meat free meals: feed 4 for under a fiver

Feed four for

www.animalaid.org.uk

MEAT FREE!under a fiver

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Diet-related DiseaseDuring the Second World War, food shortages meant that the population ate a dietthat was very low in fat, high in vegetables, fruit and cereals and was predominantlyvegetarian. This helped the health status of a population afflicted by high levels ofpoverty, malnourishment and disease. Today, diet-related diseases are on theincrease, and these are often caused by the over-consumption of meat and dairyproducts. So, instead of waiting for government rationing, take control of your diet,break bad habits, boost your health and reduce the cost of your shopping basketby choosing meat-free.

TO YOUR HEALTHObesityThe UK has one of the highest rates ofobesity in Europe.1 In England, aquarter of the adult population andalmost one fifth of all children underthe age of 16 are classified as obese.2

Changes in diet – moving away fromplenty of vegetables and grains with amodest fat content, to a diet high infat, salt and sugar – has been asignificant factor contributing tosoaring obesity rates. The other mainfactor has been the decrease inactivity levels. Animal products areloaded with saturated fats. Fatcontains more than twice as manycalories, weight-for-weight, as proteinor carbohydrate. Therefore, eating adiet high in meat and dairy productsmakes it easier to take in more caloriesthan the body can burn off. Andbefore you know it, you’re puttingon weight.Not only is obesity much less commonamongst those who follow a meat-freediet, but also overweight people tendto shed pounds when they switch to a

vegetarian diet. This is hardly surprisinggiven that meat accounts for 23 percent of total fat in the average diet.Is being obese or overweightassociated with health problems?

INTRODUCTIONThe CostWhen it comes to feeding afamily, price has always beenan important consideration.With the global economiccrisis hitting many familybudgets, there’s now, morethan ever, a need to considerseriously the cost of the foodwe eat.

EthicsEthics also increasingly playa role in our food choices.Whether it’s food miles oranimal welfare, most of uswould like to be able to shopwith a clear conscience.But the idea has taken rootthat ethical shopping isan expensive luxury. In fact,it is meat – one of theleast ethical options – that

has always been a luxuryand one that we can nolonger afford.

Environment andHealthNot only can a meat-baseddiet cost more per meal thanone without meat but it alsohas hidden costs – paid forby our taxes, the planet andour long-term health.

AnimalsWe must now both questionthe role of animals in our dietsand challenge the lobbyingpower of the meat and dairyindustries.

This guide will revealthe true cost of eatingmeat and show youjust how easy it is toprepare simple, tasty,nutritious, family-sized,meat-free meals for

under a fiver.

THE COST

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The evidence is clear. Carrying extraweight increases the risk of a range ofdiseases. Around 58 per cent of type 2diabetes cases, 21 per cent of heartdisease cases and between 8 per centand 42 per cent of certain cancers arelinked to excess body fat.3

Heart DiseaseHeart disease is one of the UK’s biggestkillers, claiming the lives of one in fourmen and one in six women.4 Saturatedfats, of which meat and dairy productsare major sources, can raisecholesterol to dangerouslevels and increase therisk of heart diseaseand stroke byblocking bloodflowing through thearteries. The risk ofdeveloping heartdisease is at leastdoubled, and

the risk of stroke is six times greater witha large waist measurement.5

Fat is, in fact, vital for a healthy heartbut it must be the right type of fat.Saturated fat, which is mainly foundin animal products, is the wrongtype. Plant sources of good fats(unsaturated) include beans, seeds,nuts and their oils. These all containessential omega 3 – the subject ofmuch scientific discussion and publicconcern. The consensus view is thata deficiency of omega 3 is linked toneurological problems and possiblycardiovascular disease. Plant sourcesof omega 3 are perfectly adequateand, unlike a significant proportionof fish, they do not come loadedwith pollutants, such as mercury anddioxins from contaminated seas.Research published by the BritishMedical Association and in UK medicaljournal, The Lancet, has shown that ameat-free diet, together with otherhealthy lifestyle changes, can actuallyreopen blocked arteries.6

Diabetes*More than two million people in the UKhave diabetes and the number is set

to increase, asevidence showsthat a typicalWestern diet ofmeat, dairyand processedfoods greatly

increases the risk.7

The type 2 form of the

disease – traditionally affectingthose aged over 40 – is nowbecoming increasingly prevalent inoverweight children.Being overweight makes it difficultfor the body to control blood sugarlevels. Studies suggest that individualswith type 2 diabetes can improveand, in some cases, even reverse thedisease by switching to an unrefinedplant-based diet.8

Research reveals that exposure as achild to cows’ milk also increases therisk of type 1 diabetes, while plantfoods have been shown to reduce it.9

Evidence suggests that the problemlies with cows’ milk proteins, which lookvery similar to the body’s own insulin-producing cells. The body sees themilk proteins as ‘invaders’ and attacksthem, along with the body’s ownsimilar-looking pancreas cells.

* Type 1 diabetes is caused by the body's failureto produce insulin as a result of damage to theinsulin-producing cells in the pancreas.Type 2 diabetes is much more common and iscaused by the body not producing enough insulinor not using what it produces effectively. Ittypically affects people who are obese oroverweight.

