I saw a documentary film aired by Channel 4 that featured an astronomer and a farmer discussing plant-based diets' economic and environmental advantages as a viable option for Britain.
The narrator, Astrophysicist Sarah Bridle wondered why politicians aren't asking the public to eat less meat despite the mountains of evidence that it will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
She criticized the British government for not doing enough to combat climate change and health issues. The tiny island is always in need of trying to take care of itself.
Whole food plant-based diets emit half as much greenhouse gas as meat-based diets, if not more. Sarah mentions that even a government committee is advocating a 20 percent cut in meat and dairy consumption.
Tim Lang, a Professor of Food Policy at City University of London's Centre for Food Policy, founded in 1994 and directed until 2016, says that politicians are frightened to do anything about food as food forms the backbone of any economy. They will need to face brickbats and rotten tomatoes if they cut back on meat and dairy. But the victims, in the end, are folks like you and me! Do we subject ourselves to the untold misery of an unhealthy life? Can we be wise and opt and advocate for a whole food plant-based diet? A profound question to ponder, you will agree.
Tim lang says supermarkets make a lot more money selling meat than vegetables and fruits! Eighty plus percent of farmlands are being used to produce meat, which forms only 18 percent of our calories as per scientific sources. We don't even need that! We are going wrong somewhere, staying silent, hugely!
The film also showed Jo Gideon, a Conservative MP of Britain, confirming that a more plant-based diet would help Britain. In her view, it will reduce the impact of meat production on climate change. She added that a more plant-based diet would also help combat obesity and reduce chronic illnesses and diabetes.
It's time to include the cost of pollution and deforestation in food prices, said another person in the film, Helen Browning. Helen also recommends that organic foods be priced cheaper to encourage more people to buy organic foods. If this happened in India, then tiffin meals from Sampoorna Ahara might end up being the most affordable and healthiest!
I started Sampoorna Ahara two years back. I have faced all kinds of brickbats.
"Who can ever imagine not eating meat?!"
"My grandparents lived a hundred years, and they ate everything under the sun!"
"Where would you get your proteins from if you did not eat meat?"
"Eating plant-based makes you a cow!"
" No oil? Forget it!"
"My granny never looked like this!"
"Yuck! Health food!"
But these days, I am noticing a lowering of this chaotic noise. I feel pleasantly surprised when I hear,
"I just love your food!"
"Eating your food has brought down my BP and Sugar levels to normal!"
"My teenage son loves your cakes and cookies!"
"You missed sending the laddu! My husband has separation pangs from his favorite laddu because of that!"
"OMG! I thought I had to give up on Biriyanis and fried stuff! It looks like you can give us alternatives that taste equally good!"
"Wow! A Lebanese meal for just this much? I am going to order a feast for my friends!"
And when we declare sold out, "Please, please please, can you open the payment gateway just for me please? Just one meal only, please?'
:) I don't know why the government is still slumbering. There is a huge opportunity right here to cut down on health costs and have enough money to throw guiltless parties and feasts!
Be Blessed,
Dr. Achyuthan Eswar.