There is little debate that there are significant health benefits to be had if we adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, though many people are still hesitant to give up their roast beef and chicken.

But there is a new approach to eating that is catching on – it’s called ‘flexitarian.’ Rather than focusing on eliminating certain foods from our diet and never eating another chicken wing, its goal it to try to introduce some new alternatives.

A flexitarian is someone who follows a vegetarian lifestyle some of the time. It tries to incorporate the health benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, but still allows the occasional steak or chicken. You may have meat four or five times a week or you may be more advanced and only have it once or twice.

This doesn’t mean that we have to give up steak as we head into barbecue season, but rather that it is worth looking at what else we could add to our typical weekday menu. Maybe grill some delicious portobello mushrooms alongside some roasting vegetables. Or try one of the numerous veggies burgers on the market if you like the texture of meat.

Although dried beans are the most economical and healthiest, canned beans can be a quick option. Just be sure to rinse them and you can easily wash off 40 per cent of the salt.

Throw some garbanzo or kidney beans in when you have pasta night instead of the hamburger. Maybe make some spicy hummus with chickpeas as an appetizer along with some guacamole.

Or throw some roasted nuts in a stirfry loaded with peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, and onions, and you have a great-tasting meal that will not only please your taste buds but also do wonders for the body.

Some people can’t make changes in their foods easily. Rather than thinking this is either a meat meal or not, why not simply combine the two? Have some chicken in the stirfry along with some cashews, and tofu.

You may also want to ask yourself how you feel after having a meal that revolved around meat. We should feel energetic and satisfied, not bloated nor heavy.

Some people are concerned that a vegetarian meal just won’t last. They won’t be satisfied and they may start looking for snacks.

But when it is done properly, a vegetarian meal can be a great source of energy, and be significantly easier to digest. We are really not meant to feel full after every meal.

The cost savings at the checkout can also be impressive when you start loading up on legumes and nuts, rather than red meat and chicken.

A vegetarian version of Canada’s Food Guide is available @ www.dietitians.ca/news/downloads/Vegetarian_Food_Guide.

A vegetarian lifestyle can offer some impressive benefits. Vegetarians are more likely to maintain their ideal body weight compared to their meat-eating counterparts, and have a 20 to 30 per cent lower risk of heart disease with reduced plaque formation, inflammation and have better dilation of their blood vessels.

Typically they also have double to triple the amount of fibre, which is one arena in which Canadians are often falling short. Several studies indicate that meat-eating counterparts had a 54 per cent increased risk of prostate cancer, and up to an 88 per cent increased risk for colorectal cancer compared to vegetarians.

The main question is whether or not vegetarians are healthier because of what they don’t eat or because of what they do. A vegetarian meal is more than just leaving meat off the plate.

Is it because they characteristically avoid animal products such as red meat, poultry and cow’s milk dairy products? Or is it because their diet revolves around antioxidant-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and nuts and legumes?

Either way, it maybe time to fine-tune our diet and become more of a ‘flexitarian.’

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