| What little evidence we have on the diet of our | | | | most westerners who buy meat from |
| prehistoric ancestors, and what we know from | | | | supermarkets don't: |
| indigenous cultures that lasted into our times | | | | 1. A person can thrive with very little or no meat |
| shows that our ancestors were not primarily | | | | at all in the diet |
| carnivores. Most of the diet was plant food, roots, | | | | 2. It takes four times the amount of food and |
| seeds, nuts and fruits gathered by the women, | | | | land and lots more water to raise a food animal |
| and maybe fish and seafood. What meat our | | | | than it does to feed a whole family on plant |
| ancestors did eat was a far cry from the meat | | | | foods. In terms of resources and energy, meat is |
| we find in our supermarkets, which is full of | | | | very costly. |
| unhealthy saturated fats. | | | | So village farmers eat meat sparingly and save it |
| Whenever I tell people that I am vegetarian or | | | | for special occasions or for broths to strengthen |
| that I often recommend a vegetarian diet to my | | | | invalids. |
| patients, someone invariably asks, 'But aren't we | | | | When we buy our meat from supermarkets, we |
| meant to eat meat? 'Haven't human beings | | | | don't see the real cost of that meat. We don't |
| always eaten lots of meat?' | | | | realize that for each steak and plastic-wrapped |
| According to my anthropologist friend, the answer | | | | packet of minced meat, we sacrifice enough |
| is No. Except for the Innuit who ate mostly fish | | | | healthy land to feed a family, and to give several |
| and seals because their environment did not allow | | | | villages clean drinking water for years. We don't |
| much plant growth. In most early societies, the | | | | count the cost in polluted water, air and soil that |
| meat brought home by hunters made up only a | | | | we - and our children - pay for the meat we eat. |
| part of the diet. (Sorry, all you hunters out there!) | | | | Nor do we realize the price we pay in poor health |
| Most of the diet was plant food, roots, seeds, | | | | for eating lots of meat. We now eat 4 times as |
| nuts and fruits gathered by the women, and | | | | much meat as our great grandparents did, and as |
| maybe fish and seafood. | | | | a result, suffer from untold digestive disorders, |
| Just as important is the kind of red meat our | | | | bowel cancer (the 4th largest killer of British men), |
| ancestors thrived on. They ate wild game which is | | | | obesity, burgeoning allergies, rheumatoid arthritis |
| significantly lower in fat, saturated fats and | | | | and rampant heart disease. |
| calories than farm-raised meat, and much higher in | | | | I am not advocating a vegetarian diet (though it |
| EPA, a type of omega-3 fatty acid that reduces | | | | has many benefits), just a common sense balance |
| the risk of atherosclerosis. That is a far cry from | | | | of vegetables and fruits, seeds and nuts, eggs, |
| the meat we find in our supermarkets, which is | | | | lentils, yogurt, tofu, and a variety of whole grains |
| full of unhealthy saturated fats and chemicals | | | | (buckwheat, quinoa, oats, barley, brown rice, |
| introduced in meat production processes. | | | | whole wheat), fish...and if you like it now and then, |
| Even when humans began keeping food animals - | | | | a little meat. |
| cows, pigs, goats, poultry, or sheep - those | | | | If you love meat, make it an occasional treat, not |
| animals were much more valuable alive, producing | | | | the main part of your diet. Add it to vegetable |
| milk, eggs, and dung for fuel, than as roasts. Most | | | | stir fries; toss thin lightly cooked strips into your |
| food animals were only eaten at feast times or | | | | salads; or once a week, have a good, small steak |
| celebrations. | | | | with lightly steamed vegetables. Eat lots of |
| In fact, go to any small village in Europe and Asia | | | | vegetables (no grains or starches!) with your |
| or elsewhere, and you will still find that pattern. If | | | | meat to aid digestion so you'll get all the benefits |
| meat is included in the daily diet, it is usually in | | | | from whatever meat you eat. Or try going totally |
| very small amounts to enrich and flavour a | | | | vegetarian for a month, and see how much more |
| predominantly vegetarian meal. | | | | energetic and lighter you feel! |
| You see, village farmers know two things that | | | | |