It was reported by the United Nations, earlier this week, that climate change is likely to lead to international starvation, drought and extreme weather events by the 2040s. The world population is increasing, which means there is a growth in food demand (e.g. cereals, meat). At the current rate of consumer-demand of meat, it is estimated that livestock production will double by 2050 (Caro et al., 2014). A lot of people are apprehensive to reduce their meat and dairy consumption, because they do not understand how it effects climate change, and may also believe that meat and dairy are essential for the human diet; the aim of this blog post is to explain why it is so important, now more than ever, to reduce meat and dairy consumption.
An example of the effects of the consumption of one type of meat (i.e. beef) and dairy on climate change and some ethical considerations.
Climate change:
Meat consumption is one the largest leading causes of climate change. There are numerous reasons, including, the large amount of greenhouse gases produced by raising livestock. Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane are the two most significant greenhouse gases that are leading to climate change. A plant-based diet could cut greenhouse gas emissions by 63% (Harvey, 2016). The consumption of beef would need to be reduced by 90% and the consumption of dairy by 60%, in order to keep global warming at or below 2-degrees Celsius. However, even the 2-degree Celsius limit is arbitrary; some scientists argue that we would see a range of significant impacts before we hit this limit, so the recommended reduction of beef and dairy consumption is arguably the minimum reduction we need to make. Climate scientists have emphasised the importance of global food system changes; highlighting the adoption of a “flexitarian” diet which drastically cuts out meat and eggs, and upping our intake of beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. This “flexitarian” diet is essentially adopting a primarily plant-based diet.
Access to freshwater in the future:
Modern agriculture also uses more freshwater than any other human activity, with nearly 1/3 required for livestock. By 2050, half the worlds population may no longer have safe water. High levels of greenhouse gases, mainly from modern agriculture, traps heat and alters the planets weather and climate. Rising global temperatures alter weather patterns and change how water cycles between the ground and the atmosphere. Extreme events, such as flooding and droughts, are becoming more common on our warming planet; there is/will be more water in places it is not needed/wanted, and less water where it is needed/wanted. By 2050, around 3.5 billion – 4.4 billion people around the world, are predicted to be living with limited access to water, more than 1 billion of them in cities.
The effects of reducing meat intake on our health:
Reducing or eliminating meat from your diet will benefit your own health, as well as helping the planet. Individuals who do not eat meat, overall, tend to be slimmer, in better health, have a reduced risk of chronic diseases and typically have a longer life-span, compared to individuals who do eat meat (Willett, 1999). Individuals who do not eat meat are also less likely to suffer obesity and Type II Diabetes (McEvoy et al., 2012).
If we eliminate meat from our diets will we lack essential nutrients, like certain proteins and micronutrients (e.g. iron, vitamin B12)? The answer to this question requires learning about the benefits of nutrients that are found in animals and not in plant-based food and then learning about whether we need these nutrients to live a healthy life and if there are alternative ways to get these nutrients if we do need them. Overall, there are nutrients that are found in animals that are not found in plant-based food, but there are no nutrients that are found in animal products that are essential for the human diet. The nutrients found in meat and/or dairy that are not found in plant-based food, will be made in the human body with other nutrients that are found in plant-based food, if they are essential for us. Below, I have briefly outlined the seven nutrients that are not naturally found in plant-based food, and why we do not need these nutrients from meat and/or dairy consumption.
Vitamin B12
We need B12 for the development of red blood cells, maintenance of nerves and normal brain function.
B12 deficiency could lead to feeling weak, fatigue, impaired brain function, neurological disorders and psychiatric disorders.
B12 is produced by bacteria found in soil, as well in the guts of animals (including humans). But, in order for the bacteria to make B12 the soil must contain the mineral cobalt.
The B12 produced by our guts is too far down our digestive system to be absorbed by our body but is excreted in our faeces. The human body needs vitamin B12, in small amounts.
Early humans received plenty of B12 from the good quality (cobalt-rich) soil and from natural water from rivers, which also contains B12 producing bacteria.
Intensive over-farming has reduced the soil quality, making it deficient in cobalt. This affects livestock (meat-eaters supposed source of B12), as well as humans. Even if cattle do get small amounts of B12 naturally from clumps of dirt around grass roots and chickens from pecking around for worms and other insects; most factory-farmed animals are kept indoors and never even see soil, so would be deficient without supplementation. In fact, around 95% of all B12 supplements manufactured are actually given to livestock.
The Framingham Offspring study found no difference in the B12 blood levels of individuals who ate meat and those who did not. The individuals with the highest B12 levels where those who were taking B12 supplements and eating B12 fortified food.
Reliable plant-based vitamin B12 sources include: supplements, B12 fortified food – e.g. yeast extracts, soya products (e.g. tofu, tempeh), cereal, bread, meat-substitutes, plant-based milks and certain types of seaweed.
n-3 Fatty Acids (Omega-3)
There are three types of Omega-3s: ALA, EPA and DHA.
The essential Omega-3 is ALA, a short-fatty acid, which is found in a lot of plant-based foods.
Omega-3s are important for immune, cognitive and cardiac function.
