A flexible approach to eating is good for you and for the planet. In the Year of the Pig, why not cut out pork?

The idea of promoting vegetable-rich diets and encouraging people to reduce meat consumption has become a topic of intense discussion the world over the past few years. Very often, the argument centres on the sustainability of our meat-centric diets against the backdrop of climate change, which has adverse effects that will continue to threaten food security across the globe. Besides governments and the international community, every one of us must confront and resolve the issue of food security by accepting individual responsibility. Without sounding too sanctimonious, we ought we ask ourselves whether we can change our eating habits and try to reduce our impact on the environment. One way to go is to be less meat-centric. Many people have adapted their diets to become more climate friendly. In the past couple of years, we have seen the rise of flexitarianism, a diet that promises an array of health benefits while not drastically changing eating habits. Flexitarianism, as the name implies, is adaptable and accommodates both meat and plant-based consumption. It allows you to take a more balanced approach to your diet, but specifically inclines consumers towards more plant-based items, with the emphasis on reducing how much meat they eat. Eventually, some people phase themselves into an entirely plant-based diet. For example, if you are a meat-eater, you may swear off meat for two to three days a week and then switch to a vegetarian diet by replacing your protein sources with plant or vegetarian alternatives. What does it really mean to eat like a vegan? This casual vegetarianism is becoming increasingly popular globally as those with a bit of willpower can adjust their eating habits to include more plant-based products, helping to reduce their carbon footprint and improving their overall health. This approach is an easier transition than going cold turkey, so to speak. In Hong Kong it should not be difficult for local residents to adapt their diet, because many residents customarily skip meat at least once a month, on the 15th of each lunar calendar month, as a way to honour traditional Buddhist practices. With that in mind, one personal challenge we can take on in the Year of the Pig is to take this livestock off the menu. We can adopt flexitarianism and skip pork meat consumption a few days every week to begin with. David Yeung, who is the founder of Green Monday, a non-profit organisation that promotes healthy eating habits by advocating no meat Mondays, hopes to promote the consumption of “omnipork” to replace pork meat in Hong Kong. “There are plenty of benefits in eating omnipork, which is made of peas, non-GMO soy, shiitake mushrooms, and brown rice,” he says. According to Yeung, 24 per cent of Hongkongers are flexitarian, while nearly 4 per cent are full-time vegetarian or vegan. Meanwhile, the percentage of “diehard” meat eaters is on the decline from 27 per cent in 2014, to 15 per cent from last year, he says. This new pork substitute has 70 per cent less saturated fat and 330 per cent more calcium. How vegan diet went from fringe to mainstream Yeung believes a global shift to a flexitarian diet is desperately needed to keep climate change in check, on top of other climate-friendly eating habits. To contain the further deterioration of the global climate system, the average world citizen needs to eat 75 per cent less beef, 90 per cent less pork, and half the number of eggs, while tripling the consumption of beans and pulses and quadrupling their intake of nuts and seeds. For those who are not willing to quit meat completely can at least try a flexible approach. Or, at the very least, if they still do not want to budge, then at least they can opt for welfare-based meat. This means buying and consuming meat from suppliers that uphold high animal welfare standards and ethical practices, such as banning the use of growth hormones, or opting for less industrialised farming methods. Why restaurateur changed to vegan menu and fooled his meat-eating customers Pork is the most widely consumed meat in the world, followed by poultry, beef, and mutton. A survey conducted by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre found that Hongkongers consume an average of 102.7kg of meat every year. This is significantly higher than the worldwide average of 34 kilograms of meat per person, per year, according to research by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Besides drought, chemical and genetic pollution, climate change, and other environmental issues that are threatening our agricultural sustainability and food security, the one big factor that is within our control is us. The choices we make will have a long-term impact on the health of our world, and therefore the world we leave behind for the generations to come. No matter what new diets there are out there, the easiest is to find one that you can individualise to make it adaptable and sustainable. Make this diet last so you can make meaningful changes to yourself and the environment. Luisa Tam is a senior editor at the Post

A flexible approach to eating is good for you and for the planet. In the Year of the Pig, why not cut out pork?

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Cutting down on our meat consumption will help battle the threat of global warming A plant-based diet is better for you too

Cutting down on our meat consumption will help battle the threat of global warming

A plant-based diet is better for you too