The current dietary recommendations would quickly empty the shelves in supermarkets

15-Aug-2024

Politicians and some nutritionists recommend a change in diet in order to conserve resources, protect the environment and promote health. The goals are basically good, but there is a lack of scientific evidence for the measures being pursued in many areas. The North-West Agricultural and Food Forum, the German Beef and Pig Association, the German Raiffeisen Association, the German Pet Food Association, the German Dairy Industry Association and the German Meat Industry Association have drawn attention to this.

With regard to the required changes in the nutrition system, reference is often made to the current recommendations of the German Nutrition Society (DGE) and the so-called EAT-Lancet Commission as well as the Planetary Health Diet derived from these. However, due to the excessive emphasis on a plant-based diet, both nutritional recommendations fail to reflect the reality of life and harbor the risk of malnutrition. With the current recommendations, the DGE has moved away from its actual core competence by not only focusing on nutrient supply and maintaining human health, but also taking into account the goals of the Green Deal.

German agriculture is one of the most efficient agricultural regions in the world with high national standards. Animal husbandry and crop production are interdependent in the natural agricultural nutrient cycle; animal manure is the basis for plant growth. Farm animals also play an important role in the utilization of resources. For every kilogram of plant-based food, around 4 kilograms of non-edible plant matter is produced from the cultivation and processing of raw plant products. Farm animals produce high-quality food from this. Animal husbandry is also essential for the management of marginal land and the maintenance of cultivated landscapes. Animal husbandry is therefore much more than food production.

An adequate and high-quality protein supply is necessary for a balanced diet. In Germany, the protein requirement must be covered by plant and animal protein sources. This fact will not change in the future. Consumers can continue to enjoy animal products without a guilty conscience, as a protein supply cannot be achieved through domestic plant-based foods. There is no scientific justification for stigmatizing certain animal food groups such as meat, milk and dairy products.

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

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