Flexitarianism

Guide Note

A Flexitarian is someone who makes a dietary choice to eat mostly plant-based foods, but will occasionally eat meat.

Fast Facts

1. Definition: At least 80% of calorie consumption comes from plants and grains
2. 2003: The American Dialect Society names "Flexitarian" the year's most useful word
3. Earliest Printed Use: October 17, 1992, in the Austin American-Statesman

1. Meat-eating vegetarian
2. Part time vegetarian
3. Semi-vegetarian
4. Pescetarian: someone who eats fish, as well as non-meat products
5. Pollotarian: someone who eats chicken, as well as non-meat products

A flexitarian diet has, in studies, been shown to be as effective as a vegetarian diet in lowering the rates of many diseases. Flexitarianism can lower rates of:

1. Heart disease
2. Stroke
3. high blood pressure
4. Diabetes
5. Obesity
6. Colon cancer
7. Prostate cancer