"Think of meat as a treat": cut red meat and save the planet, recommend a study



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Australians are the world's largest consumer of meat, but scientists warn that our story of love with the ox kills us, as well as the planet.

An international team of experts has placed low meat consumption at the heart of a "planetary diet" to prevent catastrophic damage to the environment.

The findings of the EAT-Lancet Commission warn that the world's population will reach 10 billion by 2050 and that current diets, which are putting more and more emphasis on high-calorie foods and Western-type foods , high in saturated fats, are unsustainable.

Consumption of meat and sugar must be halved by 2050.

The 37 experts from 16 countries concluded that the consumption of nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas should double.

People should think of meat as a treat and have "a burger once a week or a steak once a month," warned the report.

This would be a challenge for Australians who are at the top of the global list of meat consumers, with an average consumption per person of almost 100 kg of meat per year, or about 250 g per day.

According to the report's guidelines, a person should consume only 7g or 15 calories of beef or lamb per day, which would force Australians to reduce their meat consumption by 97%.

A quarter-pound burger galette weighs just under 114 grams – and forget the chicken.

The diet recommends not to consume more than 29 g of poultry a day – about half a half of chicken nuggets – and 13 g of eggs, or an egg and a half, a week.

The report also stated that livestock farming was "catastrophic" for the environment, producing up to 18% of the world's greenhouse gases and contributing to deforestation and water shortages. # 39; water.

"To have a chance to feed 10 billion people in 2050 on the planet's borders, we need to adopt a healthy diet, reduce food waste and invest in technologies that reduce environmental impacts," he says. l & # 39; study.

"The food we eat and the way we produce it is critical to the health of people and the planet, and we are seriously mistaken at the present time."

In the end, the new guidelines could globally prevent up to 11.6 million premature deaths a year, according to its creators.

At present, nearly one billion people are hungry and another two billion are eating too much bad food, causing outbreaks of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

Australian Associated Press

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