Meat: an appropriate solution at every stage of life
France’s National Health and Nutrition Programme (PNNS) recommends eating meat once or twice a day (alternating) because the nutritional elements it provides are essential throughout life. Red meat gives energy by providing a good dose of iron essential for making red blood cells. Not eating meat means not getting the elements conducive to balanced growth and staying healthy. Expert opinions!
Meat in a child’s diet
A child’s diet must meet two objectives: nutrition and pleasure. Professor Patrick Tounian, Head of the Paediatric Nutrition Department at Paris’ Trousseau Hospital recommends “eating meat twice a day and it’s almost impossible to satisfy the iron requirements throughout childhood and adolescence without eating enough meat.”
The importance of meat for the elderly
The elderly have much greater nutritional requirements than younger adults who do the same amount of exercise. Their protein consumption must therefore be higher to counteract the protein shortfall and imbalance associated with ageing. Professor Bruno Lesourd, who was a nutritionist-geriatrician at Clermont-Ferrand teaching hospital, reminds us about the requirements of the elderly and the importance of meat and animal proteins to stay physically fit and well when ageing.
The nutritional properties of meat
Health professionals all recommend a healthy, balanced and diverse diet. This means eating everything in the appropriate quantities to stay fit and healthy. How? Professor Jacques Estienne, an Analytical Chemistry Doctor, answers our question: the nutritional properties of beef are good for our health. Beef covers a high proportion of advised nutritional intake in proteins and certain nutrients like iron, zinc and vitamin B.