For every burger skipped, you can
save enough water to drink for the next 3 years.
For every burger skipped, you
can save enough energy to charge your phone for 4.5 years.
These surprising statements come from
Meatless Monday, a movement started by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health to promote health and the environment. Meatless Monday has
spread to many industrialized countries. In poorer parts of the world,
many days may be meatless.
The October issue of Nutrition Action
Health Letter (circ@cspinet.org) has a lead article about beef – why we should be eating less
of it and less of other red meats. Here are some salient points made by
Dr. Walter Willett, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at Harvard.
Risk of
Dying Prematurely This risk is 37% higher in men
who ate 2 servings of red meat a day compared to those who ate 2 servings a
week. Red meat was related to a high risk of heart disease, stroke, type
2 diabetes and colorectal cancer. Red meat consumption during adolescence
is related to the risk of breast cancer.
Risk of
cancer – smoking is the greatest risk factor, followed by being
overweight Red meat contributes to overweight, but is a risk factor even after
removing its effect on weight.
Other
Sources of protein – plant sources include nuts and
beans . There is a small amount of protein in whole grains. Poultry
has not been linked to a higher risk of cancer, heart disease stroke or
diabetes. Fish contributes omega-3 fatty acids. Yogurt is the
healthiest dairy food, probably because of its effect on microbes in the gut
(our microbiome).
Red meat’s
impact on the planet: Cattle produce methane, a
potent greenhouse gas. Per cow, grass-fed cattle are equally bad for
producing greenhouse gases, because they live a longer time. If we stopped
feeding grain to cattle, the environment would be greatly improved. Huge
amounts of water are needed to grow grain for cattle., and manure runoff from
feedlots is an unsolved problem. The vast monocultures of grain and soy
to feed animals, and also to produce ethanol and high fructose corn syrup, are
seriously threatening biodiversity.
The Protein
Flip – the Culinary Institute of America is working on
popularizing menus with less red meat and more recipes from other cultures
using beans. Burgers made with vegetables, fish and poultry are becoming
more widespread.
The
Antibiotic Problem – Most livestock animals
(except those grown by organic farmers) have been fed antibiotics for growth
enhancement, not just disease treatment. This has led to antibiotic
resistance, affecting everyone who gets an infection, including people who do
not eat meat. Resistant bacteria have spread widely in the
environment.
Actions we
all can take: Investigate Meatless
Monday. Reduce your red meat intake – You will be protecting your health
and reducing greenhouse gasses and water use . Support your local
farmers and enjoy their beans and eggs, as well as their vegetables.
Subscribe to Nutrition Action Health Letter, published by Center for Science in
the Public Interest. You will be inspired.
Sadja Greenwood, MD, MPH