THERE ARE MORE THAN TWOMILLION UK DIABETES SUFFERERSTO YOUR HEALTHTHE COST

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pork and lamb – and processed meatsare strongly linked to bowel cancer.In contrast, a whole-grain plant-baseddiet including fibre and antioxidantswas linked to lower rates of cancer.12

The Good NewsFortunately, illnesses caused by poordiet can be prevented or sometimesreversed through changes in lifestyle.Research shows that some cancers,coronary heart disease cases anddiabetes cases can be preventedby decreasing consumption ofsaturated fats (found in animalproducts such as meat and dairy)and increasing physical activity.The easiest way to reduce these risksis to go meat-free.

Costs to the NHSFood-related illnesses have seriouseconomic costs for an alreadyoverstretched NHS. Treatingoverweight and obese people isestimated to cost the NHS between£6 and £7 billion per year.13 That’smore than five per cent of allhealth costs.In an attempt to improve health andcut high carbon emissions from therearing of farmed animals, meat-freemenus are to be promoted in hospitalsacross the National Health Service.Study after study suggests that notonly are well-balanced vegetariandiets perfectly safe, they also havesignificant health advantages overmeat-based diets.

CancerThe World Health Organisationestimates that dietary factors accountfor 30 per cent of cancers inindustrialised countries,10 coming aclose second behind smoking as apreventable risk factor. Both theAmerican Dietetic Association andthe British Medical Association havefound that vegetarians are less likelyto develop certain cancers. In fact,a landmark study published in theBritish Medical Journal found thatvegetarians suffer 40 per cent less

cancer mortality than the populationaverage.11 One of the largestworldwide studies looking at theeffects of diet on health (The ChinaStudy) indicated a direct link betweenanimal protein intake and cancer –the more animal protein there was inthe diet, the higher the risk of certaincancers. The China Study findings aresupported by The World CancerResearch Fund, which spent five yearsexamining 7,000 scientific studies onlifestyle and disease. Among its keyfindings was that red meat – beef,

References1. House of Commons Health Committee. 2004.

Obesity Third Report of Session 2003-2004. TheStationery Office Limited, London.

2. Department of Health. 2008. ObesityGeneral Information. www.dh.gov.uk

3. Ibid.

4. Bee, P. 2006. Good Health on a Plate.Times2, 23rd October.

5. Geissler, C. and Powers, H. 2005. HumanNutrition. Elsevier Churchill Livingston.

6. Ornish, D. et al. 1990. Can Lifestyle ChangesReverse Coronary Heart Disease? TheLancet; 336: 129-33.

7. Gould, M. 2008. Diabetes Costs NHS £1m anHour. The Guardian, October 8th.

8. Nicholson, A.S. Sklar, M. Barnard, N.D. et al.1999. Toward Improved Management ofNIDDM: A randomized, controlled, pilotintervention using a low-fat, vegetarian diet.Prev Med Aug; 29 (2):87-91.

9. Kimpimaki, T. Erkkola, M. Korhonen, S. et al.2001. Short-term exclusive breastfeedingpredisposes young children with increasedgenetic risk of Type I diabetes to progressivebeta-cell autoimmunity. Diabetologia. 44 (1)63-9.

10. BBC News. 2008. Poor Diet Costs NHS £6bn aYear. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4436232.stm

11. Thorogood, M. et al. 1994. Risk of death fromcancer and ischaemic heart disease in meatand non-meat eaters. British Medical Journal.308 (6945) 1667-70.

12. Campbell, T. C. and Campbell, T. M. II. 2004.The China Study. BenBella Books, USA.

13. McCormick, B. Stone, I. and CorporateAnalytical Team. 2007. Economic costs ofobesity and the case for governmentintervention. Obesity Reviews, 8 (Supplement1), 161-64.

THE COST

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TO YOUR HEALTH


SUBSIDIESWith tax-payers’ money, thegovernment is helping to fund foodproduction that has a devastatingimpact on the environment and ourhealth. One of the reasons meat is nolonger regarded by populations ofindustrialised countries as a luxury fooditem is that it now costs significantly lessthan it did 50 years ago, when inflationis taken into account. This has a lot todo with the introduction of intensivefarming systems, but equally relevantare the publicly financed subsidiespaid to the livestock and fishingindustries. Without these subsidies, thecost of producing meat, fish, eggs andmilk would be punitively high. Subsidiesto the fishing industry worldwide are inthe region of a third of their annualsales income.1 Without them, thefishing industry could not sustain itselfat its present level. The EU spends £127million a year just buying access forEU fishermen to distant waters,2 sothat, once a species has beendecimated in one area, they can

simply move on to the next.Animal farming is financially cossettedin two main ways: direct subsidies thatsupport the production of animal feedor a particular animal product; andinterventions that consist of certain EUactions that ensure there is sufficientdemand for a certain animal product.An example of the latter is supportingfinancially the marketing of an animalproduct in order to increase the salesof that product. In addition,compensation is paid when epidemicsand other serious animal healthproblems such as BSE and bird flu arise,even when the problem maybe caused by the method of farmingor by incompetence or recklessbehaviour on the part of farmers.

