A flexitarian is a person who mainly eats plant-based foods but occasionally eats meat or fish. .That's why the name of this diet is a combination of the words" flexible" and" vegetarian. It has no clear-cut rules or recommended numbers of calories and macronutrients. In fact, it's more a lifestyle than a diet. Since there is no clear definition of this diet yet, it's hard to say what benefits it has. However, studies on vegetarian diets have shown that eating mostly fruits, vegetables, legumes( 豆科作物), whole grains and other less processed whole foods may promote health. .
Reduce Heart Disease
A study which followed 45,000 adults for over 11 years showed that vegetarians had a 32% lower risk of heart disease than non-vegetarians. The study focused on vegetarian diets instead of the flexitarian diet. However, the flexitarian diet is meant to be mostly plant-based foods and will most likely have benefits similar to fully vegetarian diets.
Lose Weight
Eating more plant-based foods that are naturally lower in calories and limiting high-calorie processed foods are good for weight loss. And those who follow vegan(严格素食主义者) diets tend to lose the most weight. Since the flexitarian diet is closer to a vegetarian diet than a vegan one, it may help with weight loss but possibly not as much as a vegan diet would.
Prevent Cancer
Foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains have nutrients and antioxidants that may help prevent cancer. .
A 7-year study on 78,000 people who had suffered from colorectal cancer found that semi-vegetarians were 8% less likely to get this type of cancer, compared to non-vegetarians. Therefore, eating more vegetarian foods may reduce your cancer risk.
Lower the Incidence(发生率) of Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a global health problem. .This is most probably because plant-based foods are high in fibre and low in unhealthy fat and added sugar, which helps weight loss. A study in over 60,000 participants found that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 1.5% lower in flexitarians compared to non-vegetarians.
A. Studies have shown that people who follow a vegetarian diet may lose more weight than those who do not
B. Eating more plant-based foods will also drive the demand for more land to be devoted to growing fruits and vegetables
C. The flexitarian diet is more flexible than fully vegetarian or vegan diets
D. Research suggests that vegetarian diets are associated with a lower overall incidence of all cancers
E. When flexitarian and other plant-based diets are well planned, they can be very healthy
F. Eating a healthy diet, especially more plant-based foods, may help prevent and manage this disease
G. So the flexitarian diet may provide the following possible health benefits
