Could I be Flexitarian ?

According to Bord Bia’s latest Dietary Lifestyles Report, 19% of Irish people are now flexitarian (Bord Bia, 2021) but what does this mean ?

Simply put it means enjoying a varied diet with no restrictions for limiting food choices but making good choices and filling your plate with more fruit and vegetables, eating wholegrain carbohydrates and getting your protein from a mix of animal and plant sources. It is about the addition of more of the good foods and never cutting out things like meat, fish, dairy etc.

You may be familiar with vegan and vegetarian diets. For a lot of people, following a vegan or vegetarian diet may seem daunting, and it can often be difficult to know how and where to start. These are lifestyles that are often linked to stricter regimes, with lower adherence rates (Bord Bia,2021). A flexitarian diet is one that overcomes these boundaries by allowing flexibility in what and how you eat all the while making you a more conscious and considered consumer of foods in terms of sustainability and wellness.

A flexitarian style diet can  have a positive impact on the planet with research suggesting that switching to a plant based flexitarian diet could result in a reduction of emissions by up to 52% by 2050 (Springmann et al.,2018).

Each dish at the enrich counter is based upon the globally lauded flexitarian model so you will notice wholegrains and ancient grains in lots of dishes, more vegetables or fruit on your plate at mealtimes and only lean sources of protein with some extra plant based protein options available too.

Reap the Rewards

The Health Benefits for You!

Gut Health

·      Did you know – A flexitarian diet high in fruit, vegetables, wholegrains & pulses can be good for your gut!

·      Fruits, vegetables, and pulses are excellent sources of fibre – High dietary fibre consumption can help maintain healthy gut functioning and help prevent digestive problems. (EFSA,2010) (NHS, 2018).

Heart Health

·      Did you know - A high intake of fruit & vegetables has been linked to a decreased risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke (EFSA, 2010).

·      Fruits & Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants that help protect your heart! (BDA, 2020).

·      Food’s high in soluble fibre such as oats, oatmeal, oat bran, barley, beans, pulses, and fruits can help lower LDL cholesterol levels by interfering with absorption (BDA, 2020), (McCarthy, 2013).

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