References1. Environmental News Network. Scientists urge

WTO to slash fishing subsidies. 24th May 2007.

2. Clover, C. 2004. The End of the Line: Howoverfishing is changing the world and whatwe eat. Edbury Press, London.

The Ultimate CostThe ultimate cost is paid by the animals we eat – approximately one billion arekilled every year in the UK alone. To keep production costs down, the animals aregiven the bare minimum they need to survive. They are treated like unfeelingobjects, but each and every one of them is capable of experiencing pain, fear,discomfort and distress – just like any dog or cat. Most farmed animals areslaughtered at just a few weeks or months old. By going meat-free you can helpprevent the suffering and the slaughter.

WITH THEIR LIVESPigsDespite the myth, pigs like to keepthemselves clean and are not happywallowing in excrement. Yet farmedpigs are often forced to live standingand lying in their own waste. Or theyare consigned to barren units withslatted floors. Condemned to a life of

misery and squalor, their need toinvestigate their environment and toplay, root and mother their young isthwarted. Approximately 80 per centof UK breeding sows are housedpermanently indoors. Repeatedlymade pregnant, they are put into'farrowing crates' about a week

PIGS IN FILTH

THE PUBLIC, AS WELL AS FARMEDANIMALS, PAY A HEAVY PRICE FOR DISEASE

EPIDEMICS SUCH AS FOOT AND MOUTH

ANIMALS PAY

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before they give birth and are keptin them for about a month afterwards.Farrowing crates are barren, metaland concrete cages designed torestrict the sow's movements so thatshe cannot accidentally crush heryoung. In reality, crushing is a productof intensification – the extreme selectivebreeding of animals to the point wheretheir coping abilities are severelyreduced. Equally, if sows were allowedto make nests, as they do in the wild,crushing would be far less of an issue.In farrowing crates, mothers are unableto step forwards or backwards, andcannot even turn around. For theduration of their confinement, all theycan do is stare at the wall in front of them.Although the natural weaning process

takes two to three months, pigletsare usually taken away at three tofour weeks so that their mothers canbe impregnated again. The growingpiglets are likely to be raised inconcrete pens. Such barren conditionscause boredom and aggression.In an attempt to limit the economicallycostly wounding of their ‘stock’,farmers subject the young pigs tomutilations, such as tail-dockingand teeth-clipping.

ChickensIn the wild, chickens spend their daysscratching at the ground in search offood, and dust bathing. There are twomain types of ‘commercial’ chicken –

those raised to be eaten as meat andthose whose function is to produceeggs. The first type are called ‘broilers’.In modern broiler farms, they arecrammed tens of thousands at atime into windowless sheds where,throughout their short lives, they remainunable to express their natural impulses.

By the end of their six-week growingcycle, the tiny chicks have becomeunnaturally large birds. As they grow,the available space per bird becomescorrespondingly smaller, until there isbarely any room to move.And yet, to get to the food and waterpoints, the birds must push their waythrough a solid mass of other chickens.Many do not make it and die fromthirst and hunger. The birds areselectively bred to fatten up so quicklythat their legs may not be able tosupport their own bodies. Nearlyone-third have difficulty in walking orcannot walk at all. Each year, millions

of birds collapse under the strainand die before they even reachslaughter weight. Their deaths areinconsequential to the poultry farmerswho view the loss as an expected,and acceptable, part of their industry.Broiler chickens are vulnerable to a hostof other health problems, includingfatty livers and kidneys, heart attacks,septicaemia and deformities causedby carrying so much weight on youngbones. Because their growth rate is sorapid, their hearts and lungs struggle tomaintain sufficient oxygen levels. Theyare given drugs in an attempt to fendoff disease but their short lives are filledwith pain and suffering.

TurkeysAround 15 million turkeys areslaughtered each year in the UK.Many of the same welfare problemsassociated with chicken production

CRIPPLING LAMENESS IN BROILER SHEDS IS ENDEMIC

A SOW CONFINED IN A FARROWING CRATE

WITH THEIR LIVESANIMALS PAY

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CowsCattle reared to be killed for beefare often seen roaming freely in fieldsbut for up to six months of the year –throughout winter and early spring– they are packed into sheds thatare often dirty, crowded and damp.The hard, concrete floors, to whichthey are not physically suited, area major cause of lameness.Male beef calves are often castrated.Methods commonly used includesurgical castration, tight rubberrings that restrict blood flow, andappliances that crush the spermaticcord of each testis.

Cattle are also de-horned – apainful procedure – to preventanimals injuring each other. Hornscontain both blood vessels andnerve endings, and so cauterisationis necessary to stem bleeding. Ifhorns have already developed,they are removed with saws, hornshears or cutting wire. Young animalswhose horns are not establishedcan be ‘disbudded’.This is another painful procedurewhereby a hot iron is applied to thehorn-forming tissue when the calf is4-6 weeks old, thereby permanentlypreventing growth.

are found in the turkey industry.Modern turkeys have been geneticallyselected for high meat yields and tofatten in as short a time as possible.They have a natural life span ofapproximately 10 years, yet factory-farmed turkeys are slaughtered at12-26 weeks. In this short period, theymay grow to nearly twice the size oftheir predecessors of only 25 yearsago. As with broiler chickens, theirlegs are frequently unable to carrythe weight of their ballooning bodiesand many collapse and die of thirstand starvation.Disease is widespread on commercialturkey farms, contributing to theroughly 1.4 million deaths in shedsevery year. Ulcerated feet and hockburns – caused by the birds having tolive their lives standing in urine andexcreta-soaked litter – are common.

