Help! I can’t beat my meat cravings. I recently read a “First” article about women who lost tons of weight just by eating more plant-based foods and less meat. I’ve been trying to do the same, but I end up craving meat so much, I cave in and have a big steak dinner at my favorite restaurant, and naturally that comes with fattening sides. Am I doing something wrong?
What you’re really craving is umami, a Japanese term for meat’s savoriness and texture. Making meatless dishes without replacing umami leads to feeling dissatisfied, and ultimately to overeating. The easy fix: Prepare meals with umami foods like mushrooms, walnuts, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, beets, cabbage, chickpeas, white beans, potatoes and sweet potatoes. With this trick, you’ll finally be able to enjoy the health and weight-loss benefits—including increased energy, stronger bones and lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol—of eating more plant-based foods.
