If you’ve been contemplating switching to a vegetarian diet but are not ready to go completely meat-free, consider the pollotarian diet. The emphasis is on whole vegetables and grains, and meats are limited. People on a pollotarian diet usually avoid red meats and pork, while some leave out eggs and dairy.
The Pollotarian Diet is a semi-vegetarian diet that allows poultry as a protein source. Some people add fish and seafood to their diet and are known as Pesce-pollotarians. People see health benefits such as reduced heart risk by eliminating red meat and focusing on whole foods and vegetables.
People who switch from a standard Western diet to a pollotarian one often see many health benefits. Diets high in red meats and saturated fats can harm us, and switching out red meats for chicken and turkey can make a huge difference. I’ve looked at some benefits you can expect while following the pollotarian diet.
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Why Should You Switch to the Pollotarian Diet Today?
Not much research has been done on switching to a pollotarian diet. Still, significant studies have been done regarding diets that do away with red meat. These benefits can show us some of the many reasons why it’s time for you to try the pollotarian diet.
Decrease Your Heart Disease Risk
Improve your heart health by cutting out red meats. Diets that include a lot of red meat are high on the list for increasing heart disease. Replacing red meats such as beef and lamb with poultry can help decrease your risk of heart disease.
A study on coronary heart disease in women over a 26-year period showed that higher intakes of poultry and fish, rather than red meat, significantly lowered the risk. Women who ate one serving of poultry a day instead of red meat had a 19% reduction in the chances of suffering from heart disease.
Get Better Sources of Protein
Choose chicken or turkey over red meat as a protein source. If you’re seriously training, you’ll want to incorporate protein sources high in essential amino acids, high in protein, and low in fat and carbs.
If you’re an active person, and especially if you’re training for strength, you want the best source of protein for your body. You can get this by swapping your red meat protein sources with skinless chicken breasts. A 3-ounce portion will pack a hefty 23 grams of protein.
Cut Down Your Chances of Cancer
Choose chicken over beef to cut down your chances of certain cancers. Diets high in processed meats and red meats are often linked to certain cancers, such as bowel cancer, prostate, and pancreatic cancer.
Several government guidelines suggest lowering the number of processed meats like bacon and sausages and red meats like beef, lamb, and pork and replacing them with poultry. By following a pollotarian diet, you can successfully avoid red meats that heighten cancer risks.
Avoid Getting Type-2 Diabetes
Lower your risk of Type-2 diabetes by swapping chicken and turkey for your red meat. Diets full of red meat and other unhealthy processed meats can increase your chances of getting type-2 diabetes. The saturated fat, cholesterol, and haem-iron in red meat are possible reasons for the risk.
Chicken and other poultry, such as turkey and duck, are good ways to get protein in your diet without risking diabetes. However, the chemical processes and salts used to cure meats are the same as curing poultry. Choose fresh chicken rather than processed chicken products.
An Easy Transition to Going Vegetarian
Choose a pollotarian diet as part of a gentle transition towards a fully-vegetarian lifestyle. While some people can switch to a vegetarian diet without issues or cravings, many of us find this difficult.
A pollotarian diet can be part of a slow lifestyle change if you wish to become vegetarian. By cutting out red meat and processed meat products, we can gradually adjust our diet, making it more likely we’ll stick to our resolution.
Help Curb Depression
Red meat may be partly responsible for your depression, and cutting red meat and choosing chicken can make you feel better. Research by scientists has shown a significant association between depression and the intake of red meat.
Probably due to red meat’s high content of fatty acids and saturated fats, it has been linked to increased depression. Vitamin B12, zinc, and folates are also linked to helping prevent depression, so replace your fatty red meats with healthier proteins such as chicken.
Lose Weight
Swap your red meats for lean proteins like chicken to help you lose weight. Most red meat sources tend to be higher in fat than poultry or fish. Red meat also takes longer to pass through your digestive system.
Choose a leaner protein with all the nutritional benefits, such as chicken breast, to help you healthily lose weight. Choosing poultry can also increase your energy levels, making you more active.
Save the Planet
Avoid red meat to help save the planet’s resources. Cattle farming is notorious for the negative impact it has on the environment. It uses vast resources such as land, water, and grain crops.
Choosing poultry, vegetables, and grain for your diet will decrease your environmental footprint and help reduce deforestation and greenhouse gases like methane from cattle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does A Pollo Pescetarian Eat?
Pollo pescetarians eat poultry like chicken, duck, and turkey but also include fish and seafood in their diet. They do not eat red meat, but some may eat dairy products and eggs.
What Happens If You Only Eat Chicken
If you eat mainly vegetables and chicken, you can risk getting nutrient deficiencies if you are not careful. If you do not eat dairy, find plant-based calcium sources like kale, sesame seeds, and white beans.
If there is no fish in your diet, you may need to supplement your omega-3 fatty acids by eating walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds.
What Can Flexitarians Eat?
Flexitarians eat a mainly vegetarian-based diet focusing on healthy, natural food sources. Flexitarians will eat fruits, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, dairy, and eggs. They may occasionally have some animal products, emphasizing low-fat, organic cuts of meat.
Is Pescetarian Healthier Than Vegan?
Being a pescetarian may be a healthier choice for people who struggle to get their essential protein, minerals, and omega fatty acids from a vegetarian diet. While it is possible to live healthily on a vegetarian diet. There is generally less risk of nutritional deficiency.
Seafood contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are suitable for a healthy heart, which can be lacking in extreme vegetarian diets.
Conclusion
Switching to a pollotarian diet can tremendously impact your long-term health. By cutting out red meat, you can avoid unhealthy fatty meats responsible for increasing your risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Choosing poultry as your meat source provides essential nutrients while helping you lose weight thanks to the lower fat content. By cutting out red meat like beef, you help the environment, as cattle farming is notoriously bad for the environment.