Meatless?

I have read numerous places that its good to have a day or two out of the week where you have no meat in your diet. I'm not sure of the benefits of this, as to they don't really explain them clearly. Has anyone heard of this, tried this, or benefited from this and would care to share any info on it with me? I'm very curious to hear some personal stories on this. :)

Replies

  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    Personally I think it is just vegetarian gospel trying to spread their "word".
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    I don't think it really matters. I'm a vegetarian but that's just my personal preference because I think meat is gross.
  • ClementineGeorg
    ClementineGeorg Posts: 505 Member
    The body has enzimes that `digest` food. There are different types of enzimes for different types of food. If you eat to much of a food, the enzimes get tired and you no longer get the nutrients from food as you should. Also, certain enzimes don't manage to diggest properly at the same time (like eating potatoes with meat won't lead to a good digestion).
    If you eat way to much of a food, your enzimes get really tired and eventually you can even get some kind of intolerance to that group of food.
    From this point of view, going meatless one day just helps your enzimes recover a little, or at least doesn't make them go more tired.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme (wikipedia is not the best source, there are many medical articles, but it's `human readible`)

    Also, meat is generally an acidic food. Eating lots of meat increases the level of uric acid in your body. Sometimes this is very noticeble, because your pee makes foam when you have a high level of uric acid in your body.
    Not eating meat, again, may decrease the uric acid in your body or at least help you get it in your control.

    This are some of the things we should learn in anatomy classes at school about digestion.

    I'm not vegetarian, I love my meat, but going meatless has a point. These are others reassons also.
    The thing is you should not overeat any type of food. You should alternate all the food groups, you should eat a little of each, and so on.
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
    The body has enzimes that `digest` food. There are different types of enzimes for different types of food. If you eat to much of a food, the enzimes get tired and you no longer get the nutrients from food as you should. Also, certain enzimes don't manage to diggest properly at the same time (like eating potatoes with meat won't lead to a good digestion).
    If you eat way to much of a food, your enzimes get really tired and eventually you can even get some kind of intolerance to that group of food.
    From this point of view, going meatless one day just helps your enzimes recover a little, or at least doesn't make them go more tired.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme (wikipedia is not the best source, there are many medical articles, but it's `human readible`)

    Also, meat is generally an acidic food. Eating lots of meat increases the level of uric acid in your body. Sometimes this is very noticeble, because your pee makes foam when you have a high level of uric acid in your body.
    Not eating meat, again, may decrease the uric acid in your body or at least help you get it in your control.

    This are some of the things we should learn in anatomy classes at school about digestion.

    I'm not vegetarian, I love my meat, but going meatless has a point. These are others reassons also.
    The thing is you should not overeat any type of food. You should alternate all the food groups, you should eat a little of each, and so on.

    Eating meat with potatoes is one of the best food combinations..........

    Meat is acidic, and potatoes are one of the most alkaline foods you can eat. They are a perfect balance for each other. This may explain why the meat and potato combination is and always will be so popular.............traditional peoples always seem to know what foods should be eaten together and has been this way for a very long time.

    The adverse effects of the high glycemic index of potatoes are avoided when the potatoes are eaten with plenty of good fat. The fat changes the way that high glycemic foods are digested and absorbed. Again, traditional peoples seemed to know this. In Europe, potatoes were always eaten with plenty of good, natural, traditional fat. Potatoes were baked with cream and milk, fried in lard, fried in butter, fried with bacon, made into casseroles with butter and cheese, covered with sour cream or butter, and combined with cheese and baked into pies.
  • squiggyflop
    squiggyflop Posts: 148 Member
    Well I know that it helps the wallet. I tend to do this once a week. Usually im very hostile by the end of the day. I oddly crave meats instead of sweets. Seems all the women I know have a serious sweet tooth and all I can think of is a fat so-rare-it's-bleeding steak
  • kaylorraine44
    kaylorraine44 Posts: 135 Member
    A lot of people recommend this because of the environmental impact of raising animals for food.
  • gerbies
    gerbies Posts: 444 Member
    Going meatless, or "plant-based" has been scientifically proven to have huge health benefits. People have reversed heart disease and other ailments by becoming vegan. I am not vegan or vegetarian, though I include as many plant-based meals as I can. I have lost weight pretty well since doing so in the last month. I always reach or exceed my protein goals. I have felt 100% better since giving up almost all of my previous processed food.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    Context and dosage anyone. If your consuming little in the way of plant based foods, then increase them and I don't mean eating refined highly processed grain foods, sugar and trans fats which are all plant based. Removing meat doesn't make it healthier.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,266 Member
    Going meatless, or "plant-based" has been scientifically proven to have huge health benefits. People have reversed heart disease and other ailments by becoming vegan. I am not vegan or vegetarian, though I include as many plant-based meals as I can. I have lost weight pretty well since doing so in the last month. I always reach or exceed my protein goals. I have felt 100% better since giving up almost all of my previous processed food.
    Why give up processed foods, most of the calories are plant based.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
    Going meatless, or "plant-based" has been scientifically proven to have huge health benefits. People have reversed heart disease and other ailments by becoming vegan. I am not vegan or vegetarian, though I include as many plant-based meals as I can. I have lost weight pretty well since doing so in the last month. I always reach or exceed my protein goals. I have felt 100% better since giving up almost all of my previous processed food.