Sheep and LambsPeople see sheep in the driving rainand snow or in scorching heat andthink it’s all perfectly natural. But wildanimals do not stand about in fieldsin fierce weather as sheep are forcedto do; they take cover. But there isinvariably no shelter for sheep. Norcan they rely upon being givenenough feed, or even drinking water.As a result of the burdens put onsheep, they suffer endemic lameness,miscarriage, infestation and infection.Ewes are often forced into producinglambs at the ‘wrong’ time of year, sothat their pregnancies end not in the

spring but in the dead of winter. Theidea is to get lambs to market aheadof the competition – even though,with so many farmers engaged inearly lambing, the advantage is lost.More than 2.5 million newborn lambs– about one in eight die within a fewdays of birth, mostly from disease,exposure or malnutrition. And aroundone in 20 adult sheep die annuallyfrom cold, starvation, sickness,pregnancy complications or injury.Often, sheep will die before a farmereven realises anything is wrong. Lambswho do survive are usually killed forfood at around four months old,having spent some time in the fields.A growing industry trend, however,is to confine lambs in sheds from themoment of their birth until they aretransported to be slaughtered – aso-called ‘zero grazing’ regime.

MANY COWS ARE NOW PERMANENTLY CONFINED IN SHEDS

WITH THEIR LIVESANIMALS PAY

1211


Free-rangeThe conditions in which free-range animals may be kept are much more confinedthan people would imagine. Although given more room than other commerciallyproduced animals, those reared under free-range systems can still be keptintensively in small living spaces with restricted access to the outdoors. For example,there are no limits on the number of birds that can be kept in a free-range chickenshed, as long as pop holes allow them outside access, which needs to be providedfor only half of their lifetime.

OrganicOrganic animal farming is primarily to benefit people who do not want to consumepesticide and chemical residues when they eat meat. Organic farms shouldautomatically provide higher welfare standards for the animals, because a low-drugregime invariably means keeping them in better conditions so that they become sick lessoften. But organically reared animals are still mass produced and subjected both to thetrauma of transportation to the slaughterhouse, and to the same terrifying, bloody death.

‘Humane’ KillingSo-called ‘humane’ methods of slaughter involve, for poultry, being shackledupside down and then lowered head first into an electrified water tank. If theirwings touch first, they receive a painful electric shock. Some raise their heads andmiss the water, so they are fully conscious when they reach the automatic neckcutter. Other farmed animals are stunned using electric tongs, which, if appliedwrongly, can cause agonising pain and also leave the animal conscious. Surely themost humane choice is therefore not to kill at all? There is no need to eat animalswhen people can live longer, healthier lives on a meat-free diet.

DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE LABELS!

©EMPICS

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References1. Renton, A. 2008. Is farmed fish the new battery

chicken? The Observer. 24 February.

FishBillions of fish are killed every year.Dragged out of the oceans in hugenets, their eyes often pop out of theirheads due to the rapid change inpressure and they are crushedamongst thousands of others. Tippedonto the decks of industrial trawlers,they are frequently gutted alive.Authoritative scientific research hasdemonstrated that fish experiencepain, fear and the natural impulse tosurvive, just as other animals do. Thefact that they may have led a ‘free-range’ existence does not make theirslaughter any more excusable or theirdeaths any less brutal and unnecessary.The whole commercial sea fishingprocess is totally ungoverned byhumane protocols, let alone laws.And the fish farming industry is scarcelymore sympathetic to the fish itbreeds and kills.

By 2010, half of all the fish the worldeats will be farmed, according to theUN Food and Agriculture Organisation.1

Farmed fish are kept in underwatercages in which they are unable toswim freely. They thrash about in filthywater until the time comes for them tobe killed. Disease runs rife in suchcramped conditions and the fish haveto be dosed with drugs to kill parasitesand keep infection at bay. Their shortmiserable existence ends when theconscious fish are killed by a variety ofbrutal methods. These include beingclubbed, gassed or asphyxiated.Others have their gills cut and theybleed to death.

ANIMALS PAY WITH THEIR LIVES


Even though there are more and moremouths to feed, there is currentlyenough grain being produced to feedeverybody. The main problem is notthe amount of food, but the ways inwhich the world’s grain harvest is beingused and distributed.

Crimes Against HumanityThere are a lot of reasons why manypoor people do not get enough food– including conflicts, political corruption,the widening gap between rich and

poor, climate change and the highprice of oil. But one major newelement is the increased use of landto grow biofuels. Using fertile soil togrow crops to create fuel, instead ofto feed people, is clearly a luxurythe world cannot afford. TheUnited Nations has described it as‘a crime against humanity’.1

Yet a far greater luxury we cannotafford is meat. Seven times as muchgrain is currently fed to animals toproduce meat than is used to createbiofuel.2 Instead of adding to theamount of food available, meat simplycreates even more mouths to feed;those of farmed animals. They are fedno less than half of the world’s harvest.

