What Should You Be Eating?
Words by Nina Vinot
This story is presented by Local Peoples.
With nutrition fads attracting followers of the latest trends, Nina Vinot explains that making sense of what is good for us is simpler than it seems.
Nutrition is not straightforward. There used to be a war against fat, then the battle turned to carbohydrates, but none of these macronutrients have really been shown to be bad for our health.
While the medical culture places excessive emphasis on treatment rather than prevention, nutrition is the best place to start nurturing a healthy lifestyle, following Hippocrates’ recommendation “Let thy food be thy medicine”.
We are what we eat. Some of us put our health first; some seek peak athletic performance; others prefer to care for the planet’s future; some of us prioritize animal welfare; some choose a diet compatible with spiritual development.
All in all, there’s an underlying truth in nutrition, and the good news is that it’s actually very simple. Regardless of dietary rhyme or reason, the foods to promote and avoid are basically the same.
For health and the environment
In terms of health and environmental impact of the different food groups, Clark et al. published last year an extensive review on the influence of the different foods on total mortality, coronary heart disease, colorectal cancer, diabetes and stroke, as well as greenhouse gas emissions, land use, eutrophication, acidification and water use. This is the most complete review published so far and the result is illustrated here:
The Worldwatch Institute published a report in 2009 claiming that livestock are responsible for at least 51% of annual global emissions – more than all cars, planes, buildings, power plants, and industry combined – implying that replacing livestock with better alternatives would be the best strategy for reversing climate change.
One could argue that the impact of animal farming depends on where and how it is produced, which is true, but Hannah Ritchie has studied the question and confirmed that plant-based protein sources have the lowest carbon footprint even compared to the lowest impact producers of meat and dairy, and that eating less meat is nearly always better than eat the most sustainable meat.
For animal welfare
From an animal welfare point of view the argument is quite straightforward. In a world where 99% of animal products are grown in factory farms (according to a report from Sentience Institute dated end of 2019), eating meat and animal products is participating in a model of animal abuse well-described by Foer in Eating Animals. 60% of all mammals on Earth are animals raised for food, so changing our dietary behaviours may be a good place to start in creating a broader impact.
For our microbiome
We live in the Microbiome Era, in the midst of a revolution in our perception of the self, of health and of medicine in general. Discovering that our body is composed of as many microbes as our own cells (roughly 40 trillion of each) and that our microorganisms bring to our metabolism about 100-150 times more genes than our own eukaryotic cells has shifted the big picture of health.
We are now learning that the benefits of a Mediterranean diet and the adverse effects of a high-sugar diet may be mediated by our microbiome. When eating a high-fibre diet, our microbes are able to feed on the fibre and release short chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate and the all-mighty butyrate - all important molecules for metabolic health. Indeed, scientists agree that plant-based diets reduce atherosclerogenic lipids and cardiovascular risks.
This is tremendously empowering, because shifting from an animal-based diet to a plant-based diet enables change in our microbiota within just a few days.
For our brain health
The Mediterranean diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) was first devised in 2015 by Martha-Clare Morris and her team to highlight the most beneficial items of the Mediterranean diet. Rich in green leafy vegetables, berries, nuts, olive oil, whole grain, fish and bean, it aims to limit cheese, meat, fried foods and sweets. Since then, the MIND diet has displayed an ability to slow down cognitive decline with aging and reduced the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease by 50%. The Mediterranean diet also shows protection against depression.
Eating to elevate your spirits
If you are a confirmed yogi or if you travelled to India, you are probably familiar with the old wisdom of the sattvic diet. It is a tradition going back 5000 years, to ancient yoga and Ayurveda, in which sattva translates to balance or harmony. In a holistic perspective, sattva aims to promote patterns of food preparation and eating that are beneficial for the mind, body and spirit, inducing a calm and virtuous state.
Sattvic food emphasizes fresh, plant-based ingredients with minimal processing - mostly whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, lean protein, low fat dairy, and avoids salt, color, flavors or preservatives. Certain spices such as turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon are regarded as sattvic. “Sattvic food brings equanimity, happiness, creativity, a sense of serenity and calmness. If you want to be more sensitive and more sharp and have deeper experiences it is very important not to eat meat” (Sri Sri Ravi Shankar).
This recommendation is not only found in the Indian tradition, indeed most spiritual leaders encourage a light, vegetarian diet on the way to illumination. Vegetarianism is overwhelmingly the diet of choice in the holistic and wellbeing milieu, as a plant-based diet is considered as conducive to health and wellbeing in the body, mind and spirit. Don’t forget to cook and eat with love, as it is as much about the how as it is about the what.
"60% of all mammals on Earth are animals raised for food, so changing our dietary behaviours may be a good place to start..."
"One of the main reasons we eat what we eat is taste and personal preference."
You are what you eat
Of course, one of the main reasons we eat what we eat is taste and personal preference. It’s not for nutrition experts to tell you what you eat, and I am not suggesting that you should go vegan right now. The objective of this article rather, is to provide a broad spectrum of information to support fact-based decision making and encourage, where you feel it meets with your core values and needs, to consider plant-based alternatives.
Michael Pollan put it in these words “Eat food” (meaning real food). “Not too much. Mostly plants.” Our grandmothers knew it too, but somehow food got complicated on the way to modernity. Back to the garden, and cheers to you, your microbes and the planet!