Not Enough Protein As you make the switch from eating meat to a vegetarian diet, you might forget to eat all the protein that your body requires. This is a recipe for disaster as well as potential weight gain.
Limiting meat may also aid weight loss and maintenance. An analysis of 12 high quality studies found that people who followed vegetarian diets for an average of 18 weeks lost significantly more weight than those who ate nonvegetarian diets ( 3 ).
"If meat is simply removed and not substituted, the consumer is at risk of iron or B12 deficiency, anemia, and muscle wasting," Levy-Wollins explains.
Your Skin Will Start to Glow
The benefits of going meat-free can be external too. According to holistic nutritionist Susan Tucker MD, the founder of Green Beat Life, the higher amounts of minerals, antioxidants, and fiber included in plant-based diets help detoxify and lead to clearer skin.
Reducing your intake of red meat can help you lose weight. Numerous studies show eating less meat has been linked to lower body mass index (BMI) and body fat, per an article published in the journal Nutrients.
If you avoid eating meat for a month, you should notice a decrease in your overall inflammatory markers. This happens due to the anti-inflammatory properties of plant-based foods that you consume instead of meat (5). They are rich in fiber and antioxidants and low in toxins and saturated fats.
Yet when you stop eating red meat and egg yolks (research is still teasing out whether eliminating other animal products will have the same effect), abnormal TMAO levels can return to normal in just four weeks.
Meat and fish can take as long as 2 days to fully digest. The proteins and fats they contain are complex molecules that take longer for your body to pull apart. By contrast, fruits and vegetables, which are high in fiber, can move through your system in less than a day.
Initial Three-Week Period. There has been some serious, mainstream research into the possibility of meat addiction but in truth people can become addicted to just about anything. In the book, Breaking the Food Seduction, Dr. Neal Barnard argues that it takes three weeks to stop craving foods like meat or cheese.
And people who don't eat meat, called vegetarians, generally eat fewer calories and less fat. They also tend to weigh less. And they have a lower risk of heart disease than nonvegetarians do. Research shows that people who eat red meat are at a higher risk of death from heart disease, stroke or diabetes.
The bottom line: Eggs are not meat, but they do have a similar level of protein.
Fish is the flesh of an animal used for food, and by that definition, it's meat. However, many religions don't consider it meat. There are also several important distinctions between fish and other types of meat, especially in terms of their nutritional profiles and potential health benefits.
Consider this recent study, for one: "Plant-based diets are associated with lower blood pressure, lower blood lipids, and reduced platelet aggregation than non-vegetarian diets, and are beneficial in weight management, reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.
Eggs can also be a stellar way to get some of the protein and nutrients meat would provide. For just 140 calories, two large eggs give you 8 percent of the daily value for zinc, iron and B6, plus choline, vitamin D and many other nutrients.
Milk comes from animals, usually from cows, but it is not the flesh of the animal, therefore it is not meat.
Although there are different types of vegetarians, cheese is often considered vegetarian-friendly. However, certain cheeses contain animal rennet, which contains enzymes commonly sourced from the lining of animal stomachs.
Energy Loss. You may feel tired and weak if you cut meat out of your diet. That's because you're missing an important source of protein and iron, both of which give you energy. The body absorbs more iron from meat than other foods, but it's not your only choice.
Definition of Meat
The American Meat Science Association defines meat as red meat (beef, pork, and lamb), poultry, fish/seafood, and meat from other managed species (AMSA, 2017).
Even though meats provide certain nutrients that plants don't, eating meat isn't necessary for your health or survival. With appropriate planning and supplements, plant-based diets can provide the nutrients your body needs.
Eating more calories than your body needs will always result in weight gain no matter where that food is coming from. Plant fats like avocados, seeds, hummus and nut butters are big culprits of shooting up the daily calorie count.
Your cholesterol levels may drop
Cut out red meat and you'll reduce the amount of saturated fats, which have been linked to higher cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association recommends getting no more than 5 to 6 percent of your daily calories from saturated fat.