Why is Meat Worse?The ‘return’ is extremely poor. It takesroughly eight kilograms of grain toproduce one kilogram of beef andtwo kilos are required for one kilo ofchicken.3 More meat means that landis devoted to growing grain to feedthe rising number of farmed animals,when it would make far more sense togrow food that humans can eatdirectly – grains, pulses, legumes, nuts,

vegetables and fruits.As resources become ever morescarce, experts now agree that thehuman population must rely moreupon a plant-based diet. Patrick Wall,chairman of the European Food SafetyAuthority, questions whether it is‘morally or ethically correct’ to befeeding grain to animals while ‘peoplestarve’.4 The Health Editor of TheIndependent newspaper states that‘to maximise food production it is bestto be vegan’.5

Who Eats the Most Meat?The current increase in demand formeat is coming mostly from the‘emerging economies’ of India, Chinaand Brazil. These nations are using thenewly-found wealth of the richerpeople in their communities to devotemore of the grain harvest to meatproduction. In China, they consume150 per cent more meat per personthan they did in 1980, while India hasseen a 40 per cent increase over thelast 15 years.6

Nevertheless, these countries still eat farless meat than wealthier countries likeour own. In the UK, we consume an

average of one kilo of meat per personper week. Although this figure has notrisen very much over the last 30 years,it's still about 40 per cent above theglobal average.7 If the whole worldfollowed our example, it would beimpossible to produce anything likeenough grain to feed the world.

The global food crisisThe world is faced with a global food crisis. Poorernations are finding it difficult to feed their people. Foodriots – protests against lack of basic foods and the highcost of what is available – are becoming more frequentin many areas of the non-industrialised world.

OF FEEDING THE WORLDTHE COST

References1. Monbiot, G. 2008. Credit crunch? The real

crisis is global hunger. The Guardian. 15 April.

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Newsnight. 2008. BBC 2 Television, 3 June.

5. Laurance, J. 2008. The Big Question: Ischanging our diet the key to resolving theglobal food crisis? The Independent. 16 April.

6. Clifton, M. 2008. Meat-eating drives globalgrain crunch. Animal People. May.

7 Monbiot, G. 2008. Credit crunch? The realcrisis is global hunger. The Guardian. 15 April.

1615


Water ShortagesJust as farmed animals bred for meatand dairy compete with people forfood, so they also take precious water

supplies. According to the executivedirector of the Stockholm InternationalWater Institute (SIWI), ‘animals fed ongrain, and also those which rely ongrazing, need far more water thangrain crops’. SIWI quotes the followingfigures:

•A kilogram of grain-fed beef needsat least 15 cubic metres of water

• A kilo of lamb from a sheep fedon grass needs 10 cubic metres

• A kilo of cereals needs from 0.4 to3 cubic metres

With water supplies running low inmany parts of the world, SIWI’sconclusion is that ‘it's going to bealmost impossible to feed futuregenerations the kind of diet we havenow in Western Europe and NorthAmerica’.2

Global WarmingThe keeping of animals for meat anddairy foods causes pollution to landand water and is a major source of

harmful greenhouse gases. The UnitedNation’s Food and AgriculturalOrganisation has estimated thatanimals bred for food generateroughly 18 per cent of greenhousegas emissions worldwide – more thanthe entire transport sector.3 Themajority is methane, which cattle inparticular produce throughexcrement and belching.The meat industry is also responsiblefor significant levels of carbon dioxideand nitrous oxide – harmful gases alsolinked to global warming.4 The head ofthe United Nation’s climate agency,Yvo de Boer, announced in June 2008that ‘the best solution would be forus all to become vegetarians’.5

To give a graphic illustration of thescale of the problem, The RowettResearch Institute estimates that ‘theaverage cow contributes as muchto global warming as a family carthat travels 12,000 miles’.6 And inthe words of Caroline Lucas MEP:‘A vegan driving a 4x4 does lessdamage to the planet than ameat-eater on a bicycle!.’7

Destroying Rainforestsand Creating DesertsAs demand for meat grows, morepasture and cropland is needed tokeep animals and/or to grow feed forthem when they are confined – asthe majority are – in factory farms. InBrazil, for example, vast areas ofAmazon rainforest are destroyed togrow soya, the vast majority (80 percent) of which goes to feed intensivelyfarmed animals.8

Where animals are kept on the land,overgrazing is becoming an ever-increasing problem. Grazing toomany animals destroys soil fertility,leaving increasing areas of land unfitto grow any food at all.Globally, 50 million acres of fertileagricultural land is lost to desertificationevery year.9 Animal farming is amajor cause.

