“Avoiding millions of unnecessary deaths a year and dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” These are the benefits of consuming protein from sources other than meat, according to a new report.
You have probably heard of the new campaign called Meatless Monday, which is created to encourage people to abstain from eating meat on Mondays to improve their health and save the planet. Now, a new report called Alternative Proteins outlines the benefits of replacing meat products with algae, peas or insects. More importantly, it focuses on the impact of meat consumption on human health. For example, replacing beef with other sources of protein could reduce the number of deaths worldwide caused by food by 2.4%. In rich countries, where the consumption of red meat is high, the percentage of lives saved could even reach 5%.
On the Same Subject: Red Meat Consumption Increases The Risk Of Fatty Liver Disease
Conducted by the Oxford Martin School (UK) for the World Economic Forum (WEF) held on January 3, the study analyzed 13 protein sources: beef, pork and chicken, fruits and vegetables and vegetables such as beans and peas, processed substitutes (tofu, wheat products) and finally new products such as cultivated meat, insects or algae. In the end, it is the beans, mycoproteins or peas that would offer the best results in terms of health. They would reduce mortality by up to 7%.
This report highlights the benefits of replacement meat-derived proteins with vegetable proteins, but also details “the magnitude of the challenge of building a more sustainable food system”. Researchers point out that in 2010, beef production alone accounted for 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions from food. But with the increase in the world population, which could reach 10 billion by 2050, the demand for meat will also continue to increase.
In a statement, however, WEF chief executive Dominic Waughray remains optimistic: “This report shows that it is possible to produce enough for 10 billion people and improve the health of the population without necessarily giving up meat – even red meat – through new products, improved beef, pork and chicken production, and a consumer effort to adopt a more diverse diet.”
You should read: 5 Good Reasons To Reduce Your Consumption Of Meat