Horizon: Should I eat Meat?

[Maggot]

BBC2 tonight (18 August) 9PM, part 2 Wednesday 20th August 9PM

Another chance for the old veggies Vs Omnis argument to resurface. Scientist Michael Mosley looks at the recent reports about the dangers of eating processed meat. Part 2 looks at the environmental impact of meat production.

 

[Maggot]

Starting now.

 

[sleaterkinney]

All that food, it's a good job I've had my dinner.

 

[tufty79]

The stats are scaring me a bit. Add the lifetime-reducingness of meat to the shorter life expectancy for people with MH issues, then chuck in diabetes and prematureness.... I think I might have about a week left.

 

[8115]

The stats are scaring me a bit. Add the lifetime-reducingness of meat to the shorter life expectancy for people with MH issues, then chuck in diabetes and prematureness.... I think I might have about a week left.

They might not be cumulative.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Yes, of course you should eat meat.

 

[tufty79]

*clutches onto 8115 's 'might'

Cheers for the heads up, Maggot - interesting stuff.

 

[Maggot]

Yes, of course you should eat meat.

Why?

 

[sleaterkinney]

Why?

Because it's a good source of nutrients and it tastes nice.

 

[editor]

So what's the conclusion thus far from the programme?

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Why?

Because it's delicious and humans have always eaten meat.

I don't eat meat all the time btw (and I include fish as meat); I try to keep it to 4x a week. However, a life without a bloody steak, lamb chops or chicken with crispy skin doesn't seem like a good life.

 

[T & P]

Haven't watched it and cannot comment on it. But as far as the environmental cost is concerned, I long ago took the decision never to have children, partly because of the environmental cost to the planet, and I reckon that buys me a lifetime of meat consumption with a clear conscience.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Haven't watched it and cannot comment on it. But as far as the environmental cost is concerned, I long ago took the decision never to have children, partly because of the environmental cost to the planet, and I reckon that buys me a lifetime of meat consumption with a clear conscience.

And you can't eat children anyway.

 

[JTG]

Yes, of course you should eat meat.

Do what you like mate, don't tell me what I should do though

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Do what you like mate, don't tell me what I should do though

Did you think I was going to come round your house and force feed you half a cow?

 

[Maggot]

So what's the conclusion thus far from the programme?

Eating any amount of processed red meat, or eating lots of any red meat is bad for you, but eating a bit of red meat is ok. Also saturated fats don't cause heart disease.

 

[JTG]

Did you think I was going to come round your house and force feed you half a cow?

That doesn't really follow from what was said

 

[editor]

Because it's delicious and humans have always eaten meat.

Humans haven't always eaten the intensively-farmed, over-processed shit that's passed off as meat though.

 

[colacubes]

This is a fair summary of the programme:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28797106

Low but not zero consumption of meat seems to be the optimum due to the nutrients it provides. But processed meat is not good full stop.

 

[T & P]

I hope chorizo doesn't count as processed meat

 

[colacubes]

I hope chorizo doesn't count as processed meat

Afraid so

 

[Maggot]

Haven't watched it and cannot comment on it. But as far as the environmental cost is concerned, I long ago took the decision never to have children, partly because of the environmental cost to the planet, and I reckon that buys me a lifetime of meat consumption with a clear conscience.

That's a strange logic: Because you're not harming the planet in one way, it's ok to harm it in another.

 

[ska invita]

and it tastes nice.

your ability to tell what it tastes like is not something you are in control of as much as you think
if i consciously fed you your pet dog it would taste disgusting, but if i told you it was mutton and cooked it youd like it and say it was delicious - its all in the mind, and all in your emotions for the animal you are eating

Haven't watched it and cannot comment on it. But as far as the environmental cost is concerned, I long ago took the decision never to have children, partly because of the environmental cost to the planet, and I reckon that buys me a lifetime of meat consumption with a clear conscience.

you should eat children

 

[Frances Lengel]

<snip>you should eat children

I eat cannibals

 

[editor]

I eat cannibals

My friend married one of them.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

The changes in the gut they expected to detect (through a fecal test) weren't as they expected and they attributed that to the high vegetable content of his diet. So. Eat some lettuce and tomato with your bacon

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

Or just eat more vegetables in general, really

 

[T & P]

That's a strange logic: Because you're not harming the planet in one way, it's ok to harm it in another.

It is and isn't, depending on your viewpoint. If you believe any and all sources of negative environmental impact should be avoided, then it will not seem an acceptable trade-off. If you believe one can balance cutting down your environmental footprint and having a lifestyle that appeals to you and gives you a few perks and pleasures, then it seems an acceptable compromise to me.

 

[editor]

What do meat eaters think about some of the more intensive farming methods (i.e. the methods by which a large amount of meat is produced?).

 

[story]

The changes in the gut they expected to detect (through a fecal test) weren't as they expected and they attributed that to the high vegetable content of his diet. So. Eat some lettuce and tomato with your bacon

Although nothing was said in that programme about the microbiome. I'd wager that the bacterial population of the gut is material to the health outcomes of any diet. I was curious about that faecal result particularly In this respect.