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.
by Victor Cherubim
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 benefts,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 defciencies.
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 defcient 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 effcient 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 sacrifced 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.
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