FAO: Meat, eggs, and milk crucial for healthy diets

A new report from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlights the importance of meat, eggs, and milk in providing essential nutrients that are difficult to obtain from plant-based foods. The report is based on data from over 500 scientific papers and 250 policy documents.

According to the report, meat, eggs, and milk provide a range of important macro-nutrients, such as protein, fats, and carbohydrates, as well as essential micro-nutrients that are difficult to obtain from plant-based foods. These nutrients are especially vital during key life stages such as pregnancy and lactation, childhood, adolescence, and older age.

Iron and vitamin A

Iron and vitamin A deficiencies are among the most common micronutrient deficiencies globally, especially in children and pregnant women. More than half of preschool-aged children and 1.2 billion women of childbearing age suffer from the lack of at least one of three micronutrients: iron, vitamin A, or zinc. The report emphasizes that if consumed as part of an appropriate diet, animal source foods can help meet the nutrition targets endorsed by the World Health Assembly and Sustainable Development Goals.

Livestock sector

However, the report also acknowledges that the livestock sector faces a range of challenges related to the environment, herd management, animal health, and social issues. FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo and Chief Economist Máximo Torero Cullen underscore the importance of addressing these challenges while promoting the benefits of sourcing food from land-based animals.

Risks

The report also provides evidence of risks from consuming animal source food, including the increased risk of mortality and chronic disease outcomes associated with the consumption of processed red meat. However, moderate consumption of unprocessed red meat, milk, eggs, and poultry is considered safe with regards to chronic disease outcomes.

The FAO report encourages governments to update national dietary guidelines to consider how meat, eggs, and milk can contribute to specific nutrient requirements during the life course of humans. 

Click here for the full report ‘Contribution of terrestrial animal source food to healthy diets for improved nutrition and health outcomes’

Foa.org