Diet Doctor Podcast #108:
Should you eat less beef to help the climate and your health? Not necessarily. Beef can play an important role in a healthy diet and a healthy environment.
Soil health is critical for our environment and for growing a diversity of crops. But does healthy soil also make healthier people?
You have likely heard that eating less beef will help the environment. While this is a popular stance on social media, it is overly simplistic and doesn't consider the whole picture.
David Montgomery, PhD, and Anne Biklé wrote a new book, What Your Food Ate, stating that, yes, healthy soil can lead to healthier people. And the research from Stephan Van Vliet, PhD, appears to support that claim.
Produce grown on healthier soil leads to healthier plants. Animals that eat these plants have more of the potentially healthful phytonutrients. Therefore, humans who eat the plants or animals will also potentially benefit from the greater nutrients.
Will this translate to better human health? We don't know the answer yet. But it is a fascinating discussion and an important topic as we look to the future of agriculture and farming.
About the video
Virtual podcast recorded in September 2022, published in October 2022.
Host: Dr. Bret Scher
Producer: Hari Dewang
Cows emit methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas. So having fewer cows can reduce greenhouse gasses. But what about beef's role as a nutrient-dense source of high-quality protein? Or the role cows can play in improving biodiversity and soil health? A full discussion needs to go beyond a simple math equation.
Ty Beal, PhD, joins me to discuss the importance of beef for worldwide nutrition, and Ariel Greenwood helps us better understand the role cows play in land management.
About the video
Virtual podcast recorded in September 2022, published in October 2022.
Host: Dr. Bret Scher
Producer: Hari Dewang
