DGE recommends a maximum of 300 grams of meat per week

Plant-based diet. Does that mean we all have to be vegetarian or vegan now? A clear no. If you like to eat meat and at the same time protect your health and the environment, you can limit your consumption to a maximum of 300 grams per week. This is what the German Society for Nutrition recommends based on scientific models. The actual consumption is much higher in Germany.

Meat provides valuable nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium and vitamin B12. However, studies show that high consumption can have adverse health effects. For example, the risk of colon cancer increases when eating too much red (pork and beef) and processed meat (sausage).

The production of meat is unfavorable for the environment. In particular, non-land based animal husbandry, where, among other things, the feed is not grown or only partially grown on the farm, has negative environmental and climate impacts. In addition, a lot of agricultural land is required on which feed for animals is grown and thus competes with agriculture for human nutrition. However, it will not be possible without animal husbandry, because there are numerous grassland locations with poor soils that are unsuitable for agriculture and can only be used for food production with the help of cattle, sheep or goats.

If you want to reduce your meat consumption, you can start small. Because many dishes can be prepared with less meat. For example, in a goulash you can replace some of the meat with fried mushrooms or some of the minced meat in the Bolognese sauce with fine diced vegetables or lentils. For main meals, for example, you can alternate between meat dishes and vegetarian dishes. Or how about chili sin carne or a spinach lasagne?

There are also countless alternatives to sausage bread. Whether vegetarian spreads, cream cheese with tomato slices and herbs or simply a cheese bread with pickles. The nice thing: There are many starting points for experimenting.

www.bzfe.de