Cut Sat Fat by Going Veggie!

A LEADING health charity is calling on health officials to promote vegetarian diets to slash people’s intake of saturated fats, as a new campaign launches addressing the issue.

The Vegetarian and Vegan Foundation (VVF) has applauded the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for taking steps to raise awareness of the health risks of eating too much saturated fat, but is concerned they are still advising people to eat animal fats. Most people in the UK need to eat less saturated fat.

This unhealthy type of fat offers no health benefits whatsoever and is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity and other diseases. The VVF say that switching to a vegetarian or vegan diet will help reduce your intake of this unhealthy fat and protect you from these diseases.

Dr Justine Butler, VVF senior health campaigner says: “Just replacing red meat with chicken or fish is not the answer. As a result of modern farming methods, chicken now contains twice as much fat as it did in the 1940s; gram for gram, as much as a Big Mac! A medium-sized chicken contains almost a pint of fat! Organic chickens don’t do much better”.

Despite its reputation for containing unsaturated “healthy’ fats, much of the fat found in oily fish is saturated. For example, nearly 80 per cent of the calories in smoked mackerel come from fat and over half of the calories in grilled salmon come from fat. Around one-fifth of the fat in both these types of fish is saturated. “Chicken and fish are just not low enough in fat or cholesterol to achieve what vegetarian and vegan diets can in terms of protecting our health.”

Evidence shows that replacing meat and dairy with plant-based alternatives is an easy long-term way to help control weight and fight heart disease. Veggie diets contain much less saturated fat compared to typical Western diets. Studies show that vegetarians eat a third less saturated fat than meat-eaters. Vegans consume even less… half the amount. This is why vegetarians and vegans weigh between six pounds and two stones less than meat-eaters and have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke and many other diseases.

For further information contact Dr Justine Butler by emailing justine@vegetarian.org.uk or press officer Helen Rossiter press@vvf.org.uk, or call 0117 970 5190.

Healthy, tasty alternatives to meat include grilled field mushrooms, chestnuts en croûte, veggie chilli, cauliflower curry or any number of dishes using pulses (peas, beans and lentils), soya products (tofu, soya mince), heart-healthy salads sprinkled with toasted nuts and seeds. The VVF can supply tasty healthy recipe for those wishing to cut down on their meat and dairy intake.

For more information see the VVF guides: White Meat Myths and Fish-Free for Life both informative colourful easy-to-read guides which summarise the current research and provide practical advice and healthy, tasty recipes.