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US Vice President Kamala Harris – who is running for the presidency of the United States of America in the 2024 election, is a self-professed part-time vegan and has time and again discussed her forays into plant-based foods. Kamala follows a flexitarian diet which can help you reap the benefits of vegetarian eating while still enjoying animal products in moderation. And that is why the name of this diet is a combination of the words “flexible” and “vegetarian”.

Speaking about the negative impact red meat has on the environment, Kamala, the first woman of colour to run for president in the US, has always been forthcoming about her penchant for dabbling in veganism, in which she eats plant-based foods before 6 p.m. to reduce her consumption of animal products.

According to experts, a flexitarian diet - created by dietitian Dawn Jackson Blatner, has no clear-cut rules or recommended numbers of calories and macronutrients. It is known to be more of a lifestyle than just a diet.

The diet is based on the following principles:

• Eat lots of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains
• Incorporate protein from plants rather than animals
• Have a flexible attitude and also incorporate meat and animal products from time to time
• Stop eating processed meats
• Limit added sugar and sweets

What does Kamala eat in her flexitarian diet?

In her partial vegan diet, Kamala includes a splash of honey in her morning tea - meaning her go-to, mostly plant-based breakfast is best described as plant-forward, or flexitarian, rather than vegan. While she is not a fan of breakfast, she munches on almond milk cereals to keep her energy levels high. "I eat 'no' for breakfast," she told Forbes magazine in an earlier interview. “I usually stand at my kitchen counter eating some kind of Raisin Bran in almond milk while I look at my schedule for the day," Harris stated. "It's the generic Raisin Bran that I get from the grocery store — I try not to have a lot of sugar in it. I have tea with honey and lemon and then I'm out the door.”

A flexitarian diet has many health benefits, a few of which include:

Most of the foods included in this diet are high in healthy fats and fibre. According to experts, those who are majority vegetarians or vegans, have lower rates of ischemic heart disease. It happens because of high fibre and antioxidants that help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

However, flexitarian eating is meant to be primarily plant-based and will most likely have benefits similar to fully vegetarian diets.

A flexitarian diet helps with weight loss and management. According to experts, flexitarians often limit high-calorie and processed foods and incorporate plant-based foods which are significantly low in calories.

With diabetes becoming a global health epidemic, it is important to eat a healthy diet - especially a predominantly plant-based one, which prevents and manages this debilitating disease.

A flexitarian diet incorporates protein and vitamins, along with fibre – all of which regulate blood sugar levels.

Dietary patterns high in nutritious plant foods like fruits, vegetables, and legumes, along with low ultra-processed foods are associated with a lower risk of many cancers.

Apart from your one meal helping of non-vegetarian and meat-incorporated meals, you must have:

Proteins - Soybeans, tofu, tempeh, lentils

Non-starchy vegetables - Bell peppers, Brussels sprouts, green beans, carrots, cauliflower

Starchy vegetables - Winter squash, peas, corn, sweet potato

Fruits - Apples, oranges, berries, grapes, cherries

Whole grains – Quinoa, teff, buckwheat, farro

Nuts and seeds - Almonds, flaxseed, chia seeds, Walnuts, cashews, pistachios, peanut butter, avocados, olives, coconut

Plant-based milk - Unsweetened almond, coconut, hemp, and soy milk

Beverages - Still and sparkling water, tea, coffee

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