How much land do we need?Simon Fairlie of The Land magazine recently published some interesting researchabout whether Britain could become self-sufficient in food production. He foundthat it would take three million hectares of arable land to feed our currentpopulation on a vegan diet – only half of the area currently in use for foodproduction. The UK could, in other words, help to feed others as well as ourselveson a plant-based diet. As award-winning environmentalist and respected journalistGeorge Monbiot stated in The Guardian, ‘a vegan Britain could make a massivecontribution to global food stocks’.1

TO THE PLANETTHE COST

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TO THE PLANETTHE COST

2019

seafood eaten here is brought in fromhundreds or even thousands of milesaway. This includes West Africa, theCaribbean and other poor areas.13

Polluted OceansAn additional problem is pollution ofthe world’s seas and oceans. Litterdumping (particularly plastic), sewageand crude oil leaks and spills fromever-larger tankers are majorproblems. Polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs), dioxins and mercury – amongstthe most poisonous chemicals tohumans – are found in increasingquantities among fish populations.14

Scientists researching sea life along theUK coast have discovered lots ofevidence of the effects of chemicalpollution on fish, including, in onecase, female eggs growing insidemale bodies.

Environmental PollutionThe massive number of animals beingbred is poisoning the planet, causingpollution of land, water and air.Manure from livestock oozes intowatercourses and waterways, oftenruining groundwater quality. In theNetherlands, for example, thegovernment has had to demanda 25 per cent reduction in pigproduction because of the damage

that the waste from pig farms hascaused to the nation’s water supplies.10

Waste from farmed animals is also asignificant cause of land pollution.While animal manure was once avalued traditional source of soil fertility,so many animals are now being bredthat the high quantities produced –particularly on factory farms – cannotbe safely absorbed on the limitedareas of land available. Too mucheffluent contaminates the soil.11

Not Many Fish in the SeaThe United Nation’s Food andAgriculture Organisation estimatesthat, worldwide, 75 per cent ofedible fish species are now overfishedor exploited to their maximum.12

This means that there is no prospectof feeding the human populationthrough an increase in fishing.Indeed, Europe now has so few fishleft in its own waters that much of the

With growing concern aboutclimate change, water shortages,food availability and damage tothe planet’s ecosystems, therecouldn’t be a better time to startthinking about switching to a moresustainable and ethical diet.Changing to a meat-free diet isone of the most positive steps anyof us can take to reduce ourown negative impacts on ourfragile world.

CHANGE YOUR DIET –CHANGE THE WORLD

References1. Monbiot, G. 2008. Credit crunch? The real

crisis is global hunger. The Guardian. 15 April.

2. Kirby, A. 2007. Hungry World Must Eat LessMeat, BBC News Online. 25 March.

3. Food and Agriculture Organisation of theUnited Nations, 2006. Livestock’s LongShadow – Environmental Issues and Options.

4. Ibid.

5. Newsnight. 2008. BBC 2 Television. 3 June.

6. Johnson, S. 2008. Climate change expertstarget cow flatulence. Daily Telegraph.21 October.

7. Caroline Lucas MEP, 2007. Speaking at theNational Climate Change Rally, 8 December.

8. Write to the supermarkets and ask them toprotect our right to choose non-GM food.2008. http://www.gmfreeze.org/page.asp?ID=257&iType=1083

9. Cox, J. and Varpama, S. 2000. ‘The LivestockRevolution’ Development or Destruction.Compassion in World Farming Trust.

10. Gold, M. 2004. The Global Benefit of EatingLess Meat. Compassion in World Farming Trust.

11. Ibid.

12. Halwill, B. 2008. A Bad Week For Fish.Worldwatch Institute. January.

13. Chrisafis, A. 2008. The ‘French Chernobyl’ thathas poisoned the Rhône’s fish. The Guardian.23 February.

14. Lean, G. 2008. It’s official: Men really are theweaker sex. The Independent. 7 December.


FOR SAVING MONEYPlan AheadPlan what you need for the wholeweek, make a list and stick to it. This willstop you making impulse buys and limitthe amount of food wasted because ithas gone limp, soggy or sour.

Stock UpHave a stock of basic ingredients athome. This will help stop you spendingmoney on takeaways. Foods such aspasta, canned and frozen vegetablesand pulses last a long time.

Bulk BuyIf you have the room, always buy itemssuch as beans, pulses, rice and pasta inlarge quantities, as it works out cheaper.If you have plenty of storage space,buy from your nearest wholesaler.

Choose Where You ShopCompare prices and find your nearest,cheapest store for fresh fruit andvegetables. It could be your localsupermarket, greengrocer, fruit andveg market or farm shop.

TOP TIPS

For some people, theprospect of switching toa meat-free diet mightseem daunting but, asthis booklet shows, thenews is good on allfronts: human health,the environment, homeeconomics and, ofcourse, animal welfare.Over the following pages,we offer a series of handytips relating to shoppingand budgeting. And toget you started there areseven delicious recipes– plus a list of quick andeasy meal suggestions.For more ideas andguidance, contactour office or visitwww.animalaid.org.uk.

21 22

Reduce WasteIf you don’t eat all you cook, re-usethe leftovers in a soup or stew. Anduse any left-over vegetables to makea stock. Fry some onion with any hardvegetables for a couple of minutes.Cover with cold water and turn theheat to high. Add some garlic andthe rest of the vegetables, bring to theboil and then simmer gently for 15minutes. Pour the stock through asieve. The liquid stock is ready to use.It can be stored in the fridge for upto three days, or frozen in batchesfor future use.

