Nutrition: What if I do not like eating meat or fish?

The Suggested serving: Meat, eggs or fish, 1-2 times a day

The Challenge: Protein intake

150g of fish (3 times per week) or 120g of meat are needed to fulfill the body’s theoretical requirements of protein. “Fish provides the protein and omega 3. This is equivalent to cooking meat with a tablespoon of canola oil,” explains Florence Pujol. As for meat, it’s ok if you eat very little as long as you do not suffer from anemia or fatigue. A blood test can be taken to check if there’s a need for extra iron supplementation.

– 2 eggs per day can perfectly replace meat and fish because they are rich in protein, iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin A. Long accused of increasing cholesterol levels, we now know that this isn’t the case. Unless you already have a pre-existing cholesterol problem, you can have 2 eggs per day to provide you with proteins. The old recommendation of ‘no more than 3 eggs per week’ is actually “a measure for people with heart failure and high cholesterol,” says dietician Florence Pujol.

–  A handful of grains + a handful of vegetables. Without regular intake of meat, fish or eggs, there is still another option: protein from vegetables. However, you have to plan properly the portions of grains and vegetables. The duo offers a nutritional diversity of protein needed by the body to renew its tissues. Here are some possible combinations: lentils with rice (+ zucchini in the pan), beans with potatoes (+baked tomato with garlic), red beans with rice (+ peppers and green salad), chickpeas with semolina (+ ratatouille). A soy or tofu steak can also replace a burger or salmon steak.

Reminder: Equivalents of one serving of meat (120g) or fish (150g)

-2 slices of ham without fat

-2 slices of cooked ham

-6 crabsticks

-4 slices of viande de grison (thin dried beef slices) + 1 egg

-1 can of sardines, tuna or mackerel

(What if I do not like eating fruits and vegetables)

(What if I do not like eating dairy products)

Mathieu Rached