Tweet
Can't give up meat? Become 'flexitarian' - Healthier diets usher in more expansive definition of vegetarianism
What do you call a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat?
If you guessed omnivore, you're not alone. But you're not right, either. At least not according to the American Dialect Society, which gave the term flexitarian -- used to describe meat- eating vegetarians -- its top honor for most useful word of 2003.
Flexitarians adhere to a mostly vegetarian diet because it's a healthy lifestyle rather than because of ideology. They feel an occasional meal that includes fish, fowl or meat is acceptable. The market for vegetarian food in the United States has grown significantly in the past five years, from about $646 million in 1998 to $1.6 billion in 2003, according to a report by the Mintel Group, a consulting company that tracks consumer habits. The report predicts that the market will reach $2.5 billion by 2008.
Baltimore's Vegetarian Resource Group estimates that about 3 percent of the population is vegetarian -- consuming no meat, fish or fowl. About 1 percent of that number includes people who consider themselves vegan: They also exclude dairy, eggs and other animal byproducts from their diets. But flexitarians could be as high as 40 percent of the U.S. population, according to Charles Stahler, co-director of the Vegetarian Resource Group. Stahler is not particularly fond of the term flexitarian, but he views this newly defined group as being good candidates to become future vegetarians or vegans. "There is no reason not to be vegetarian," Stahler says. "It used to be hard from a supply point of view. But now it's much easier to be vegetarian. And certainly from a health point of view, it makes sense."
The rise in flexitarians, he says, could be linked to a number of factors, including issues such as health and fitness and animal rights. Also, economic pressure has forced traditional grocery stores to carry more ethnic and natural foods, making it easier to buy vegetarian products. Stahler isn't surprised at the growing number of flexitarians. "I do think that organic and free-range is a trend most people are headed to" in their diets, he says.
Meatless Monday is a national program to help prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer -- the three leading causes of death in the United States. The goal is to reduce consumption of saturated fat by at least 15 percent by 2010. The campaign defines meatless as abstaining from meat and poultry, but not fish and seafood.
There are all sorts of vegetarians, including so-called flexitarians, who adhere to a mostly vegetarian diet but still occasionally eat meat. Here's a look at the various categories of food consumers, provided by Baltimore's Vegetarian Resource Group.
Vegans: Do not eat meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs or honey.
Strict vegetarians: Do not eat meat, poultry or fish.
Flexitarians: Include the groups below:
Vegetarian: Those who say they are vegetarian, or "almost vegetarian," but use some meat, poultry or fish.
Vegetarian-inclined: Replace meat with meat alternatives for at least some meals, usually maintain a vegetarian diet, or eat four or more meatless meals per week.
Health-conscious: Strive for a balanced eating plan or eat two to three meatless meals per week.
What do you call a vegetarian who occasionally eats meat?
If you guessed omnivore, you're not alone. But you're not right, either. At least not according to the American Dialect Society, which gave the term flexitarian -- used to describe meat- eating vegetarians -- its top honor for most useful word of 2003.
Flexitarians adhere to a mostly vegetarian diet because it's a healthy lifestyle rather than because of ideology. They feel an occasional meal that includes fish, fowl or meat is acceptable. The market for vegetarian food in the United States has grown significantly in the past five years, from about $646 million in 1998 to $1.6 billion in 2003, according to a report by the Mintel Group, a consulting company that tracks consumer habits. The report predicts that the market will reach $2.5 billion by 2008.
Baltimore's Vegetarian Resource Group estimates that about 3 percent of the population is vegetarian -- consuming no meat, fish or fowl. About 1 percent of that number includes people who consider themselves vegan: They also exclude dairy, eggs and other animal byproducts from their diets. But flexitarians could be as high as 40 percent of the U.S. population, according to Charles Stahler, co-director of the Vegetarian Resource Group. Stahler is not particularly fond of the term flexitarian, but he views this newly defined group as being good candidates to become future vegetarians or vegans. "There is no reason not to be vegetarian," Stahler says. "It used to be hard from a supply point of view. But now it's much easier to be vegetarian. And certainly from a health point of view, it makes sense."
The rise in flexitarians, he says, could be linked to a number of factors, including issues such as health and fitness and animal rights. Also, economic pressure has forced traditional grocery stores to carry more ethnic and natural foods, making it easier to buy vegetarian products. Stahler isn't surprised at the growing number of flexitarians. "I do think that organic and free-range is a trend most people are headed to" in their diets, he says.
Meatless Monday is a national program to help prevent heart disease, stroke and cancer -- the three leading causes of death in the United States. The goal is to reduce consumption of saturated fat by at least 15 percent by 2010. The campaign defines meatless as abstaining from meat and poultry, but not fish and seafood.
There are all sorts of vegetarians, including so-called flexitarians, who adhere to a mostly vegetarian diet but still occasionally eat meat. Here's a look at the various categories of food consumers, provided by Baltimore's Vegetarian Resource Group.
Vegans: Do not eat meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs or honey.
Strict vegetarians: Do not eat meat, poultry or fish.
Flexitarians: Include the groups below:
Vegetarian: Those who say they are vegetarian, or "almost vegetarian," but use some meat, poultry or fish.
Vegetarian-inclined: Replace meat with meat alternatives for at least some meals, usually maintain a vegetarian diet, or eat four or more meatless meals per week.
Health-conscious: Strive for a balanced eating plan or eat two to three meatless meals per week.