ALA is the only “essential” omega 3, but DHA and EPA are biologically active forms of the Omega 3 fatty acid, so are more important for your health in the long-term. Diets that do not contain meat may be lower in EPA and DHA and higher in n-6 fatty acids. But EPA and DHA can be created in the body from ALA or absorbed from (plant-based) food (e.g. algae). Furthermore, despite the slow conversion rate, n-6 fatty acid (found in many plant foods and in most vegetable oils) can be converted to EPA and DHA in the body.
Best plant sources of Omega-3: chia seeds, Brussel sprouts, algal oil, hemp seeds, walnuts, flaxseeds, perilla oil. There are also many vegan Omega-3 supplements.
Other non-essential nutrients that are naturally found in meat/fish/dairy and are not naturally found in vegan food:
Creatine
Benefits:
It is mostly stored in muscles and is an easily-accessible energy reserve for muscle cells, which gives them greater strength and endurance.
Why do we not need creatine from animals?
We will have creatine in our bodies regardless of whether we eat meat, as it is made by the liver in the human body.
Leucine (an essential amino acid) is the most abundant three branched chain amino acid in the muscle and does indeed make up a high proportion of the amino acids in muscle. Plant-based food high in leucine include soybeans (roasted or boiled), other soy foods (e.g. tempeh, miso, tofu), seeds and nuts (e.g. pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pistachio nuts, sesame seeds, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, cashew nuts, brazil nuts, peanuts) and beans (e.g. kidney beans, black beans).
Carnosine
Benefits:
It is an antioxidant concentrated in the muscles and brain.
Why do we not need carnosine from animals?
It can be formed in the human body from the amino acids, histidine and beta-alanine.
Histidine is found in plentiful supply in all food sources, which is combined with beta-alanine (made from the human body) which makes carnosine.
Vitamin D3
Benefits:
D3 (found in animals) is more potent than D2 (found in plant-based food): it increases blood levels of bioactive vitamin D more efficiently.
Therefore, D3 is more effective at reducing the risk of many illnesses such as osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, depression, impaired brain function, muscle wasting and reduced strength.
Why is animal-derived vitamin D3 not essential?
Vitamin D can be produced by our own skin when exposed to sunlight.
When sunshine is limited, we can get vitamin D2 from plant-based food (e.g. mushrooms, plant-based milk, supplements, tofu), which we can consume in higher quantities.
If you want vitamin D3 in particular, which is not essential as long as you are getting enough vitamin D2, there are vegan vitamin D3 supplements available.
Heme-iron
Benefits:
A type of iron only found in meat (especially in red meat).
It is better absorbed (15% – 35%) than the non-heme iron (2% – 20%) found in plant foods.
“Meat factor”: it improves the absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods.
Individuals who consume heme-iron may be less prone to anemia.
Why do we not need heme-iron?
You can eat more plant-based non-heme iron, to increase the amount you absorb.
The amount of iron absorbed into the body is also affected by other food you consume at the same time. For example, food high in vitamin C (e.g. oranges, lemon, lime) strongly enhances the absorption of non-heme iron when consumed at the same time, because it forms a compound that is more easily absorbed.
Research has shown that the consumption of heme-iron increases the risk for coronary heart disease (potentially by 57%), while there is no association between non-heme iron consumption and coronary heart disease (Hunnicutt & Xun, 2014; Yang et al., 2014).
Other increased risks that are associated with heme-iron consumption include: stroke, diabetes and cancer.
Some of the most powerful plant-based sources of iron: blackstrap molasses, lentils, spinach, chickpeas, lima beans, black-eyed peas, Swiss chard, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, turnip greens, potato, prune juice, tahini and peas.
Taurine
Benefits:
To date, the function of taurine in the human body is not clear.
It potentially helps muscle function, bile salt formation and antioxidant defences in the body.
Why is animal-derived taurine not essential?
It is not essential to include animal-derived taurine in your diet, as it is naturally produced by the human body.
You can eat high protein plant-based food regularly to ensure that your body is able to synthesize it (e.g. soy, hemp seeds, quinoa, buckwheat).
Although it is not necessary, you can buy plant-based taurine supplements.
Overall, the consumption of meat and dairy contributes to climate change, raises ethical conditions and has negative consequences on our health. I have only touched upon a few of the topics related to the benefits of reducing or eliminating your intake of meat and dairy. It is important to note that the meat and dairy industry is fuelled by consumer demand; so the more you reduce the demand, the less meat and dairy will be produced. Every little helps; every time you decide to purchase meat, fish and dairy, you are giving the industry money to continue killing animals and contributing to the increasingly urgent issue of climate change. There are many things that are contributing to climate change that we cannot easily control, however, changing our diet is the one that can have a huge and drastic impact. If you want to see change on this planet, then you have to be active and represent the change you wish to see. There is also so much more I could discuss, in terms of the health benefits of a plant-based diet. I strongly recommend the book “How Not to Die” written by the internationally-renowned nutrition expert, physician and founder of NutritionFacts.org, Dr. Michael Greger, which is great for those interested in the health benefits of a plant-based diet. https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Not-Die-Discover-Scientifically/dp/1250066115
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