If you want to lose weight, enjoy better health and even save money at the grocery, try not eating meat. It’s true that much of the grocery budget is often spent on meat. Consider the difference in price between a bag of navy beans and sirloin steak for a family of four. Beans are the better buy when you want inexpensive protein that also has other benefits, like fiber.
Going meatless can improve your health, besides benefiting your budget.
As mentioned before, beans and other sources of plant based protein come with the benefit of fiber. It often has both types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Insoluble adds bulk and makes going the bathroom easier. Soluble fiber feeds the friendly microbes in your gut that boost your immune system, help provide brain health, aid in weight loss, aid in heart health, control of blood sugar levels and improves gut health.
Meat is harder to digest.
Meat, particularly red meat, is harder to digest than plant protein. It’s all protein and fat, with no carbohydrates, like the soluble fiber in vegetables. That alone slows the digestion. While it’s one reason that you feel fuller longer, but it also can cause digestive issues. Proteins from animal sources can take as long as two days to digest, while fruits and vegetables pass through your digestive system often in less than a day, thanks to the fiber they contain.
If you want to lose weight, go meatless.
Sure, meat keeps you feeling fuller longer, but there are also far more calories too. Quinoa, which is a plant source of protein that’s complete can be the base of a meal that’s far lower in calories. The nice thing is that you can keep it on hand to save the budget or for those days when shopping is out of the question, without worrying about spoilage. It has a long shelf life and even last as long as two to three years beyond its use-by date. Watch your belly disappear when you cut out meat. The fiber in the vegetable sources of protein slows down the absorption of carbs, so you don’t have spikes in blood sugar levels and insulin. That helps prevent insulin resistance, which can lead to a Buddha belly.
- Just having meatless Mondays can even help lower the risk of diabetes, colon cancer, and other serious conditions. In fact, people who eat less meat often live longer.
- With today’s shortages, keeping a few bags of dried beans and brown rice on hand for a complete protein source is a good idea. Both can be stored for over a year without a problem.
- Turn a salad into a complete meal by adding beans, quinoa, rice or other type of plant protein. In fact, those are easy to make ahead and refrigerate, so all you have to do when you get home is serve and eat.
- The meat sitting in the intestines for as long as four days is one reason it increases the risk of colorectal cancer. Meat also has a higher cholesterol and saturated fat content that adds to the potential for cancer.
For more information, contact us today at Iron Fit San Antonio