By MACROS | Published on June 28, 2017
Two interesting diet concepts go head to head. In the red corner, we have the stepping stone diet to becoming a vegetarian, in the blue corner we have the DASH diet, looking to bring your blood pressure down once and for all.
What is it?
Flexitarian
You choose a number of days per week where you go meat free without going fully vegan/ vegetarian. Whatever reason you’re doing it for, the goal is clear and it’ll generate a win-win situation for morality and ethics.
MACROS score: 1
DASH
It stands for ‘Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension’ and is designed to lower blood pressure. The plan is rich in fruits and veg, and recommends increases in protein, low fat dairy as well as whole grains. The guidelines are fairly loose.
MACROS score: 0
How do you do it?
Flexitarian
You set your own boundaries and how many “meat-free†days you can commit to. The most common protocol being six meat-free days with a day, of your choosing, where meat is on the menu. It’s pretty easy stick to.
MACROS score: 1
DASH
More inclusive than exclusive – you just need to eat more nutritious fare, not less food. The guidelines give you a range of servings to eat for each food based on daily calorie allotment. You don’t have to eliminate your favourites, just reduce them.
MACROS score:1
– RELATED: Why Commercial Weight Loss Programs Don’t Work –
How much protein will you get?
Flexitarian
Anyone transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle faces the difficulty in obtaining enough protein, but flexitarianism doesn’t provide guidelines. Replace animal proteins with plant protein powders like hemp or pea.
MACROS score: 0
DASH
DASH researchers have demonstrated and recommend replacing some of your less nutritious, simple carbs from sugar with lean proteins from meat and low fat dairy to increase the diet’s benefits. This also makes it optimal for the hardcore gym goer.
MACROS score: 1
Does it work?
Flexitarian
While we could all do with eating less red meat, that’s not the be all and end all to becoming healthy, especially if you’re replacing healthy, lean proteins with less nutritious calories and overeating.
MACROS score: 0
DASH
Provides you with a loose calorie goal but most people will be trading in sweets and trans-fats for more protein, fruits and veg anyway. So, for most on a typical Western diet, this will mean an automatic reduction in calories.
MACROS score: 1
What’s the verdict?
Flexitarian gets a score of two while DASH gets three, making it the winner. Flexi is a step in the right direction, DASH is proven in research to reduce blood pressure and up your health.
