vital cells will not develop properly. You can
become anemic and suffer from spinal cord damage.

B12 is also required to turn the amino acid homocysteine into methionine. If you have a B12
deficiency, homocysteine will build up to toxic levels in your bloodstream, damaging your arteries
and leading to atherosclerosis.

Where Does B12 Come From?

Contrary to popular belief, B12 doesn’t exclusively come from consuming animals. Vitamin B12
also comes from microorganisms, mostly bacteria that live in soil, water, and the digestive
tracts of animals.

In centuries past, people could get B12 by drinking from streams or by working in gardens
and then eating without washing their hands thoroughly. Since we no longer do these things,
“natural” plant-based sources of vitamin B12 have dropped out of modern life.

It’s true that there are bacteria in the human gut that synthesize B12. However, they live well
beyond the part of the intestine where B12 is absorbed.

If you’re a vegan, there are only two reliable sources of B12:

1. fortified foods
2. high-quality supplements

How is B12 Stored in Your Body?

For B12 to be absorbed from your gut into your bloodstream, it must combine with a protein
secreted by the stomach lining called intrinsic factor. B12 is stored in your blood, liver, and
muscles. 0.2% of your B12 stores are lost each day. So if you don’t consume a regular, reliable
source of B12, you’ll eventually become deficient. This could take years to manifest fully.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 19

 VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson Excerpt:
The Truth About Vitamin B12

Long-term vegans who don’t supplement may not appear to suffer in the short term. But they
may actually have elevated levels of homocysteine, or subtle neurologic dysfunction.

Two subgroups of vegans are at particular risk:

Vegans who avoid fortified foods like cereal, rice milk, and soy milk. These most typically
include raw food vegans and macrobiotics.

Infants who are breastfed, and whose vegan mothers don’t consume enough B12.

If these groups don’t supplement their diets with a reliable B12 source, they will eventually
develop a deficiency.

Signs of B12 Deficiency

In adults, typical deficiency symptoms can include:

• Loss of energy
• Tingling
• Numbness
• Reduced sensitivity to pain or pressure
• Blurred vision
• Abnormal gait
• Sore tongue
• Poor memory
• Confusion
• Hallucinations
• Personality changes

However, there is no entirely consistent and reliable set of symptoms. Furthermore, these symptoms
often develop gradually over several months to a year before the B12 deficiency is recognized.

Symptoms of B12 deficiency can usually be reversed by administering supplemental B12.

Although there are cases of permanent damage in adults from B12 deficiency.

Important Note: If you suspect a problem, then get a skilled diagnosis from a medical practitioner,
as the symptoms above can be caused by other problems too, not just B12 deficiency.

20 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 Note
Because of the lack of vitamin B12 in a fully plant-based diet, we cover this topic
in-depth in our VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program. As a member you’ll learn:

• When nutritional yeast has less B12 than it claims to

• How much B12 is in fermented soy products, amesake rice, umeboshi
prunes, and the soil on unwashed veggies
• Which foods are purported to be good B12 sources, but actually block the
absorption of active B12... causing B12 deficiency
• How to know if you’re deficient in B12
• The latest RDA for men, women, children, and pregnant and breastfeeding
mothers
• A mouth-watering recipe for a Nutritional Yeast Gravy
• Our supplementation recommendations
• And so much more!

For detailed nutritional guidance on getting ALL the nutrients you need while eating a
plant-based diet (including how much and where to get them)...

Enroll in our VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program!

Get an extra 67% off for a limited time!

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 21

2. Meat Detox Symptoms

Did you know that you can suffer from “meat withdrawals” when reducing or eliminating your
meat intake?

While meat isn’t medically addictive, those who are accustomed to having meat as the main
portion of their meal are likely to crave it and may experience withdrawal-like symptoms
including headaches, fatigue, brain fog, and irritability. Luckily, these symptoms should not last
more than a few weeks. Once you get beyond this phase, you should begin experiencing the
increase in energy, mental clarity, and overall well-being that comes from reducing your meat
intake.

To reduce these symptoms, make sure you are getting adequate fiber from plant-based sources.
Among its dozens of health benefits, adequate fiber intake leads to increased satiety and
reduced cravings.

