Nutrition and the PATHS Forward
While dramatically reducing our beef and dairy consumption is critical to reducing agriculture’s impact on global warming there are nutritional concerns to consider if your personally thinking of giving them up entirely.
One is Heme iron, unlike other iron found in food, the human body absorbs Heme iron the best. It promotes red blood cell growth in the body and protects us from anemia that creates fatigue and makes us listless. Only animal derived foods provide this Heme iron and Beef is the best source. Poultry and fish have it too and can provide what you need if you eat the right amount. So before you give up Beef entirely, you’ll need to consider this.
You’ve likely heard of plant based products that imitate hamburger meat. One in particular has developed a means to provide substantial amounts of Heme Iron in their product that also provides a flavor profile just like a real burger. It’s a true breakthrough in imitation meat.
However, since all foods we recommend are whole foods or made entirely from whole foods and natural ingredients, we do not include the option of processed food products like this one in the Paths Diet guideline.
We also recommend that you should do your own research on the matter and consult your doctor or nutritionist before giving beef and dairy products up completely. That being said there are entire cultures such as in India that have thrived without eating any meat at all.
B12 is another important consideration but for this there’s plenty of non beef and dairy solutions. Again poultry, eggs, fish and shell fish are especially good alternatives.
Regarding B12, the Harvard Medical School states:
“Its main job is to maintain healthy nerve cells, support proper brain function, and assist in the production of DNA and RNA.
B12 also works with other B vitamins to improve certain functions. For instance, B12 and folate (B9) together help to make red blood cells.
Low levels of B12 can cause fatigue, nervousness, dizziness, numbness, and tingling in the fingers and toes. Severe, long-term deficiency may lead to loss of mobility, problems walking, or memory loss.”
See the Harvard Medical Schools link below to find foods that provide B12 at levels similar to beef.
Then there’s Calcium and vitamin D. Milk is a famous source for both. But here to there’s plenty of non dairy options.
The main message here is to be Free Range yourself when choosing your food. Don’t get stuck on one food or food category. Keep mixing it up. That ultimately will cut back on your meat and dairy consumption more then if you’re trying too hard to give them up. And most important, you’ll continue to get the complete array of nutrients and minerals you need to keep you and the planet healthier.
Here’s the list of websites we used to inform this page.
Heme Iron
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583546/
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/iron/
B12
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-a-list-of-b12-foods
Calcium
https://www.nof.org/patients/treatment/calciumvitamin-d/a-guide-to-calcium-rich-foods/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/#h3
https://www.mayoclinic.org/boost-your-calcium-levels-without-dairy-yes-you-can/art-20390085
D Vitamin