What happens to your body when you start eating meat again?

After a long time following a plant-based diet, you want to reintroduce meat into your diet. What happens to your body when you start eating meat again?

Eating meat again can help boost your energy - Photo: iStock

According to Eating Well, here's what nutritionists want you to know before deciding to add meat to your diet.

You will experience changes in digestion.

The first thing you may notice when you start eating meat again is a change in your digestive system. It will take time for your body to adjust to this new food.

“The amount of protein and fat in meat can be different than what your digestive system is used to if you haven’t eaten meat for a long time,” says Los Angeles-based nutritionist Ashley Hawk. This may initially lead to some bloating or mild discomfort, but these symptoms will usually subside as your digestive system adjusts.

Additionally, meat is high in protein and fat but low in fiber, which can slow digestion, leading to constipation or changes in bowel habits.

Research shows that meat eaters are at higher risk of heartburn and acid reflux than vegetarians. This is because meat takes longer to digest than plant-based foods, especially when meat is high in saturated fat.

As a result, the stomach may produce more acid, causing heartburn.

You feel more energetic

Eating meat again can help boost your energy. Eating meat again can help boost energy levels thanks to the added iron and vitamin B12, both of which are important for energy production and cell function.

Iron and vitamin B12 play an essential role in the production of red blood cells, which help transport oxygen efficiently throughout the body. When your body is deficient in these two nutrients, you will feel tired. Adding meat to your diet is a natural way to increase your iron and vitamin B12 intake.

For example, an 85g portion of roast beef provides 19% of the daily iron requirement and up to 183% of the daily vitamin B12 requirement.

Eating meat changes the body

If you want to lose weight or gain muscle, eating meat can help you in two ways. Meat is a complete protein source, containing all nine essential amino acids that the body needs to synthesize proteins for building cells, tissues, muscles, bones, hormones and antibodies. When combined with exercise, increasing protein intake from meat can help build muscle mass.

Digesting protein requires more energy than digesting fat or carbohydrates, so increasing protein intake from meat may aid weight loss.

Your skin is healthier

If you're looking for ways to improve your skin, meat may be the answer. Meat provides many nutrients important for skin health, such as zinc, an essential mineral for healthy skin.

In addition, the protein in meat also stimulates collagen production, helping the skin to be more supple, elastic and less wrinkled without having to spend money on expensive skin care products.

You feel full longer

If you often feel hungry and are always reaching for snacks, adding meat to your diet can help keep you fuller longer.

The protein in meat is a nutrient that helps you feel full and control hunger. Protein is digested more slowly and can increase hunger-suppressing hormones while decreasing appetite-stimulating hormones. This can help you feel fuller longer after a meal and reduce the need for daytime or late-night snacking.

Strategies for incorporating meat into the diet

Eating meat again can be intimidating, but you can do it slowly. Start with small portions, there's no need to eat a large piece of meat right away.

Experts recommend starting with a small portion of 60-85g, or 1-2 meals with meat per week, then gradually increasing as your body gets used to it.

Experts recommend choosing lean meats such as skinless chicken breast, lean beef or lean pork. Limit processed meats such as sausages and bacon, as they are often high in salt and saturated fat.

Don't forget the plant-based foods you're already familiar with. Make sure at least half your plate is vegetables, a quarter is fiber-rich whole grains, and the rest is lean protein.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dieu-gi-se-xay-ra-voi-co-the-khi-ban-bat-dau-an-thit-tro-lai-20250108120715174.htm