Should we ditch meat for vegetarianism?

By Mark Savile   Deforestation, poisoning soil, draining water supplies, damaging the ozone layer, causing heart attacks and colonic cancer; these are just some of the effects of the meat industry on the environment and our bodies. Last month’s double bill of BBC2’s Horizon attempted to bust the myriad myths behind meat. Dr Mike Mosley in Should We Eat Meat explored the impact of eating meat on the public’s health and the environment, trying to clarify all the conflicting evidence that has created a huge grey area which for decades has perplexed the public who struggle to keep informed of the latest advice. Travelling to the USA to look into ongoing studies, Dr Mosley also undertook a month-long red meat heavy diet eating 130g per day, double the daily average intake amongst Britons. His investigations revealed that eating beef three times a week doubles the chances of fatal heart disease compared to vegetarians. Furthermore, the life expectancy of vegetarians is four to five years longer than that of meat-eaters. As high levels of protein, amino acids, zinc, iron and vitamin B are all found in animal flesh, replacing these is critical if you cut meat out of your diet, and cheese, tofu or vegetarian sausages do not always provide what the body needs. Whilst the jury is still out on the precise effects of red meat, it is now widely accepted that processed meats such as bacon, salami, ham and sausages are harmful if consumed regularly. However, eating moderate sized portions of non-processed red meat on an irregular basis offers the body these required nutrients without increasing the risk of cancer and heart disease. Dr Mosley’s in-depth investigations may have cleared up some uncertainties, especially concerning processed meats, but a number of doubts still remain. Experts seem to have contradictory opinions and offer flimsy and unsatisfactory advice: ‘eat red meat in moderation as part of a varied and balanced diet’. The environmental impact of the meat industry is equally detrimental. The average Briton chomps their way through 80kgs of meat every 12 months. 65 billion animals per year get the chop – 9 per person – a prodigious and unsustainable figure which is predicted to rise dramatically in the future, with populations in Asia and Africa constantly increasing. There are many vegetarians who steer clear of meat purely because of the negative environmental impact of raising livestock; a third of the planet’s landmass is used for rearing and providing for animals. Poor management and overgrazing in sub-Saharan Africa has led to irreversible damage and desertification. Whilst in England there is an abundance of green grass for cows’ consumption, in South America the demand for meat has caused the destruction of vast swathes of the rainforest known as the ‘lungs of the planet’ to meet the needs of an ever increasing populace in about Latin America and Europe. Cows and methane might cause amusement and clichés to be bandied about, but the impact of a single cow on global warming is comparable to that of a family car. An individual adult cow can emit up to 500 litres per day of this highly flammable gas which is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. To sum up, it is estimated that 14.5% of human greenhouse gas emissions come from the rearing, milking, feeding and eating of animals. Imagine the environmental gain if each person were to half their intake of meat. For a majority of restaurant goers, the contents and provenance of the ingredients on their plate