May 8, 2023
There are so many factors the consumer is being asked to consider today that understanding their final decisions is often confusing.
There are those promoting the idea of livestock being sentient, and so should be off the menu. Some point to livestock as being greenhouse gas emitters, and so to combat global weather changes should be off the menu, which one imagines mean eating up the existing herds and basically stopping further production – which for some breeds at least could well mean extinction which could have future impacts not well understood today.
Others worry livestock consumes feed from acres that they believe would be better suited to grains for human consumption. While most of the above reasons might best be described as moral ones, there are mixed messages regarding what is best for humans in terms of what feeds our bodies best.
“Meat, eggs and milk offer crucial sources of much-needed nutrients which cannot easily be obtained from plant-based foods, says a new report issued today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. However, revisions to the Canada Food Guide released in 2019 are pointedly different. The updated Food Guide emphasized plant-based foods and advised Canadians to consume less milk and meat. One can sympathize if consumers aren’t quite sure which message is best for their families.
Ultimately, barring issues such as allergies or medical conditions limiting what one eats, moderation is a good starting place from which to determine family menus. Too much of anything, from raw sugars, to salt, to cured meats to any other menu item, is not likely the best option. It is also likely that most any food in moderation will not be horrible for some unless the aforementioned issues are present.
Is eating beef or pork OK? Well, for most, the answer is yes. The same can be said for consuming legumes as a protein source. The better answer still is quite likely a diet with some of both on the menu regularly. Let’s not forget humans have been drinking animal milk for centuries, so to suddenly think that is bad seems unlikely, although perhaps consumption needs to be adjusted for lifestyle. Most of us do not do the physical work we would have even 50 years ago, so our nutrient needs will be different.
The key is assimilating the data being tossed out and finding a balance that works in the kitchen for each of us.
- Calvin Daniels
Comment on this article at lmtimes.ca/calvin
Disclaimer: opinions expressed are those of the writer.
