27/01/2023
It is a misconception that red meat is unhealthy and that we must rely on plant foods to get adequate nutrients in our diet. 🤷♀️❌
Here’s a good example of why.
Chickpeas are often celebrated as being a fantastic source of protein, iron, zinc and potassium.
And sure, chickpeas do contain these nutrients. However, when compared to the same amount of red meat, there is a very clear winner.
Per gram, red meat contains significantly more protein, iron, zinc, potassium, and it contains numerous other nutrients required for good health, such as long-chain omega-3 fats and vitamin B12.
It’s important that we stop demonising specific foods, such as red meat, based on outdated nutritional dogma. Instead, we need to start developing more awareness about WHERE essential nutrients are in the food supply and HOW we are going to construct our diets to achieve adequate nutrition, and potentially even optimise our nutrition.
Proteins, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients required for life - these nutrients are found in both animal and plant foods, with some important nutrients ONLY found in animal foods. ‘Eating the rainbow’ of fruits and vegetables just doesn’t cut it.
Eating a variety of whole foods, including animal protein foods like red meat, fish and eggs, is a reasonable and logical approach for getting the most bang for your buck when it comes to nutritional adequacy! 🍳🍤🥩
If you’re unsure whether your diet is nutritionally adequate, consider a consultation with a dietitian who knows how to properly assess your diet against your individual nutrient needs. ✅
