Nuwe aanbevelings is deur die Amerikaanse advieskomitee vir dieetriglyne vrygestel wat voorstel dat rooivleisverbruik verminder word en met meer bone, ertjies en lensies vervang moet word.
Beesvleisbedryfsgroepe soos die National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) het op dié voorstel gereageer en dit “malligheid” genoem, met verwysing na die feit dat 80% van die bevolking as vleiseters identifiseer en gesê dat kwesbare mense die gevaar sal loop om voedingstekorte op te doen.
“Die voorskouvergadering van die advieskomitee vir dieetriglyne staan uit as een van die mees onpraktiese en elitistiese gesprekke in die geskiedenis van hierdie proses,” het NCBA se visepresident van regeringsake, Ethan Lane, gesê.
In die meer as vier dekades van die dieetriglyne-advies het NCBA gesê rooivleisverbruik het afgeneem terwyl vetsug en chroniese siektes aan die toeneem is. Die beesvleisbedryf herstel steeds van ‘n oplewing in hoenderverbruik wat tot die 1990’s teruggespoor kan word.
“Hierdie aanbevelings stel sommige van die kwesbaarstes in gevaar om voedingstofgebreke op te doen, veral ouer Amerikaners, tienermeisies en vroue van vrugbare ouderdom,” het NCBA se uitvoerende direkteur van voedingwetenskap en ‘n geregistreerde dieetkundige, dr Shalene McNeill, gesê. “Dit is verbysterend dat ons probeer om Amerikaners te oortuig om rooivleis uit te sny wanneer die bewyse toon dat voedingstekorte en chroniese siektes toeneem soos wat rooivleisverbruik afneem.”
McNeill het gesê beesvleis “dra slegs 5% van die kalorieë tot die Amerikaanse dieet by, maar meer as 5% van noodsaaklike voedingstowwe soos kalium, fosfor, yster, B6, niasien, proteïen, sink, cholien en B12 word daaruit verkry.”
New recommendations were released by the US dietary guidelines advisory committee which propose reducing red meat consumption and replacing it with more beans, peas and lentils.
Beef industry groups like the national cattlemen’s beef association (NCBA) have responded to the suggestion, calling it “unhinged,” citing that 80% of the population identifies as meat eaters and said it would put vulnerable people at risk for nutrient deficiencies.
“The preview meeting of the dietary guidelines advisory committee stands out as one of the most out-of-touch, impractical, and elitist conversations in the history of this process,” said NCBA vice president of government affairs, Ethan Lane.
In the more than four decades of the dietary guideline’s advice, NCBA said red meat consumption has declined while obesity and chronic disease is on the rise. The beef industry is still recovering from a surge in chicken consumption stemming back to the 1990s.
“These recommendations put some of the most vulnerable at risk for nutrient gaps, especially older Americans, adolescent girls, and women of child-bearing age,” said NCBA executive director of nutrition science and registered dietitian, Dr Shalene McNeill. “It’s baffling that we are trying to get Americans to cut out red meat when the evidence indicates nutrient deficiencies and chronic disease are increasing as red meat consumption declines.”
McNeill said beef “contributes only 5% of the calories in the American diet, but more than 5% of essential nutrients like potassium, phosphorous, iron, B6, niacin, protein, zinc, choline, and B12.”