If you do nothing else, reduce or eliminate these 3 things.

I know I should be eating healthier, but…

… I’m going on vacation soon and I want to enjoy what I’m eating.

… it’s the holidays and there are too many temptations.

… the kids are so damn picky.

… chicken is the one thing everyone will actually eat.

… I don’t have the time or the desire to cook.

Have any of those thoughts ever crossed your mind? They certainly used to cross mine on the regular. And when you’re bogged down by day-to-day of life, they’re all valid concerns. Making significant changes to the way you eat can seem next to impossible when you’re in the thick of it.

If the idea of moving towards a predominantly plant-based lifestyle is more than you can even think about at this stage in your life, you’re not alone.

The good news is there are some smaller changes you can make that may help improve health outcomes by simply reducing (or better yet, eliminating) your consumption of certain foods.

Processed meats
Red meat
Ultra-processed foods

Before you say "F that" and hit the back button, hear me out. I’m not saying you should never eat these things again, I’m just asking you to keep reading so you can make informed decisions going forward.

Processed Meats

If you take nothing else from this post, hear this: Processed meats are classified as a Group 1 carcinogen. Group 1 carcinogens are known to cause cancer in humans. That’s the same category as tobacco, asbestos, alcohol and plutonium. 😱 Not only can they increase your risk of developing cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, processed meats are also associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

If you’re not sure what is considered processed meat, the American Institute for Cancer Research defines it as “meat preserved by smoking, curing or salting, or addition of chemical preservatives.” That means most deli meats, sausage, hot dogs and yes, even bacon.

Red Meat

Red meat is classified as a Group 2 carcinogen, meaning it probably causes cancer in humans but the evidence isn’t as strong as for those substances in Group 1. Like processed meat, high intake of red meat has been associated with higher risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer. The exact amount “high” entails is still up for debate, but there are well documented health benefits of reducing the amount of red meat in your diet.

While it’s true that red meat provides dietary protein and can be a good dietary source of iron, it is also high in saturated fat which can be linked to high cholesterol, particularly high levels of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol). High levels of LDL in the blood can in turn lead to increased plaques in the arteries, leading to increased risk of heart disease, peripheral artery disease and stroke.

There are no health benefits to eating red meat. If you want to keep eating some, that is absolutely your choice, but it is absolutely possible to get all of the nutrients typically associated with red meat from other, more health promoting sources.

Ultra-Processed Foods

I think we all know that ultra-processed foods aren’t exactly good for us, but it’s hard to deny the convenience. Open the box, maybe add a couple things and voilà… a quick and easy meal or side dish.

The sad truth is that most ultra-processed foods barely qualify as foods. They are full of empty calories but void of actual nutrition, contain all kinds of artificial additives and are chock full of added fat, salt and sugar to keep us coming back for more.

So, why is it so easy to fall into the ultra-processed foods trap?

Back in the day we were drawn to foods that were high in fat and sugar for one reason… they were high in calories. We didn’t always know where our next meal was coming from, so our brains evolved to make sure we stockpiled as much energy (ie. calories) as we could so that it would last us through the lean times. Modern ultra-processed foods have been engineered to tap into our body’s natural tendency to seek out foods that will sustain us in times of famine - but that's a problem most Americans no longer have to worry about. Unfortunately, our primitive brains never got the memo.

Does this mean you need to remove all of these things from your diet and never let a slice of bacon pass your lips again? 😲

Nope, because you're a grown-up and I'm not the food police.

I AM a realist, and perfection is an impossible goal that will end in failure 100% of the time. I no longer eat meat for ethical as well as health reasons, so that’s a compromise I am personally unwilling to make regardless of the situation.

That being said, before my husband’s heart disease diagnosis, he ate a big, juicy steak every year on his birthday. On occasion, my primitive brain still takes over and an apple cider donut makes its way into my belly.

What you eat on occasion isn’t going to make or break your health outcomes, but the greater the reduction of processed meats, red meat and ultra-processed foods, the greater the benefits.

The fact that I eat whole food plant-based about 90% of the time (and almost entirely vegan the rest of the time) makes it easy for me to be ok with these exceptions because they are just that: the exception and not the rule.

So if steak is your favorite thing in the whole wide world and the thought of never having it again makes you want to give up before you even get started, eat the steak. But maybe instead of three times a week, have it twice a month.

If it’s simply not Sunday brunch without grandma’s sausage gravy, take a small serving but add an extra scoop of fruit salad to your plate for an extra dose of phytochemicals and antioxidants.

As for me, I’ll be over here enjoying my delicious Antipasto Tofu Sub Sandwich from our Clean Food Dirty Girl Meal Plan membership. (Not an affiliate link… they are just literally the BEST whole food plant-based recipes on the internet!)

If this post got you thinking and you're ready to consider making some changes, check out my free 5 Simple Swaps to Add More Plants to Your Plate guide.

Grab your guide now!