Back to basics with diet

As far back as I can remember and until this very day, in my home the majority of dinner meals consist of potatoes, vegetables and meat or fish.

It was the classic dinner plate format that helped to ensure that our bodies were getting the vitamins and minerals that we needed to grow and function every day.

‘Them bones them bones need calcium’ is an advert by the National Dairy Council that I remember vividly from when I was growing up. In 23 seconds it got the message across that milk was the best way to gain essential calcium to help us grow. The ad concludes with a catchy tune whilst two kids, who were captured by a wicked witch, drink a class of milk and break free.

One glass of 200ml semi-skimmed milk provides 31 percent of our daily recommended calcium intake. It also contributes to 72 percent of our recommended intake of Vitamin B12 and 23 percent of vitamin B5 which helps us fight fatigue.

Red meat remains a great source of protein and iron which is required to allow oxygen to travel to tissues and organs. Health scientists recommend we eat up to 500g of red meat per week as part of a healthy balanced diet. Overeating anything, even the good stuff, isn’t always good. If our meals contained nothing but fruit, the natural sugars would go for our teeth and our blood sugar levels through the roof.

Variety is the spice of life

Sometimes we only miss something when we no longer have it and our curiosity for a different way of living means that sometimes we have to discover things for ourself, as opposed to just reading about it.

According to various showbiz news websites, some of the most recent A-listers who have moved away from a strict vegan diet include Miley Cyrus, Samuel L. Jackson, Anne Hathaway, Liam Hemsworth, and Angelina Jolie.

Men’s Health reported that after a health scare Liam Hemsworth was forced to quit a vegan diet while The Independent published a story stating that Miley Cyrus quit veganism because her “brain wasn’t functioning properly”. After incorporating meat and gluten back into her diet, she discovered that she is “much sharper”.

The Mirror reported that Simon Cowell broke his vegan diet, consuming more protein to gain weight for his post-op recovery after he fell off an electric bicycle in August.

The UFU understands people’s diets vary for different reasons and is respectful of personal choice. The farming industry caters for everyone as our farmers produce a wide range of high-quality food from fruit and veg, to cereals, to meat and dairy. All of which are to the highest environmental and animal welfare standards in the world and are appreciated and valued by consumers.