Grass-based diet can help improve nation’s health

Ireland’s temperate grassland countryside is something we often take for granted — it is on our doorstep.

In fact, outside of the obvious tourism benefits, many of us would never think that our grasslands offer us the opportunity to be world leaders in producing healthy, sustainable food products.

According to the Irish Dairy Board, Ireland has some of the best conditions in the world for growing grass. Agriculture accounts for two-thirds of land use, with grass growing on 80% of this land.

Thanks to our climate, we also have one of the longest grass-growing seasons in the world and our livestock can graze outdoors for more than 10 months of the year. This abundant natural resource means Ireland is the most carbon-efficient milk and beef producer in the EU and one of the most efficient in the world.

In an effort to build on this natural resource, Bord Bia recently launched the Origin Green initiative to internationally demonstrate the commitment of Irish food and drink producers to operating sustainably. This initiative, which is in conjunction with the Carbon Foot Printing Programme (part of the Quality Assurance Scheme), will allow Ireland to become a world leader in sustainable high quality food and drink production. We are building a greater future for Irish farming and food processing on the world stage.

However, while this is great news from an environmental and marketing perspective, what does it all actually mean from a human health perspective?

Good nutrition, a balanced diet, smaller portion sizes and exercise are key for our current and future health. However, the problem of obesity is on the rise. We are now at the stage where being of normal weight is abnormal. Being overweight and obese puts us at greater risk for many conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke, dementia and more.

So what does grass-based farming have to do with health? In short, our grass-based farming methods have a positive effect on the nutritional makeup of our meat and dairy products.

There is a general misconception that some meat and dairy products are high in fat and that all fat is ‘bad’ (saturated fat): the type of fat that increases your cholesterol and blood pressure. However, meat and dairy products actually contain a mixture of fats (fatty acids), many of which are healthy. These healthy fatty acids are higher in grass-fed animals. Meat and milk provide us with important dietary sources of protein and micronutrients, are part of a healthy balanced diet and are recommended sources of nutrients in the food pyramid.

Growing consumer interest in sustainable diets has raised a number of questions about the perceived differences in nutritional quality between grass-fed and grain-fed cattle and dairy cows.

Research spanning three decades suggests that grass-based diets can significantly improve the fatty acid composition and antioxidant content of meat and milk. Therefore, grass-fed meat and milk is considered to have a healthy fatty acid makeup compared to more intensive farming methods such as grain-based feeding systems. So, one needs to look at the fatty acid composition rather than just the overall fat content before making a judgement. Fat conscious consumers will also prefer the overall lower fat content of a grass-fed meat product.

Several studies also suggest that grass-based diets elevate precursors for vitamin A and E, as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Of course, we also need to consume the foods in the correct amounts, use healthy cooking methods and be physically active to remain healthy. But Ireland’s grass-based agricultural produce can play an important role in supporting a healthy diet.

* Dr Muireann Cullen is manager of the Nutrition and Health Foundation