Tackling the red meat debate

Tackling The Red Meat Debate by: Lougien Ahmed

Eating meat has been an enjoyable habit in most cultures. Restrictions vary according to beliefs but eventually meat is the delicious, juicy source of rich nutrients type of food. The ways meat is cooked are infinite and the pleasure is immeasurable. However, waves of wakeup calls have been shaking the global stage for a few years now and it is all because of our beloved meat.

Between meat is the destroyer of worlds and meat is the best thing one could ever try, there must be a middle ground that one can find when tackling that topic.

Historically, meat may be what got us smarter. Eating meat was an essential push start for homo sapiens to nurture the brain. Hunting was one of the reasons that developed language and strategic thinking. Evolution did humans good as we are not either carnivore or herbivore. We have the flat teeth of the herbivore but not their large guts. Also, we have canine and molars like the carnivore but not their saber teeth nor small guts.

However, before starting to cheer team meat, evolution has also taught us that although we can eat both, we are more herbivores than a carnivore. Another thing that differentiates us from carnivores is that humans were given the choice. Yes, humans did eat meat for millions of years, but we live in a time where this could change. It also might have helped our ancestors to survive but we do not necessarily need meat anymore. Resources back then were not widely available nor distributed as much as they are now.

Meat cannot be neglected. It has heme iron, which can only be found in life form. It helps the body produce hemoglobin, that delivers oxygen to muscles. It also produces myoglobin, which is found in muscles and accepts and uses oxygen. Adding to that, meat is a good source of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Most importantly, is rich in the b12 vitamin that cannot be found in any fruits or vegetables. “Meat contains essential amino acids. Our bodies produce most amino acids. However, there are some amino acids that our body does not produce. This creates the need for the body to obtains them from another source,” said Dr. Mohamed Mansour, Associate Professor in Faculty of Medicine at Cairo University, Consultant of Obesity and Pain Management, and member of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.

Those amino acids enter the process of the renewal of body cells, hormones, and enzymes. Problems in immunity, skin irritation, growth, and disease like anemia can be caused by the lack of amino acids.

Hold your horses! before happily munching on your beef burger or 200 gm steak, you have to know that meat also causes health complications, especially red meat.

Dr. Mohamed Mansour warns that people who have high blood cholesterol, Arteriosclerosis and Gout are more susceptible to health issues and should avoid red meat. He states that the best type of meat one can eat is fish, followed by chicken, then, at last, meat, the least recommended.

Red meat is high in saturated fat, which can raise blood cholesterol levels, blood pressure, heart disease, and obesity. Moreover, there are links between processed meat and bowel cancer.

Research also indicates that a diet where meat is minimal can be more healthful. The department of health in the United Kingdom advised that the perfect portion for meat is 70g/day, which adds up to roughly 25 kilos annually.

The implications of meat consumption are not only limited to health; it also is imperative to consider ethical or environmental ramifications.

The increased demand for meat lead to the mass production of meat and, therefore, to unethically rear and kill animals. Although this fact is normalized to some, to others it is still an ongoing nightmare. A person does not necessarily need to be a vegetarian to end this horror but reducing meat intake and, accordingly, decreasing general demand may return meat production levels to normal.

Another downside for extensive meat mass production is cattle grazing. To graze cattle, wide areas of grass are needed. In most countries, that is not available. Therefore, they instead turn to deforestation to create clear areas to raise the cattle.

This causes a serious problem because forests are a great generator of oxygen to the planet and an important agent in fighting climate change. Furthermore, cows are one of the greatest producers of methane and nitrous oxide gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect that is related to global warming.

Some countries have it more serious than others. In the United States of America, there are around 110 million cows while in Egypt the number is roughly 2.4 million. These differences can affect the price of meat and, thus, the consumer’s buying behavior. In the US, the average American consumes 120kg annually while the average Egyptian consumes 25kg per year.

Mohamed Saad, Professor of Biochemistry at the Faculty of Agriculture at Cairo University, suggests that a change in the cows’ diet can help to partially solve the problem of climate change. Scientists at Denmark’s Aarhus University found that adding thyme in cows’ diets can change the bacterial balance in their digestive system and, thus, decrease the emission of methane gases.

“The rule of thumb is” adds Mohamed Saad “is to decrease the consumption of red meat to the only 1/7 of one’s diet”. In other words, limit meat consumption to only once a week.

Meat has not been always a problem for humanity because the demand for it was never as high as it is now. The meat was more valued as it was only served in events and special occasions. It was one of life’s luxuries that should not have been exploited.

Currently, millions of processed beef burgers are produced daily; it is not only a waste of good meat but also a harmful intake to humans. Perhaps it would be best to go back to that way it originally was, giving the meat the value it once had.