    I used to be a vegetarian until I came down with some horrific chronic pain. I was eating a high number of fake meat products until I read about the horrors of processed foods, inflammation and pain. I have sense cut out all processed foods. I now only eat grass fed and organic beef and chicken. I eat red meat a couple of times a month, on days I am craving it, which typically for me means I need some iron, or high calorie burn days. By cutting out processed and refined foods, my pain levels on non barometric pressure days have gone down by 50%. Now that is HUGE for someone that has to live day in and day out with chronic pain.

    We typically go meatless every other day in this house for a few reasons. 1. Organic and grass fed meat is expensive and 2. my digestive system does not handle it very well. I enjoy having a flat tummy. :)

    Now in saying that, going meatless a few days a week does not mean freedom to eat mac and cheese and french fries all day ( I have met many a vegetarian that feel this is an appropriate way to live). As long as I am getting the necessary amount of protein and nutrients, it has proven to be a great way to live for me.
  • nleighp
    nleighp Posts: 117 Member
    There are multiple questions being brought up at this point.

    Firstly, is there any reason to go meatless or plant-basted or any or all meals?

    The answer is simply yes. There is well researched and documented statements from health powerhouses around the world that have stated switching to a plant based, or at least removing some of the meat (especially processed and red) from your diet will reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of some types of cancer, reduce the risk of dementia, reduce the risk of osteoporosis in many people, help reduce body weight which can lead to the reduced risk of becoming pre-diabetic and/or diabetic, etc.

    The health risks of beginning to lower your intake of meats is well documented. Even if you don't remove it entirely, each meal that you consume less will add to the net-positive of your overall health.

    Secondly, in regard to this:
    The body has enzimes that `digest` food. There are different types of enzimes for different types of food. If you eat to much of a food, the enzimes get tired and you no longer get the nutrients from food as you should. Also, certain enzimes don't manage to diggest properly at the same time (like eating potatoes with meat won't lead to a good digestion).
    If you eat way to much of a food, your enzimes get really tired and eventually you can even get some kind of intolerance to that group of food.
    From this point of view, going meatless one day just helps your enzimes recover a little, or at least doesn't make them go more tired.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enzyme (wikipedia is not the best source, there are many medical articles, but it's `human readible`)

    Also, meat is generally an acidic food. Eating lots of meat increases the level of uric acid in your body. Sometimes this is very noticeble, because your pee makes foam when you have a high level of uric acid in your body.
    Not eating meat, again, may decrease the uric acid in your body or at least help you get it in your control.

    This are some of the things we should learn in anatomy classes at school about digestion.

    I'm not vegetarian, I love my meat, but going meatless has a point. These are others reassons also.
    The thing is you should not overeat any type of food. You should alternate all the food groups, you should eat a little of each, and so on.

    I'm not entirely sure what is being said here, but from what I gather there is a claim saying your enzymes get "tired" and refuse to digest properly? This is chemically untrue. As long as you are providing your body with all of the maco nutrients (the energy yielding parts of a calorie, i.e. carbohydrates, protein and fats) and the micro nutrients (vitamins and minerals, in their proper amounts) you will have everything you need for your body to digest perfectly well.

    As in all cases there may be issues when it comes to how your body functions if you have issues with medical conditions, so keeping that in mind is always a good suggestion.
    Going meatless, or "plant-based" has been scientifically proven to have huge health benefits. People have reversed heart disease and other ailments by becoming vegan. I am not vegan or vegetarian, though I include as many plant-based meals as I can. I have lost weight pretty well since doing so in the last month. I always reach or exceed my protein goals. I have felt 100% better since giving up almost all of my previous processed food.
    Why give up processed foods, most of the calories are plant based.

    Thirdly, the reason to remove processed foods is also well documented. Harvard recently came out with a study that said all people should immediately stop consuming processed meats (hot dogs, deli slices, bacon, etc.) because there is no good effect on your body. It's toxic in the long run. So cutting those out ASAP is imperative, whether you're going entirely meatless or not.

    ---

    For my personal take on all of it as a vegan and dietetics student I've found this: After four years of being in diet mode, losing 112 pounds and having my blood work and nutrient analysis I found that my health is better as a vegan (that's no meat, no dairy and other animal by product, including honey) that it ever was when I was meat eater. My weight stays off more easily, I hit all of my nutrient counts without a problem, I could to get double and triple the volume as most of my other friends, I have reduced my body weight, cholesterol, came back from being pre-diabetic and really got a handle and control of my life. I am vegan for my health, the animals and the planet-- so there is a lot behind my decision making, but that said even if it's just a choice for health it's well worth it.
  • cookiebun1
    cookiebun1 Posts: 2 Member
    I have started a new "lifestyle" within the past few months. I am not vegetarian, but I do enjoy meatless days. I don't do it for any particular purpose, except I like the taste of some meatless foods. I do vegetarian tacos, made with morningstar farms crumbles (imitates ground beef) and I LOVE tofu!!!!

    It works for me more to add variety to my routine, but it is working for weight loss too...

    Just input from my neck of the woods :)