Man is not a meat or plant eater, but an omnivore. Yet more and more people are following a plant-based diet, such as vegetarians and vegans. Is that healthy for an omnivore like humans? Marije Seves of the Nutrition Center and Marleen Onwezen, researcher at Wageningen University & Research, answer that question.
By Samuel BomCan humans live a healthy life without meat? Marije Seves of the Nutrition Center prefers to start ‘one step ahead’. “What do we need as humans? There are about fifty known nutrients that we all need for different life processes.”
Macronutrients, for example, provide fuel, Seves says. “But vitamins and minerals are also needed for certain processes. Think, for example, of repairing the body, digestion and our immune system. The body cannot make these substances sufficiently itself, we have to get them through our food.”
So it’s not about whether your food is a plant or an animal, but about the nutrients it contains. “Almost all nutrients from animal products can also be obtained from plant products.”
Real meat substitutes and meat substitutes that imitate meat
All you have to do is find a good meat substitute. “There are two kinds of meat substitutes. On the one hand, those are products like legumes and nuts, which have many of the same nutrients,” says Seves. “On the other hand, there are meat substitutes that mimic real meat.” For example, consider a vegan burger. “They are not always a full-fledged substitute. They are often very salty. And you have to look closely at the ingredients. How much protein is in them? Has iron been added, or vitamin B12?”
The vitamin B12 is special, because it can only be found in animal products. “But it can be added to meat and dairy substitutes.” Still, the Nutrition Center recommends taking a supplement if you eat very little or no animal products. “Especially if you’re vegan — vegetarians can get it from dairy and eggs, too,” says Seves.
The same problem is related to vitamin D: “That is a substance that our body makes itself under the influence of sunlight, but we also get a lot of it from fatty fish, milk and eggs.” You must have a replacement for that. Seves: “Vitamin D is added in some baking and roasting products, but if you eat that little too a supplement can help.”
Some dietitians even say that 100 grams of meat per week is enough.
So, especially in this day and age, people can live well on plant foods. Why, then, do many people see meat as necessary? That is one of the questions that psychologist Marleen Onwezen is investigating at Wageningen University & Research. “Meat is an intriguing example, because there is a large group of people who feel that it is really part of our diet and necessary for good nutrition.”
Remarkable, says Onwezen. “Because we know from science that we ingest too much animal protein. Not to mention the environmental pressure.” The average Dutch person consumes around 110 grams of meat per day. “That is more than a third of what we need according to the nutritional advice: around 60 grams. And that is still a broad estimate. Some dietitians even say that 100 grams per week is sufficient. Those are big differences.”
We eat more meat than we need
So we not only eat more meat than we need, but also more than is healthy for us. So why does this food have such a great appeal? “Tradition plays an important role, as does our culture. Eating meat is normal and you can see that in many places. Our entire food environment breathes meat.”
In restaurants, meat is the standard, explains Onwezen. “Just like in the recipes in the supermarket. We are seeing more and more alternative meat substitutes, but the results of this are only reflected in eating behavior. There is a slight shift in how we look at meat substitutes, we are more open to it “That’s a first step towards change. So there’s something going on, but you don’t see it on our plates yet.”
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