Cape Town has launched a Meat Free Day campaign . The idea is to encourage everyone to choose one day a week on which to eat no meat. The initiative has come from an environmental group calling themselves 'Compassion in World Farming' but there is no denying the health benefits of a meat-free day for most of us following the average modern diet.
Animal proteins from a reliable, clean source are very beneficial as a rich source of protein and iron. However, eating meat has been linked to an increased risk in heart disease, cancer of the stomach and colon, diverticulitis and other digestive diseases. A survey conducted by researchers from the University of Surrey* has found that meat eaters are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital or require a visit to a doctor than vegetarians or vegans. Even worse, meat eaters are likely to begin suffering from degenerative disease (age-related diseases) 10 YEARS EARLIER than people who do not eat meat!
Eating too much protein can contribute to many different health-problems. This is largely due to the fact that the process of digesting proteins results in excess acids which the body has to neutralise in order to prevent damage. High acidity causes calcium to be withdrawn from the brones, with a significant increase in osteoporosis and risk of fractures.
The high acidity resulting from protein digestion also increases the risk of kidney stone formation. At the same time, some of the other protein metabolites (digestion by-products) make high demands on the kidneys to excrete.
Animal proteins invariably also come with a built-in fat load. While fats are not a problem in themselves, too much (hard, saturated) animal fat has a multitude of harmful effects - all of which have been documented ad nauseum in the past few decades.
Beans, lentils and soya are excellent sources of vegetable protein. Well spiced with herbs and enlivened with lighter vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots or leeks, they make a delicious meal. The internet is a good source of great recipes for anyone wanting to experiment. I found the best lentil and bean recipes on web sites catering for vegetarians.
The Cape Town city fathers have decided to leave it up to each person or family to decide on their own best 'Meat-Free' day. Whichever day you choose, be daring and HAVE FUN!
*Dickerson, J.W.T. et al., 'Disease patterns in individuals with different eating patterns', Journal of the Royal Society of Health, vol 105, pp. 191-4(1985)
