Sometimes I wish I was a vegan. Unfortunately, my carnivorous culture, steak-loving husband, and voracious taste buds won't permit me to fully forgo meat products. In honor of my meatless dreams, I've made the personal choice to simply eat less meat. As someone who's constantly struggled with weight, I often resort to a not-so-healthy high-protein, low carb diet filled with a lot of meat to shed unwanted pounds. After years of yo-yoing, I've decided to try a new diet plan focused simply and purely on being balanced and healthy. In my research on the keystones of a nutritious diet, I've noticed one common theme: less meat equals more health.
Meatless Monday is a national movement endorsed by everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Ellen Degeneres encouraging Americans to kick-start their weeks by going vegetarian. The initiative is led by the non-profit organization The Monday Campaign in partner with Johns Hopkins’ Bloomberg School of Public Health. Their claim: "By cutting out meat once a week, we can improve our health, reduce our carbon footprint, and lead the world in the race to reduce climate change."
Why, you ask, should I go meatless?
According to meatlessmonday.com, the benefits of cutting down your meat intake are plentiful, and pretty darn astounding:
Cancer Reduction: There has been a tremendous amount of research that indicates that those who eat a diet high in fruits and veggies are at less risk for developing cancer. Similarly, high-level consumption of red meat and processed meat have been linked to cases of colon cancer.
Sayonara Diabetes: Studies show that the more red and processed meat you consume, the greater your risk is for developing type 2 diabetes.
Weigh Less: Those who eat less meat have lower BMIs and a lower overall weight than those who don't.
Live Longer: Studies have proven that higher levels of meat intake are associated with an increase in overall mortality.
For many of us Americans who think "meat first" when planning our meals, here are a few easy switches:
Salads: Instead of opting for steak or chicken in your salad, choose tofu or tempeh. Instead of topping it with bacon bits, opt for nuts and seeds.
Tacos: Instead of filling tacos with ground meat, sauté up a colorful mix of hearty vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, and bell peppers.
Soup and Chili: Instead of hearty-ing up your soup with chunks of chicken and ground beef, opt for beans. From navy and pinto to garbanzos and black eyed, there are dozens of protein-rich beans that are great healthy additions to your diet.
Sandwiches: Instead of slapping salami between bread for lunch, opt for hummus with cucumbers, bell peppers, and sprouts or peanut butter with bananas, apples, or jelly.
While saying buh-bye to meat completely might not be a choice you're willing to make, choosing to limit your meat intake is an easy way to stand up for your health.