The food we eat has come a long way, and the last five years specifically has seen the rise of alternatives for meat, the exclusion of certain food groups, vegan, vegetarian, and numerous other diets. This article will give you the insights and information that you need to make an informed decision about what you and your family eat and why.
One of the major voices and trends out there is the reduction or removal of meat from diets across the age, race, and culture range. From a society that was based on meat, we now look to a future that may be meat-free.
Eating Meat
This has always been the mainstay of modern mealtime. But there have been changes underway that have culminated in a possible and probable meat-free future.
Excess consumption of meat has been argued as a cause for the increased number of heart-related diseases and other related poor health issues, food-related emissions, reduced biodiversity, and less nutrients being available for the less advanced nations. Meat has been included in our food and has become the main component, resulting in developed nations like ours overusing and consuming a product that may not be as good for our health or the planet as we previously thought.
The dilemma is that there are nutrients and minerals that we need in meat, and yet the replacement not only needs to taste like meat and have the texture of meat but also have the nutrients in a manner that our bodies are able to access and use, as well as reducing the impact on the environment. There would be no point reducing the consumption of beef only to use cleared pastures for soya beans, with the related continued deforestation and monoculture.
Science Says
Eating meat is on the decline across the globe, and the US is no different. There has been a change in the way that we view meat, and it has been said that beef is the new coal. It’s causing unrefuted damage to our environment and the planet as a whole.
Biologically the science shows that the only vitamin we need from meat is B12, and perhaps this is only due to a genetic glitch and the prolonged eating of meat as a society. It is furthermore a vitamin that can be accessed as a supplement and only if noted as low.
Whether it’s eating to offset climate change in your own little way or eating better for health reasons, the change to a meat-free future is on the cards, and it’s worth starting to get to grips with what this will look like for you and your family. The variety of meat-free produce has also increased dramatically, with local places like Native Foods Wicker Park providing localized outlets for vegans. Vegetarianism and a whole host of meat-free eating lifestyles have become increasingly popularized.
Meat-free suggests a predominantly plant-based diet and is one that has seen numerous proven benefits. The most difficult part of this way of eating is the human mind. We have arguably been engaged in the habit of meat-eating for so long that it has a special place in the human psyche. The only way to a meat-free future is to educate and disseminate information to begin to spread the debate.