Remember to strive for progress, not perfection. If you continue to have trouble feeling satisfied
with your meal, consider setting a short-term SMART goal that corresponds with a “flexitarian”
or “plant-based” diet which includes a small, specific allowance for animal products. Then, once
you’ve accomplished that goal and feel confident in your changes, you may push yourself to
reduce your animal product consumption further.

3. Getting Enough Protein

Perhaps the most common concern people have is how they will get enough protein on a
plant-based diet. Fortunately, plants have plenty of protein! In fact, a true “protein deficiency” is
EXTREMELY rare in the United States, even on a vegan diet. Many people think they need more
protein than they actually do. That said, we always encourage increasing your knowledge and
playing it safe.

As a general guideline, here’s how much a protein a person needs on a daily basis:

Weight (kg) x 0.8 to 1.0 = Minimum daily protein goal in grams

Example: A person who weighs 60kg (132 pounds) will need at least
48-60 grams of protein to meet their daily needs.

Plant protein is as abundant as it is varied. In the following lesson excerpt from our
VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program, we delve into the best plant-based protein sources.

22 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson:
Six Ways To Get Plenty Of Protein

To start this lesson, we’ll list the six vegan food groups that are good sources of protein:

• Soy products: such as tofu, tempeh, and soy burgers

• Legumes and pulses (such as beans and lentils)

• Nuts and nut butters: especially almond butter and tahini

• Seeds: especially sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame seeds

• High protein grains: such as quinoa, amaranth, and spelt

• High protein vegetables: such as spinach, broccoli, kale, and mushrooms

1. Soy

Soy products are fine in moderation. However, new vegans and vegetarians sometimes
rely on soy products to a fault – for almost all of their protein. It’s better to eat a well
balanced diet including protein from a variety of sources.

To help you achieve this goal, most of today’s protein recipes are soy-free. There’s just
one that includes crumbled veggie burgers.

Keep in mind: Many commercially available soy-based “meats” – such as “Fakin Bacon”
and soy dogs – are full of preservatives, bad fats, and other unhealthy ingredients. So
read the ingredient labels before you buy!

2. Legumes and Pulses

Beans are a great source of protein, but some people avoid them because they can
cause gas. Well, here’s great news. Lesson 14.21 explains 3 ways to prepare beans so
they don’t cause gas!

Here is the most popular method:

Soak beans overnight in a large bowl or pot, then pour off soaking water. Add fresh water
and cook as usual. Soaking overnight begins bean germination and promotes enzyme-
inhibitor release. The germination process breaks down the complex bean sugars.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 23

 VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson:
Six Ways To Get Plenty Of Protein

3 & 4. Nuts, Nut Butters, and Seeds

Nuts, nut butters, and seeds are important protein foods.

However, one big difference between beans and these raw protein sources is that beans are
low in fat, while nuts and seeds are not. Therefore, while they can be a wonderful part of a
diverse vegan diet, make sure they aren’t your only protein source.

One way to reduce the fat content of nuts and seeds is to soak them before eating
them. This germinates them, increasing their protein content, and reducing their fat
content.

We cover this fully in Lesson 20: How to Skyrocket the Nutrition in Nuts, Seeds, Grains,
and Beans.

Note
Because soaking reduces fat content, soaked nuts and seeds do not make good nut
butters. That’s why nut butters are made from unsoaked nuts and seeds, which are
higher in fat.

5. High Protein Grains

Quinoa, amaranth, and millet are all high in protein and low in fat, as are spelt and
buckwheat. While we’re on the topic of grains, seitan (i.e., wheat gluten) is very high in
protein. However, it is not recommended for people with gluten intolerance.

24 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program Lesson:
Six Ways To Get Plenty Of Protein

6. High Protein Vegetables

What about high protein vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale, and mushrooms?

When you compare vegetables to beans or legumes on a per calorie basis, you’ll see that
vegetables match up. Cooked spinach has the same amount of protein as a generic veggie
burger: 13.0 grams of protein for every 100 calories. That’s a lot!

However, on a per serving basis, spinach has less protein than soy, beans, nuts, seeds, and
grains. Why the disparity?