Buy SeasonallyShop for seasonal fresh produce. Fruitand vegetables that are not in seasonin the UK are often transported overlong distances and therefore can berather expensive and bad for theenvironment. In the winter, frozen,dried and canned fruit and vegetablesare a good alternative – but, for healthreasons, try to avoid produce that iscanned in salt water or syrup.

Cheap FillersUse beans and pulses to bulk up meals.They are filling, cheap, nutritious and agreat source of protein. And they tastepretty good, too. Try chick pea curry orthree-bean chilli.

One Pot MealsNot only is one-pot cookery easier andresults in less washing up, but it cuts

down on fuel bills and releases fewergreenhouse gases.

Grow Your OwnGrowing your own vegetables is anexcellent way to cut down on foodmiles and cost. You do not need alarge garden, or even an outsidespace, as some varieties will do justas well in a tub on a windowsill. Easyvegetables to grow include lettuce,spinach, runner beans, tomatoesand potatoes.

FreezeIf you don’t think you will have time touse up all the fresh vegetables youhave bought, or you are not going tohave time to cook at a later date,make up more than you need at onceand then freeze the extra batches.


chilli non-carne

Ingredients• 1 onion – peeled and chopped

• 1 large red pepper – de-seeded and chopped

• 2 garlic cloves – peeled and crushed

• 1 red chilli – de-seeded and finely chopped. Use more if preferred

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 300g vegetarian frozen mince

• 400g can red kidney beans in chilli sauce

• 400g can chopped tomatoes

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp dried oregano or marjoram (1 tbsp if using fresh herbs)

MethodFry the onion, red pepper, garlic, herbs, cumin and chilli in the oil in a largish

saucepan, covered, for 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Stir from time to time to prevent them from sticking.

Add the mince, red kidney beans and chopped

tomatoes and mix well.

Leave to simmer gently for 15-20 mintues or until

the mince is cooked. Add some water or stock

if the mince is sticking.

Serve with rice, jacket potato, tortilla chips

or bread.

Serves 4

mexican monday

Adapted from Vegetarian GI Diet by Rose Elliot, published by BBC Books 2423


mixed vegetable curry

MethodHeat the oil in a large saucepan, put in the onion, carrot and potato.Cover and cook gently for 10 minutes.Stir in the ginger, garlic and chilli, along with the turmeric, groundcoriander and curry leaves or powder. Stir well for 1-2 minutes to makesure everything is coated with the spices.Add 800ml (11/2 pint) water and a grinding of pepper to the pan.Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.Stir the caulifower into the pan, then cover and cook for 10-15minutes then add the spinach (and chick peas if using) andcook for a further 3 minutes or until all the vegetables aretender. If the mixture looks too liquid, turn up the heatand let it bubble away for a minute or two. Then checkthe seasoning and serve, scattered with choppedcoriander leaves if you have them.

Serves 4

indian tuesday

Ingredients• 2 onions – peeled and chopped

• 2 carrots – peeled and sliced


• 2 large potatoes – peeled andcut into even-sized chunks

• 2 thumb-sized knobs of freshginger – peeled and grated

• 4 garlic cloves – peeled andcrushed

• 2 green chillis – de-seeded andfinely chopped

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 4 tbsp ground coriander

• 12 curry leaves or 1 tsp currypowder


• 1 medium caulifower– broken into florets

• 250g/8oz baby leaf spinach(166g/5oz frozen spinach)

• 1 can chick peas (optional)

• Fresh coriander leaves– chopped (optional)

Adapted from Meals in Moments by Rose Elliot, published by Harper Collins25 26


stir-fried chinese vegetables

MethodHeat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Fry the tofu cubes until golden,turning them frequently so they brown evenly. Once browned, removethe tofu using a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.Add the onion, garlic, ginger, carrots and broccoli to the frying panand fry for 10-15 minutes, until they are just beginning to soften.Add the mushrooms, red pepper and bambooshoots and cook for a further 5 minutes toheat through.Meanwhile, blend the cornflour with the soy sauceor tamari, then, when the vegetables are ready,add the mixture to the pan, stirring. Add the tofuand stir gently until heated through.

Serve with rice or noodles.

Serves 4

chinese wednesday

Note: The cornflour and soy sauce could be replaced with a stir-in sauce.

Ingredients• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic – peeled andcrushed

• Thumb-sized knob fresh ginger– peeled and grated

• 2 x 250g packet firm tofu– drained and cubed

• 2 onions – peeled and sliced

• 4 carrots – peeled and sliceddiagonally

• 250g/8oz broccoli – cut intosmall florets

• 250g/8oz baby buttonmushrooms – sliced

• 1 red pepper – de-seededand chopped

• 150g/5oz bamboo shoots orbeansprouts

• 2 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)

• 8 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

• 2 tsp chinese five spice

Adapted from Vegan Feasts by Rose Elliot, published by Thorsons27 28


west african groundnut stew

Serves 4

west african

Ingredients• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 2 medium onions – peeled and chopped

