The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has started a campaign for us to reduce the consumption of meat in our diet. While a 2019 study by the consulting firm Lantern affirms that almost 10% of the Spanish population over 18 years old follows a “veggie” diet, we have doubts about all this. How does a meat-free diet affect our general well-being and our intestinal flora? Is it really healthy not to eat meat ?
The experts of the biotechnology company Biomes unveils some of the latest scientific findings on this topic.
If we reduce the amount of meat we can prevent diseases
It is not a question of banishing meat from the diet, since many people who need iron must eat red meat from time to time for their bodies to function properly.
Now, and as established by Biomes, with a balanced diet, vegetarians reduce the chances of suffering from overweight or chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure.
This is demonstrated by the higher concentration of important substances such as acetate, butyrate and propionate in the stool samples of vegans and vegetarians compared to meat eaters.
A long-term study by EPIC-Oxford also shows that avoiding meat is key to preventing cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Plant-based diet equals good intestinal flora
A plant-based diet is rich in fibers such as vegetables, grains, and legumes that contain prebiotics. So a plant-based diet favors the corresponding health-beneficial bacterial strains, such as the so-called ‘eubacterium choosens’ and the ‘faecalibacterium prausnitzii’.
Being a vegetarian does not mean eating only healthy foods
A vegetarian diet could – theoretically – include fatty foods and sugar bombs. However, studies show that people who eliminate meat from their diet tend to be more careful about their diet.
Paul Hammer, systems biologist, founder and CEO of Biomes, explains that the question of how healthy a vegetarian diet is does not admit of an absolute answer. Eating a steak a month does not increase the immediate risk of heart attack, but things change if the habitual consumption of meat is high.
There is also a wide variety of soy-based foods and meat substitutes . And it is recommended to eat fruits, vegetables and other dietary fibers in our usual diet. This clears the doubts about whether it is healthy to eat meat.
