It is a Sunday and as usual I try to give my readers something to think about and hopefully they will learn something in the process.
Today I would like to cover a growing fad….non-meat eaters.
We could go with the cruelty part of the tale but I want to go with the growing concern that many have over the eating for super processed food.
So what is more healthy eating nothing but veggies or the meat?
With increasingly more people opting for plant-based diets – whether it’s for health, environmental, or ethical concerns – a new study has highlighted that switching to vegetarianism may entail an undesirable side effect: eating more ultra-processed foods.
In a new study, scientists looked at the consumption of ultra-processed food, plus “minimally processed food” across nearly 200,000 people who have participated in the UK Biobank project.
They found vegetarians ate more ultra-processed food (by around 1.3 percentage points) compared to regular red meat eaters. Vegans also ate slightly more ultra-processed food compared to regular red meat eaters, although the disparity was not significantly different (1.2 percentage points).
The study concludes: “This UK-based study found higher UPF [ultra-processed food] consumption in vegetarian diets and lower in diets with a modest amount of meat or fish.”
“It is important that policies which encourage the urgently needed transition to more sustainable dietary patterns also promote rebalancing diets towards minimally processed foods,” it adds.
Here lies the problem: many people eating plant-based diets in the industrialized world don’t solely eat a balanced variety of fresh vegetables and fruits. When trying to avoid meat, well-intentioned consumers can also opt for meat substitutes, prepared ready meals, and other “convenience foods” that are often loaded with more calories, saturated fat, salt, sugar, and all kinds of additives.
https://www.iflscience.com/vegetarians-vs-meat-eaters-who-consumes-more-ultra-processed-food-76945
I am old and been a meat eater all my life….I do buy lean meats and try not to eat those processed foods as much as possible. Besides I have yet to find a plant based (god I hate that term) burger that tastes as good as the real thing….and do not get me started on the fake bacon or cheese thing.
I will remain a meat eater as long as I have left on this world.
How about you?
Onto bigger and better things….after all tomorrow is Cyber Monday and the internet ought to be buzzing with deals.
Enjoy your Sunday and as always…..Be Well and Be safe….
I Read, I Write, You Know
“lego ergo scribo”
We are meat-eaters, and I cannot see that changing now. Although I do know many more vegetarians than I used to, and restaurants are adding extra vegan choices to their menus.
Best wishes, Pete.
It is a fad…..more vegan choices less favor. chuq
No bacon, no processed meats (ham sandwich now and then). Beef section at grocery store just walk by $$$ !, will get some ground beef lean but try to stay just chick and fish. Heart issues so try to protect aortic and all vascular networks. Pizza- olives and mushrooms, Greek spinach feta, cream cheese & salmon, margerita, pork sometimes Miami/Cuban style (but never congressional pork) . Hot dogs now and then.
I still have bacon and hot sausage….I have made little changes other than eliminate sugar and as many carbs as possible. chuq
We eat mostly seafood, then chicken and finally meat – but as you point out, if we were to go vegetarian but not eat “clean” then we are no better off…I cook a lot because I control the ingredients…no additives, chemicals etc. Just because someone is vegetarian or vegan does NOT mean they eat healthy. Great article.
I am glad you like it…..I eat and cook a lot of bison….like you I cook for the same reasons you stated…..I worry about seafood with mercury and all. have a great day chuq
We have a restaurant here in New York that serves Mutton…perhaps the only one that does…and it’s delicious!
Is it curry? chuq
It seems that no matter what kind of diet you try to have there is always going to be something wrong with it, doesn’t it? There really is no “ideal” diet, I suspect. Basically the best thing you can do is follow the advise your mother probably gave you – eat a balanced diet, heavy on the vegetables and fruit, go easy on fatty and sugary foods, and don’t eat too much.
mom and Grandma are always the best in their advice….chuq