Meatless Monday
Maybe you have heard about meatless Monday campaign and wondered what it is all about. There are many benefits to going meatless on Mondays and the following might help you understand why this idea has become so popular. First, I want to tell you if you don’t already know, that the meat we get from big animal farms is not the same meat as in the past. Big companies in order to improve their profit, feed the animals many things that are not suppose to be in their diet, and not suppose to be in our diets either. By giving animals huge amounts of hormones that make them mature faster and be ready for slaughter in a much shorter time, the meat has become saturated with these hormones. For meat lovers, just cutting meat out for one day a week can have many health and environmental benefits.
Health Benefits
* Limits the risk of cancer because replacing meat with fruits and vegetables , studies show, dramatically lower cancer. High consumption of red and processed meat is associated with colon cancer.
* Reduces heart disease by 19% because we replace meat and dairy which is high in saturated fat with foods that are rich in polyunsaturated fats.
* Fights diabetes as is proven red and processed meat consumption increases risk of type 2 diabetes.
* Fights obesity because studies show that reducing the consumption of meat can prevent long term weight gain.
* Replacing meat with beans and legumes results in lower intake of saturated fats and higher intake of protein, fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.
Environmental Benefits
* United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 1/5 of man made greenhouse gas emissions are generated by the meat industry, far more than even transportation.
* The needs of just beef water consumption is 1,800 to 2,500 gallons of water for 1 pound as compared to vegetables and grains which take about 220 gallons per pound.
* About 40 calories of fossil fuel energy go into every calorie of feel lot beef compared to 2.2 calories of fossil fuel energy to produce one calorie of plant-based protein.
When you eat meat, try to choose healthy. It is always best to purchase it from a well-known local butcher that feeds their animals a proper diet free of hormones. It may be a little more expensive, but in the long run may save you a lot on medical expenses. It is estimated that 75% of healthcare spending on chronic disease is from our diet.
There are countless of meatless recipes to help you get started that your family will love. In fact many famous chefs and famous people have joined the campaign and put out hundreds of great ideas you can find on your computer by typing in “meatless Mondays”.