• 2 yellow or red peppers – de-seeded and chopped

• 4 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed

• 4 tsp fresh ginger – peeled and grated

• 2 chillis – de-seeded and finely chopped

• 1 litre water

• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

• 2 medium size sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into 0.5 inch pieces

• 3 tsp dried thyme

• 3 tsp ground cumin

• 300g/12oz chunky peanut butter

• 150g/6oz shredded fresh spinach or 100g/4oz frozen spinach

thursday

MethodIn a large saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat.Add the onion, pepper, garlic, ginger, chilli and cook,stirring for 5 minutes.Stir in the water, tomatoes, sweet potato, thyme andcumin and simmer over a medium heat for 25-30minutes until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally.Add a little more water if the stew becomes too thick.Add the peanut butter and stir until completely blended.Then stir in the spinach and return to a gentle simmer,stirring frequently.When the spinach is cooked, remove from heatand serve.

Adapted from 150 Vegan Favourites by Jay Solomon, published by Prima Publishing29 30


chunky oven baked ratatouille

MethodPut all the vegetables into a roasting tray or large shallowcasserole dish, sprinkle with the lemon juice, oil and pepper.Mix so that all the vegetables are coated.Bake, uncovered, in the oven for 20 minutes, giving thevegetables a stir after about 10 minutes.Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.Then cook the pasta whilst the vegetables cook foranother 10-12 minutes.Season the vegetables with more pepper if necessary,tear the basil over the top and serve with the pasta.Could also serve with warm bread, rice, couscousor any other grain you fancy.

Serves 4

italian friday

Pre–heat oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4

Ingredients• 1 large red onion – peeled and

cut into chunks

• 1 large courgette – cut intochunky pieces

• 1 large aubergine – cut intochunky pieces

• 2 red peppers – de-seededand cut into chunks

• 2 yellow peppers – de-seededand cut into chunks

• 8 garlic cloves – peeled

• Juice of 1/2 lemon



• 400g can plum tomatoes

• Several sprigs of fresh basil

• Your choice of pasta

Adapted from Vegetarian GI Diet by Rose Elliot, published by BBC Books

and pasta

31 32


‘chicken’ pot pie

MethodFry the onion and garlic in the oil. Add carrots and potatoesand enough water to just cover the vegetables. Bring tothe boil and simmer until all the vegetables are soft.Add the ‘chicken’ pieces, sweetcorn and peas.Mix the flour in a few tbsp of water and add tothe vegetables.Cook until mixture thickens. Add more flour if stilltoo thin.Add the stock powder, pepper and parsley totaste. Pour the mixture into a pie dish and allow tocool slightly.Roll out the pastry and place on top of the vegetablemixture. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam toescape. Bake for 40-60 minutes, until crust browns.

Serves 4

american saturday

Pre-heat oven to 180˚C/350˚F/Gas Mark 4

Ingredients• 1 onion – peeled and chopped

• 4 cloves garlic – peeled andcrushed

• 1 packet meat-free ‘chicken’pieces (available from mostsupermarkets) cut into smallerpieces if necessary

• 1 packet shortcrust pastry ormake your own

• 2 carrots – peeled and chopped

• 4 potatoes – peeled and cubed

• 200g/8oz frozen corn

• 200g/8oz frozen peas

• 2 tbsp plain flour or cornstarch

• 2 tbsp vegetable stock powder


• 1 sprig parsley – chopped

Note: use whatever vegetables are in season to keep costs down

33 34


shepherd’s pie

MethodFry the onion and garlic in a little oil until softened.Add the mince, vegetable stock, tomatoes,carrots, peas, herbs and pepper. Simmer forabout 20-30 minutes.Peel the potatoes and quarter them. Boil them ina separate pan for about 15 minutes until soft.Mash the potatoes.Pour mince mixture into an ovenproof dish, andplace mashed potato on top. Smooth downwith a fork.Cook in the oven for about 20 minutes until the tophas browned.

Serves 4

british sunday

Pre-heat oven to 220˚C/430˚F/Gas Mark 7

Ingredients• 1 onion – peeled and finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic – peeled and crushed

• 400g frozen vegetarian mince

• 400g can chopped tomatoes

• Mixed herbs


• Vegetable stock cube

• 50g frozen peas

• 1 carrot – peeled and finely chopped

• 700g medium potatoes – peeled and diced/quartered

Serve with vegetables of your choice.

35 36


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• Pasta and pesto

• Pasta, jar of pastasauce and veg of your choice

• Spaghetti Bolognese (use veggiemince)

• Veggie sausages and mash (servewith green vegetables and gravy)

• Veggie burgers, chips and peas

• Stir-fried vegetables with noodlesand a stir-in sauce

• Vegetable curry (use frozen vegand curry sauce or paste tosave time)

• Noodles with soy sauce, meat-freechicken pieces and broccoli

• Pizza (bases available in mostsupermarkets and add your choiceof meat-free toppings) • Thai curry (vegetables, coconut

milk, Thai paste – make sure itdoesn’t contain fish sauce)

• Jacket potato and baked beans

• Vegetable stew (great for usingup leftover veggies) – just add

stock and tomato purée tothicken

• Garlic bread and bean salad

• Roasted vegetables andcouscous

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