Are we made to be vegetarians?
The primitive human being was a carnivore-frugivore. “It is undoubtedly even thanks to the animals, their meat and dairy products, rich in vitamins B, D, iron and calcium, that our hunting ancestors were able to survive, stand up and evolve to become the men we are today, ”explains Damien Galtier, dietitian-nutritionist. The problem today lies rather in the fact that the top of the meat is next to the bottom of the range. Spearheads of luxury red meats, butchers like Yves-Marie Le Bourdonnec, elected best butcher in Paris in 2003 and leader of the “I love bidoche” movement. At home, we savor tender meats, selected directly from breeders, and raised in a respectful way. Obviously, this quality comes at a price. That one should not expect to find in an industrial cooked dish for a few euros the tray for 6 people. Nor in meat in large surface trays.
Is excluding meat better for your health?
Let’s not mix “exclude” and “reduce”. Nutritionists are clear: to be and maintain good health, vegetable proteins should provide half, or even 75%, of our protein intake. But in recent decades, our meat consumption has increased considerably and animal protein would rather represent 75 to 80% of total protein. “The idea is not to draw a total line on the meat, but to monitor the quantities, underlines Laurence Salomon, naturopath and chef of the educational center Cuisine Originelle in Annecy. A minced steak at the butcher generally weighs 130 g. Ask for 110 g: this is more than enough. Either way, it is urgent to limit our meat consumption. Otherwise, we will all be vegetarians, by force and not willingly, within a few decades… ”
What are we risking by completely eliminating meat?
“If we exclude only meat, we risk absolutely nothing, explains Damien Galtier. On the other hand, the risk of deficiency exists by removing all animal proteins, such as fish, eggs or dairy products. The main deficiency is vitamin B 12, which helps build red blood cells, which can lead to anemia. It also plays a role in the growth of children and in immunity. ”It will also be possible to lack iron, calcium, or even cholesterol from which the body makes vitamin D. We can then strain them. pulses and oilseeds to increase iron or calcium intake, or to be more exposed to the sun (at the right times and without excess!) to promote the synthesis of vitamin D and therefore the fixation of calcium on the bones. As you can see, excluding animal proteins from one day to the next cannot be improvised.
Can the whole family get on the meatless diet?
With some exceptions. “Better to stay on the classic diet model for children under 3,” explains Damien Galtier. Then, the meat can easily be replaced by eggs, fish … ”Another case, that of the elderly who have increased protein needs in order to preserve their muscle mass, but whose appetite tends to decrease. If they like meat, there is no question of forcing them to eat fish. “As for pregnant women, their desires allow them to spontaneously correct their nutritional deficits, especially since they are generally supplemented with iron during pregnancy,” says Damien Galtier. No need to force yourself to eat meat if the urge is not there. “
What if I crave meat from time to time?
If you love meat, don’t feel guilty. Especially in French culture where a good steak is an integral part of the pleasures of the table. The compromise is to join the movement of “flexitarians”, “part-time vegetarians”. These enlightened consumers love meat but boycott meat sold at discount prices or from intensive farming. When they eat it (rarely), make way for excellent quality meats, French and labeled. “Flexitarianism also makes it possible to appropriate foods most often reserved for vegetarians, and particularly interesting,” explains Damien Galtier. Pulses for example, particularly rich in protein and micronutrients, inexpensive, whose well-assimilated energy does not make you fat ”. Or silky tofu, with which you can prepare express and delicious desserts, simply by mixing it with compotes or melted chocolate. Urgent to stop the meat? No. Urgent to stop encouraging abuses? Yes !
