Katherine's Country: them bones, them bones need calcium

Alarm greeted the Lancet Report that has researched and recommends a “universal healthy reference diet” for the world. The tenet of this report is healthy diets from sustainable food systems. It is called a planetary diet and is kind to the planet. The findings point to a radial reduction in our intake of meat and in particular red meat.

Milk and eggs come into the firing line too. According to the report, this healthy diet consists of “vegetables, fruits, wholegrains, legumes, nuts, some dairy, a moderate amount of seafood and poultry with a small amount of red meat, processed meat, added sugar, refined grains, and starchy foods”.

Farmers have reacted angrily perceiving this report to be an attack on our livelihoods

The TV ad echoes in my head: “Them bones, them bones need calcium and that’s the natural law! A pint of milk for your bones...” Where has that theory gone? The bones still need calcium. Farmers have reacted angrily perceiving this report to be an attack on our livelihoods. Yes, the radical recommendations are in there but I believe that our “natural law” won’t change that quickly. In spite of ourselves, our diets might change gradually over the next thirty years which is the time frame laid down for this transformation in the report.

Last 30 years

Thirty years ago, I had a freezer full of red meat. I often fed the family red meat twice a day. We had potatoes every day and one vegetable with our dinner.

Contrast that with today where we probably eat red meat two to three times a week and potatoes maybe twice a week.

We are already following the guidance in the report even if it is gradual.

This report does not mean that we will all go out of business. It has to be radical to force change

We eat a lot more rice; a good deal of poultry, not enough fish and our vegetable and fruit consumption has increased and become more varied.

My point is that our diet changes over time. This report does not mean that we will all go out of business. It has to be radical to force change.

Over the next 30 years we might actually make choices that are healthier. It is difficult to change eating habits and it takes time and education.

I heard one farmer interviewed on the radio. He has always eaten bacon and cabbage and steaks and nobody will tell him not to eat them.

A glass of milk and an egg and a half a week was ridiculous, he told the reporter.

The report is crystal clear. Temperatures are rising globally. For some regions of the world; this is catastrophic.

It means more infections and increased illnesses from heat-related problems such as food spoiling, more bacteria multiplying and so on.

Eating too much

Another thread running through the report is that we are eating too much. It recommends that the average intake of calories eaten should be reduced. We know this. Most people are carrying extra weight.

How better to reduce weight than to eat more fruit and vegetables bulking-out diets, reducing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and illnesses sometimes caused by obesity.

How hard is it to get children to eat vegetables? The battle goes on in every house to increase the intake of vegetables? For the last few weeks, we’ve been making various soups in the cookery kitchen in school.

The report details that there is one goal, to achieve planetary health diets for nearly 10 billion people by 2050

By week three, there were protests –“Not soup again!” I can assure you if I said we were making brownies again, they would happily put on their aprons.

The report details that there is one goal, to achieve planetary health diets for nearly 10 billion people by 2050.

This will be achieved by setting scientific targets for healthy diets and sustainable food production. More than 820 million people do not have enough to eat.

Half of our dinner plates should be filled with vegetables and fruit. This is not new news.

The results could be less illness, less pressure on our health systems and the 820 million people who are undernourished in the world could be fed.

We can begin to make a difference by reducing waste.

Thirty per cent of the food we buy is thrown out. We don’t intend to stop eating red meat, eggs or milk anytime soon but we can still make a difference. Reducing waste is my starting point.