Quanto de carne devemos comer?

In recent years, evidência has emerged that higher intakes of carne vermelha - such as beef, lamb, pork and veal - can increase our risk of câncer de intestino. Processed meats such as bacon, sausages, cured meats, pâté and corned beef have been linked to câncer too. However, it's important to remember that it is all about quality and quantity.

"The UK recomendações are that if you consume more than 90 g of red or processed meat per day, to reduce this to below 7 0g," says Reema Patel, registered dietitian at Dietitian Fit. "Try to have some meat-free days in the week to reduce overall consumption. Opt for other proteína sources such as fish, shellfish, eggs and vegetarian proteins such as lentils, beans and soya-based products to mix things up in the week."

Red meat can be nutritious as it is a great source of protein and many vitaminas e minerais, including iron, zinc and B vitamins. "Meat is one of the main sources of vitamin B12 in the diet. However, red meat can be high in saturated fats and sal," diz Patel.

"Too many saturated fats can increase our non-HDL (high-density lipoprotein) colesterol. This is seen as the 'bad cholesterol' and a high salt intake is a risk factor for developing pressão alta. Both of these are risk factors for developing doença cardíaca."

Saying that, Patel adds, it is more about moderation and reducing overall consumption in our dietas as a whole, instead of labelling red meat as bad. "Adding in varied sources of protein in the week, aside from just red meat, is more beneficial in the long term. Not just for our health but also the meio ambiente," ela diz.

An increasing number of people are becoming vegetarian and vegano for ethical, ambientais and health reasons. However, whether being à base de plantas is healthier can depend on the overall quality of your diet and the variety of nutrients you are consuming, Patel explains.

"Trying to go for lean meat can help reduce níveis de gordura saturada levels, as can going for fewer processed meats, such as bacon, sausages, and cured meats," she says. "Leaner meats without the skin, such as chicken or turkey, are opções mais saudáveis overall to include more regularly if you are a meat eater. Naturally, vegetarian and vegan diets may be lower in saturated fats compared to diets higher in animal proteins."

Vitaminas e minerais

However, it's important for everyone to get enough vitamins and minerals in their diets. "If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, ensure that you are including foods that provide a good source of vitamin B12, ferro, zinc, cálcio, iodine and ômega 3," diz Patel.

"Plant-based dairy alternatives should be fortified with some of these key nutrients. Keeping your diet varied with a large variety of fruits and vegetables, plant-based proteins and whole grains can help with having a dieta mais saudável overall. Working on lowering consumption of refined carboidratos and products with added açúcares is important for health too."

Suplementar sua dieta pode ser necessário em uma dieta vegana, pois alguns alimentos veganos podem não fornecer uma quantidade adequada de nutrientes específicos. "Se estiver em dúvida, procure um nutricionista registrado para orientação na análise de sua dieta geral e fornecimento de recomendações, ou consulte seu médico antes de suplementar", diz Patel.

If you think you are eating too much carne or want to cut down, there are plenty of ways to create delicious, nutritious vegetable-based meals.

Alocar dias sem carne

Going vegetarian or vegano can be a big commitment and even if that is your end goal, cutting out meat gradually can be a good way to ease yourself into a dieta change. Allocating a couple of days a week for plant-based meals can be a good start.

If you only order meat-based meals when you're eating out at a restaurante or getting a takeaway, eating meat can become a treat rather than an everyday ingredient.

Substitua a carne por alternativas à base de plantas

Em todo o Reino Unido, as pessoas estão gastando mais dinheiro em produtos veganos, e dietas à base de plantas estão em alta na internet. Os supermercados agora oferecem muitas opções de alternativas sem carne, como salsichas ou hambúrgueres veganos. Substituir suas carnes habituais por essas opções, mesmo que apenas por alguns dias na semana, pode ajudar a reduzir seu consumo de carne.

It's also helpful to replace minced meat with pulses like lentils, chickpeas and other beans, which are nutritious, filling and high in fibra. É fácil substituir a carne moída por lentilhas para criar um delicioso molho à bolonhesa.

Pese sua carne

Pode ser difícil saber qual é o tamanho de uma porção de carne, por isso pode ser útil pesar a carne antes de colocá-la no prato.

According to the Associação Dietética Britânica (BDA), uma porção de carne cozida, como carne bovina, suína, cordeiro, carne moída, frango ou peru, tem aproximadamente o tamanho de um baralho de cartas, que é cerca de 90 g. Para peixe branco cozido, deve ser 140 g ou do tamanho da palma da sua mão.

Prepare refeições em torno de vegetais

Muitos de nós criamos refeições em torno da carne. No entanto, é possível construir refeições saudáveis e satisfatórias em torno de vegetais e leguminosas, como curries de grão-de-bico e couve-flor, jantares assados com salsichas vegetarianas ou um Wellington de cogumelos.