What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Eating Meat?

In my practice, I have never asked a patient to become a vegan or vegetarian for health reasons. However, I do recommend reducing meat consumption to approximately 25% of total daily caloric intake, and I fully understand if somebody decides to go vegetarian for ethical or environmental reasons.

The suffering of animals is unfortunately an essential part of the industrial meat and dairy industry, and the environmental destruction associated with creating the farmland for these animals (specifically cows), as well as for growing soybeans and corn to feed them, is a valid reason for many people to not eat meat.

Deciding to give up meat, whether for a few weeks or longer, can have several significant effects on your body. When people choose to cut out meat altogether for various reasons, the changes can be quite remarkable.

Weight Loss and Heart Health

One of the most immediate benefits noticed when people stop eating red meat is weight loss. This is not only due to eliminating calorie-dense animal products, but also because of what replaces them in their diet. High-fiber plant foods such as vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fruits not only fill you up, but also come with fewer calories, more fiber and polyphenols. This can help reduce overall calorie intake and curb overeating, leading to weight loss.

A shift to a meat-free diet also often results in improved heart health. A number of studies show that vegetarian diets can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which in turn reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke. These diets can also decrease levels of LDL cholesterol—the harmful type that can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Gut Microbiome Changes

When you switch to a plant-based diet, it’s not just your diet that changes, but also the composition and function of your gut microbiome. New vegetarians often see an increase in bacteria that specialize in breaking down fiber from plant foods and a decrease in bacteria that process meat. Studies have reported an increase in the relative abundance of short chain fatty acid producers Prevotella, Ruminococcus, and Roseburia, and a decrease in others, such as Bacteroides and Bifidobacterium. These changes can happen within days of the dietary change and can have varied health implications, including reduced engagement of the gut-associated immune system.

Long-term Considerations and Healthy Eating

While the short-term benefits of removing all meat from your diet can be compelling, the long-term implications are still not fully understood. Some studies suggest that small amounts of meat in a diet that is predominantly plant-based (like the classical Mediterranean diet) can offer similar health benefits without needing to completely eliminate meat.

If you are concerned about the negative health effects of indulging on steaks and hamburgers on a daily basis, and are not willing to give up meat consumption, you may try to limit your intake to organic grassfed beef, coming from cows with a healthy digestive system, not exposed to antibiotics and with a greater amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Most importantly, you may think about reducing the total amount of red meat consumed in a week, and diversify the sources of your protein. Small fish such as sardines and mackerel are an environmentally responsible and incredibly healthy option (high in protein & high in omega-3 fatty acids).

It’s also crucial to make healthy food choices while on a vegetarian or vegan diet. Simply cutting out meat won’t automatically make your diet healthier if it’s replaced by high quantities of ultra-processed foods. It’s important to choose whole, minimally processed plant foods and to ensure you’re getting essential nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, zinc, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids, which might be less available in a plant-based diet.

The simple take home message of this controversial topic is pretty clear:

Despite all the arguments brought forward by proponents of a keto, paleo or carnivore diet, a general reduction of red meat consumption is good for your health. When you reduce the amount of red meat, make sure you replace the meat-based portion of your diet with a large variety of plant-based foods. And importantly, pay attention to the way the meat is produced (how the animals are raised, what they are fed) and how the meat is processed.