Why the Blenditarian Movement is a Win-Win For Healthy Eaters

When it comes tolosing weightandeating healthfully, many people tend to turn tothe latest fad diet。However, these are often restrictive and end up backfiring,creating a yo-yo dieting trend。起初glance, you might think the blenditarian movement is just another fad diet, but it’s not restrictive — in fact, it’s actually aboutadding to your plateand making healthy,eco-friendly choicesby reducing meat consumption.

The blenditarian movement is an initiative from The Mushroom Council that encourages people to add finely chopped mushrooms to ground meat. It’s intended tohelp people curb their meat consumption, save money andadd more plant-based foods to their daily intake— without ditching meat altogether.

SHOULD YOU TRY IT?

Since it’s more a way of cooking than an actual diet, anyone could follow this practice when it makes sense. And if you’ve been trying to cut back on meat while upping your veggie intake, this is for you. Adding mushrooms to ground meat dishes can lower the total calorie count per serving while still giving it a hearty, meat-like texture. In addition,mushrooms provide several important nutrientssuch as B-vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, copper and selenium, which supportmetabolism, immunity,blood pressure regulationand bone health.

Blending ground meat and mushrooms can help people eat less meat, especially red meat.Population studiesshowconsuming large amounts of red meatis associated with various chronic conditions such asheart disease,diabetesand some forms of cancer, which is why health experts generally agreelimiting red meat is a good thing。

Finally, embracing the blenditarian movement offers a way tosave moneyandreduce your carbon footprint。Not only are mushrooms less expensive than meat pound-for-pound, but they’re also more eco-friendly since they require fewer resources to produce.

HOW TO COOK THE BLENDITARIAN WAY

The mushroom-to-meat ratio varies depending on what you’re looking to cook. Here are some suggested proportions:

25-75 mushroom-to-meat ratio inburgersandmeatloafto maintain the texture and integrity
50-50 mushroom-to-meat ratio fortacosandburritos
70-30 mushroom-to-meat ratio for pasta sauces such asbolognese

That being said, you can always experiment with adding a little more or less to achieve your desired consistency.

About the Author

Edwina Clark

Edwina is a pioneer for dietitians in innovation and has worked for a number of startups as a nutrition strategist, brand spokesperson, and content creator. She is formerly the Head of Nutrition and Wellness at Yummly, where she was responsible for developing nutrition solutions for over 28 million users. Prior to working in tech, Edwina worked in corporate wellness for EXOS, serving clients such as State Street, Google Europe, and Intel. She is a prominent media dietitian and has been featured in SELF, Women’s Health, and Teen Vogue, among others. Edwina hails from Sydney, Australia and is dually credentialed as a dietitian in the US and her home country. She is a former captain of the Boston University Track and Field Team and a Certified Specialty Sports Dietitian. In her free time, you can find Edwina blogging onedwinaclark.com, running, and planning her next travel adventure