Advantages of being a Reducetarian

Are you among those people who do not want to go all vegetarian but at the same time incorporate more plant-based food into your diet? You are not alone. Many people are now making a healthy and satisfactory shift to the reducetarian diet and are proud of being a reducetarian.

What is the reducetarian way of life?

People who are a part of the reducetarian movement are committed to eating lesser amount of meat. Here, meat includes red meat, seafood, dairy and some eggs. The followers consider this a better alternative to all or nothing diet.

Reducetarians also comprise of vegans, vegetarians, and all others who incorporate more of plant-based food in their diet.

Benefits of Being a Reducetarian

Being a reducetarian brings with various perks and advantages.

It has many health benefits and is more nutritious

The American Heart Association states that consuming less meat brings down the probability of related heart diseases and cancer, stroke, diabetes and some other chronic illnesses. In fact, some studies have also pointed out that eating just one added portion of vegetables a day can cut down the risk of heart disease by 10% and consuming one portion of red meat a day can increase the rate by even 20%.

Being a reducetarian, as far as nutrition is concerned, you are covered with a balanced diet. The fruits, whole grains, vegetables, lentils, pulses, nuts and so on are rich in vitamins and minerals. 1 cup of green beans or lentils have the required protein content for a healthy person.

Plant-based protein sources are the best fiber source; they are low in cholesterol, they regulate bowel movements and sugar levels.

Practising a vegan diet is a great tool for weight loss. Plant-based diet digests faster improve metabolism great for weight loss.

Basically, being a reducetarian and following a balanced diet is the right track to a healthy and happy life.

1. Good for the Environment

Reducetarian diet is not only good for oneself but also for the environment. Meat Production factories pollute the air and water around them to a great extent.

Research studies have proved that people living near meat factories have more instances of asthma, allergies and lesser life expectancy.

The farms in the factory release harmful chemicals that may cause various health issues like skin rashes and headaches.

Consuming less meat sends out a signal supporting industries that care about human health and the affected people.

2. Easy to Follow

Reducetarian system is easy to follow and implement. There are plenty of vegetarian replacements for the meat counterparts in terms of nutrition and calories.

You can eat meat only with one meal per day rather than two.

Substitute your beef burrito or sandwich with delicious veggie one.

Resolve to make one day of the week as meatless day and stick by it.

Make the diet transition easy. Try a vegetarian or vegan diet for a month initially.

Slowly reduce the meat content in your favourite recipe and substitute it with vegetables.

Switch from a pepperoni pizza to a veggie pizza.

Talk about the benefits of reducetarianism to your friends and encourage them to take it up.

3. It Shows your Love for Animals
   Across the world, billions of farm animals are killed for consumption. They are subject to extreme cruelty and suffering before being killed. Unnatural Hormone treatments given to animals make them incapable and inactive.Animals are confined to very small spaces that increase their stress and aggression. This, in turn, affects the health of people that eat meat from those animals.In a meat eater’s lifeline, if he reduces his meat intake to even 2-3 times a week, thousands of animals can be saved. Reducing meat intake such as eating poultry, fish and seafood etc.. Fish and chickens are the most killed as they are small.4. It won’t Burn a Hole in your PocketIt is common knowledge that meat products are very expensive when compared to vegetarian choices. A healthy vegetarian diet may be more expensive than a “junk” diet but definitely lesser than an all meat diet.5. A Reducetarian diet is accessible
   
   Vegetarian and plant-based food options are easy to find these days, thanks to the increasing awareness around the world. You can find vegetarian restaurants, vegan supermarkets in every corner in most cities. Even if the restaurant is not all vegetarian, there are many vegetarian options available to choose from.6. Helps to feel more Energetic

   It takes a longer time to digest meat than it does to digest vegetarian food. This helps you get through your day feeling more energetic and active. You will feel healthier inside and out.
   7. Increases Lifespan
   
   Adopting a reducetarian lifestyle has been proven to increase the lifespan of people to a great extent. People who regularly eat meat have lower longevity than people who are on a plant-based diet.

   8. Helps to maintain Biodiversity and Nature’s balance
   
   All different types of life forms that are found in our ecosystem help maintain a healthy balance in nature. Only if the ecosystem is healthy, it can provide us with the essential items needed for our well-being such as air, water, fuel, food, wood and so on.

   The killing of animals for meat production has been the major reason to affect the biodiversity. Livestock farming is a growing threat to biodiversity as well.

   Thousands of acres of forest land has been cleared through deforestation to make room for crops for livestock.

   There is also the danger of extinction of some animals being killed for meat, especially the grass eating animals.

Reducetarianism is for people who feel a Vegan diet is Restrictive

Although most vegans are proud of their meat-free food choices, some vegans feel restrictive with their diet. Reasons for this could be that they have been heavy meat eaters all their lifetime, have allergies with plant-based stuff, live in regions with no little availability of vegan choices at grocery stores and restaurants.

Reducetarianism is a smart diet choice for people who are torn between whether to adopt a vegan diet or whether to continue eating meat. It is also the first step towards making a switch a completely vegetarian or vegan diet.

In short, a reducetarian helps to save animals from cruelty, improve your health, and protect the environment.