Reducing the meat in your diet can be challenging, especially if you love it. But you can gradually make your meals less dependent on meat to enjoy the increased health benefits.
Accompany Your Dish
One of the easiest ways to eat less meat or have less on your plate is to create sensational accompaniments and side dishes. For example, learn a recipe for Caesar salad that makes you want to eat more greens instead of relying on meat for most of the enjoyment in your meals. Of course, there are other salads and side dishes that go well with most things. For example, you can try a Cobb salad instead. Or even indulge yourself with garlic vegetables or gratins.
Try Smaller Cuts
Of course, most people will tell you to simply use smaller cuts to reduce how much meat you eat. But it may not be as simple as that. Yes, you can use smaller cuts. But you have to consider the loss of protein in your diet. If you drastically cut the amount of meat on your plate, you need to balance this out. So, you need recipes that also include high-protein vegetables. Some of the best to look out for include leafy greens such as kale, sweet potatoes, and any kind of peas.
Take Time when Reducing the Meat in Your Diet
Meat can taste fantastic, and it hits the serotonin receptors in your brain to give you pleasure, much in the same ways as sugar, salt, and even drugs. As such, meat can be addictive by nature and, therefore, hard to just quit altogether. Also, like anything that is addictive that you want to quit, you must understand that quitting meat will take time. If you just stop, then you will find yourself craving meat and gorging on it or replacing it with something else bad for you.
Don’t Assume Meatless Means Healthier
There are many “wellness” experts that say meat is terrible, and you need to stop for better health, and all you need is a vegetarian or vegan diet. This isn’t true. And no certified dietitian or nutritionist will ever tell you this. This is because meat makes up the required sources of certain vitamins and minerals that are hard to get elsewhere. However, like anything, eating a lot of meat, especially red meat, is bad for you, and you must cut it down to less than 350g per week.
Swap Meat for Something Similar
We all have favorite meats, and we love the crunch, texture, and taste of “meaty” things. But meat isn’t the only thing that tastes “meaty.” Swapping your meat for fish like tuna and salmon is an obvious choice. And these both have high protein, like meat, as well as added nutrients like omega-3. But there are also some vegetables you can try instead of meat that have a similar texture when cooked in certain ways. These include cauliflower, aubergine, and zucchini.
Summary
If you are having trouble reducing the meat in your diet, you can try a few things. Make tasty and healthy side dishes, take it slow, and swap meat for fish and chunky vegetables.
