What is the crucial distinction that makes flounder a favorable choice over fattier fish for highly restrictive diets?
It acts as a lean source of protein, allowing calories to be allocated to complex carbohydrates or vegetables.
The core benefit of selecting flounder, especially in highly restrictive caloric environments, lies in its status as a very lean source of protein. When a dieter chooses lean flounder over a significantly fattier protein source for the same volume of food, they save a substantial amount of calories derived from saturated fat. These saved calories are not wasted; rather, they become available budget points that can be strategically allocated elsewhere in the meal composition—for instance, to include necessary micronutrient providers like large portions of non-starchy vegetables or a small, measured amount of energy-sustaining complex carbohydrates. This flexibility in resource management is what makes the lean protein template so effective.
