Flexitarian diets, which are made up primarily of plant-based foods without being 100% vegan, are associated with significant health benefits, according to new findings published in BMC Nutrition.[1]
“While the multiple cardiovascular health benefits of an exclusively plant-based vegan diet have been widely described, current studies focusing on a plant-based flexitarian diet are still rare,” wrote corresponding author Prof. Andreas Hahn, a scientist with the Institute of Food Science and Human Nutrition in Germany, and colleagues. “Therefore, it is unclear whether a diet that is healthy for the cardiovascular system necessarily excludes animal products, or whether a reduction in meat and processed meat products is sufficient to benefit from the health-promoting effects.”
Hahn et al. explored data from 94 young to middle-aged German adults who had been following the same basic diet for at least one year. All participants were “healthy” non-smokers with a BMI between 20 and 28 kg/m2. While 32 participants were long-term flexitarians who ate less than 50 grams of meat or meat-based products per day, 29 were omnivores who ate more than 170 grams of meat per day and 33 were vegans who ate no meat at all. Participants were excluded if they ate between 50 and 170 grams of meat per day “to ensure a clear distinction” between flexitarians and omnivores.
Various questionnaires were used to track each participant’s dietary intake, diet quality and physical activity levels. The researchers collected data on each patient’s blood pressure and arterial stiffness, and blood samples were drawn after an overnight fast.
Both flexitarians and vegans were linked to “more beneficial levels” of insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol than omnivores. Flexitarians and vegans also had a higher overall diet quality.
Flexitarians, meanwhile, had more favorable metabolic syndrome results—which were based on their BMI and waistline—and better pulse wave velocity values than vegans or omnivores.
“Overall, the results supported a beneficial impact of a flexitarian diet on CVD risk parameters in the present cohort,” the authors wrote. “However, further research with larger, clearly defined flexitarian study populations is needed to better understand the influence of this dietary pattern on CVD risk factors.”
What doctors and nutritional experts think about the flexitarian diet
Back in January, U.S. News and World Report included the flexitarian diet as one of 2024’s top 15 heart-healthy diets. It came in at No. 6, with the report’s authors highlighting its ability to help people lose weight.
“Yes, you'll likely shed pounds on the flexitarian diet, especially with regular physical activity,” according to the report. “Semi-vegetarian diets tend to fall between fully vegetarian diets and non-vegetarian diets for weight loss, evidence suggests. If you emphasize flexitarian’s plant-based component, you’ll probably feel full on fewer calories than you’re accustomed to. The short- or long-term weight loss happens as a positive effect of eating more plants rather than being on a restrictive diet. How quickly you lose and whether you keep weight off is up to you.”
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.