Less Meat,more life

Life is better they say after Coronavirus when you eat less meat.

A plant based diet has always been the choice for millennia, as 

our ancestors believed it offered a whole range of health

benefits,but at the same time they were careful, if not cautious,

what vegetables they ate. 

Everyone or rather everyone, now talks seriously of the BMI 

(Body Mass Index) and how to lower the risk of cardiovascular

disease. Often it centres on the eating of less meat and more

whole grains,legumes (like lentils and chickpeas) as well as  

vegetables,fruits and particularly nuts and seeds..

Plant based diet is important to get enough iron, protein and

Vitamin B12. We see a new generation of vegetarians and more 

“vegans” sticking strictly to a plant based diet.

People who eat a mainly plant based diet may still choose to eat

small amounts of meat,poultry, fish and dairy. They are known 

as semi-vegetarian. While others eating a plant based diet may

choose not to eat meat and animal products for various reasons. 

However, a vegan diet excludes all meat and animal products

(meat,poultry, fish, seafood, dairy produce and eggs), whereas 

a vegetarian diet excludes meat,poultry, fish and seafood.

Why is a plant based diet not automatically healthy?   

A plant based diet may include chips,biscuits and even soft

drinks,which can all be classed as vegan or vegetarian foods,

but when processed may contain too much fat,too much 

sugar and/or too much salt, primarily but not essentially for

taste buds,and sometimes for shelf life and is not good for

a healthy lifestyle?

The question then arises, which is better,to be a vegetarian 

or a vegan? 

A vegan diet may be better than a vegetarian diet for 

controlling weight and reducing the risk of certain chronic

diseases.But if not planned, a vegan diet is also more likely

to cause nutrient deficiencies.

Thus the reason to stop eating meat does not automatically

mean health,as highly processed vegan and  vegetarian meat

substitutes are not enough to improve health. As diet trends 

change with time and place, it is highly possible for people

to feel confused about what is considered as a healthy diet.

Thus it is always best to consult a registered dietician to plan

your individual diet that meets your nutritional needs, as each

person is deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, as well

as each person is different in other respects.

Other reasons for less meat  

Reducing your meat and dairy intake is, of course, good for

the planet. We are told that by eating plant based food for a 

month, "you save up to 3 animals, 62 kg CO2 - EQ and

39,000 litres of water”. With the CO2 Conference in Edinburgh

later this year,the adage is, if we can inspire more people to 

eat less meat, we can change the world “bite by bite”.

We also know food is responsible for vast amounts of 

greenhouse gas emissions. They say if we stopped eating meat,

we could cut global CO2 emissions by 24%; the equivalent of 

taking 240 million cars off the roads. For example,producing

1 kg of beef causes 10 to 30 kg of CO2 emissions,whereas

producing 1kg of “tofu”, only releases 1 kg of CO2.

 

Another advantage is that much less land and water would be

needed to grow the crops that are currently fed to livestock. 

Say, 7 kg of soya is required to produce 1kg of meat,it is much 

more efficient to use this soya directly in meat substitutes. 

Only 6 % of soya grown worldwide is used directly for soya

milk or meat substitutes,most is used for livestock industry 

and biofuels. If beef were ever replaced by beans, it would

release 42 % of the agricultural land in the United States.

But is it the “be all and end all” of life?

Plant based biodiversity vs Animal livelihood

We in Sri Lanka believe that all things and all beings great 

and small have to live to make our world a living planet. 

Plants in the preparation of herbal medicine, “ayurveda”

are the backbone of our civilization. 

 

At the same time plant-based food has a direct impact on the 

conservation of biodiversity and more sustainable use of

resources, but that does not necessarily mean that conservation 

of the animal kingdom has to be sacrificed to save man.

A holistic view has to be taken as all creatures, including 

animals and birds, poultry included,have a rightful place 

and we as custodians on earth, have a duty to protect and 

preserve for the betterment of mankind.

Victor Cherubim