Greens are very low in calories. Take a look:

1 cup of raw spinach: 14 calories

1 cup of cooked spinach: 74 calories
1 Wildwood veggie burger: 170 calories

So while just 3/5 of a single Wildwood veggie burger has 100 calories, you’d need to
eat over 7 cups of raw spinach or 1-1/3 cups of cooked spinach to get the same 100
calories.

Broccoli doesn’t cook down as much, so the difference in calories between raw broccoli – at
24 calories per cup, and cooked broccoli – at 40 calories per cup, is not as dramatic.

While it isn’t the most potent protein source on a per serving basis, the numbers do add up,
especially when the majority of one’s diet comes from plants! See for yourself by tracking
your vegetable intake for a week on our Plant-Based With Ease meal plan, which is now
part of our full VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program!

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 25

 Start Reducing Your Meat Intake Today
With These High-Protein Recipes From The
VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program...

Tempeh: Balsamic Orange Glazed Tempeh

INGREDIENTS
• 1 package tempeh, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1⁄2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice
• 2 medjool dates, minced
• 2 Tablespoons tamari
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch

PREPARATION
1. In a bowl, mix together the balsamic vinegar, orange juice, dates, tamari, garlic, olive oil, and thyme.
2. Add the tempeh to the bowl, stir and cover.
3. Let sit in the fridge for 2 to 24 hours, mixing occasionally.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. Place tempeh and sauce in a glass dish and cook covered for 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven, stir around and bake for another 20 minutes.
7. Remove tempeh cubes from sauce and set aside.
8. Place remaining sauce in a pan over medium heat.
9. Add arrowroot starch and stir constantly to thicken.
10. Plate tempeh with fresh leafy greens and scoop marinade over top as a sauce and dressing.

26 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 Seitan: Seitan Merguez Sausage (contains gluten)

This recipe creates a vegan version of a highly spiced North African sausage. The textures and flavors are
similar to the real thing and add an intense burst of flavor and texture when chopped and added to a
tagine, pasta sauce, or pizza topping.

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUSAGE
• 2 cup vital gluten flour
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons toasted whole cumin seed ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried mint (substitute mint tea leaves) 1. For a firmer textured traditional-looking
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves sausage... Divide the dough into six
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
portions and roll into logs about 2 inches
in diameter. Wrap as tightly as you can in
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
cheesecloth.
• 2 teaspoons salt
2. Continue with step 2 below for braising,
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil then cool as directed below.
• 1 Tablespoon tamari (or other soy sauce)
3. Again cool to room temperature before
• 1 cup water unwrapping. If the cheese cloth sticks,
dampen the sausage with water and
INGREDIENTS FOR BRAISING LIQUID proceed. This version is great sliced in
• 1 quart vegetable stock thin coins and used as a topping on
• 1⁄2 cup red wine pizza and flat bread as well as cubed and
• 4 Tablespoons tamari sautéed
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

PREPARATION
1. Combine the first ten ingredients (flour through salt) in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the oil,
tamari, and water. Slowly add the wet to dry ingredients. Knead the mixture with your hands until all of the
liquid is absorbed and the dough has the consistency of firm bread dough.
2. Heat an oven to 400°F. Place the dough in a large baking dish. Cover with the braising liquid. Cover the baking
dish with foil and bake for 60-75 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the sausage is not runny or
gummy on the surface.
3. Cool down to room temperature before slicing. This creates a loaf that is firm and porous with small air pockets
when sliced. Can be sliced and grilled or broiled with a brush of olive oil and tamari for sandwiches, or cubed
and used in stews and sautés.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 27

 Legumes/Pulses: Open-Faced Burritos

Makes 2 servings.
This satisfying and colorful lunch or dinner entrée is easy to pull together and is fun to make with
children or friends.

INGREDIENTS
• 2 whole grain flour tortillas or 4 corn tortillas
• 2 cups cooked pinto beans
• 2 cups lettuce or mixed greens, chopped
• 1⁄2 avocado, cubed
• 1⁄2 cup salsa
• 1 lime, cut in quarters

PREPARATION
1. Warm the tortillas either by steaming or by heating in a pan you have lightly brushed with oil.
2. Transfer tortillas to serving plates. Top with beans, then greens, avocado, and salsa. Serve with lime for extra
flavorful seasoning.

28 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

 Tofu/High Protein Vegetables:
Yuba Rolls with Black Chanterelles and Anise Scented Tofu
This makes a great filling for dumplings and potstickers. Caramelizing the shallots really brings out the
tofu’s meaty qualities. If you can’t find fresh yuba (tofu skin), look for sheets of frozen yuba in Asian
markets. If you can’t find chile jam, use an Asian chile sambal and agave nectar.

INGREDIENTS FOR YUBA ROLLS WITH BLACK CHANTERELLES

• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground star anise
• 1⁄2 pound medium tofu, drained and crumbled
• 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons tamari
• Salt, to taste
• 1⁄2 pound black chanterelles, cleaned (or gold chanterelles or shiitakes)
• Olive or vegetable oil, as needed
• Sesame oil, as needed
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 Tablespoons tamari (soy sauce)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 6 sheets fresh yuba
PREPARATION
1. Sauté the shallots over low with the ginger, sugar, and
anise until caramelized. Add the tofu, nutritional yeast,
and tamari. Sauté for 1 minute, scraping the pan.
Adjust seasoning and reserve.
2. Sauté the mushrooms in a minimum amount of oil
until soft and their liquid evaporates. Season with a
small amount of sesame oil and salt and pepper. Mix
sesame oil and tamari in a bowl.
3. Spread 1/6 of the tofu mixture over a yuba sheet.
Sprinkle with mushrooms. Roll jelly roll style, place on
a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat with remaining
yuba. Brush with the tamari mixture.
4. Bake in the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes. Allow to cool
close to room temperature before serving.

INGREDIENTS FOR TIERRA VEGETABLE CHILE JAM DIPPING SAUCE

• 1⁄4 cup chile jam or alternative
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

PREPARATION
1. Melt the chile jam in a saucepan.
2. Whisk in the vinegar, tamari, and sesame oil to taste.
3. Cool to room temperature and serve.

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 29

 Nuts/Seeds: Basic Flax Cracker Recipe

INGREDIENTS
• 4 cups whole flax seeds, soaked 4-6 hours in 3 cups water
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup Nama Shoyu
• Juice of 2-3 lemons

PREPARATION
1. Pour 4 cups of flax seeds in a bowl with 3 cups of water.
2. After four hours, add the Nama Shoyu and lemon juice.
3. Spread the mixture as thin as possible (about 1⁄4” thick) on dehydrator trays with
teflex sheets. Keeping your hands wet will help in the spreading of the flax seeds.
4. Dehydrate at 105°F for 5-6 hours.
5. Flip crackers over and remove the teflex sheets. Continue dehydrating for 4-5
hours, or until the mixture is completely dry.
6. For variety, add garlic, onions, carrot juice, taco seasoning, Italian seasoning,
chili powder, or cumin in any combination.

30 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com

Recap and Next Steps
If you’re seeking to reduce your meat intake, these 5 steps are key to your success:

• Assess Your Lifestyle, Needs, and Expectations

• Have An “Abundance Mindset”
• Do Your Research
• Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals
• Make It Fun!
and
• Bonus: Remember Your “Why” and Be Gentle With Yourself

If you’re seeking to take things further and adopt a fully vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based diet,
we have created the ultimate resource just for you!

The VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program contains...

• Over 45 lessons like the ones in this ebook, packed with evidence-based nutrition
education materials
• Audio recordings with health and wellness experts
• Over 200 vegan recipes!

And much, much more, all designed to ensure you have everything you need to achieve optimal
health without animal products.

For detailed nutritional guidance on getting ALL the nutrients

you need while eating a plant-based diet,
enroll in our VegHealth Nutrition Mastery Program!
Get an extra 67% off for a limited time!

Yours In Vibrant Health,

The VegHealth Team

Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com 31

References
[1] meatinstitute.org/index.php?ht=d/sp/i/47465/pid/47465

[2] greenpeace.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Greenpeace_WingingIt.pdf

[3] bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4141

[4] academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/40/7/583/5232723

32 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Meat Intake www.veghealthmastery.com