Eating less meat can increase your life expectancy by up to 25%.
A major new study has found that cutting down on red meat can add years to your life expectancy. Swapping just one portion of red meat a day for a fillet of fish cuts the risk if dying over the next eight years by 17 per cent. Replacing it with skinless chicken or vegetables reduces the risk by 10 per cent.
And the researchers at Harvard University, US, discovered that cutting out processed meat – sausages, bacon, ham etc – has even greater benefits when replacing with fish fillets, slashing mortality rates by 25 per cent.
The study was extensive, examining the diets of more than 81,000 people in the US. The study concluded that the Mediterranean diet, with its emphasis on fish, beans and vegetables is probably the best way to extend life, particularly as it focuses on healthy plant foods.
A Mediterranean diet consists of plant based foods, whole grain, legumes and nuts. In addition, olive oil is used to replace butter and herbs and spices used to replace salt to flavour foods. In addition, plenty of starchy foods such as potatoes, bread and pasta are added to the diet, using wholegrain versions where possible.
Here is one of my favourite Mediterranean quick cook recipe:
Stuffed peppers with Zucchini & Lemon Freekah
Ingredients:
- 4 red capsicums
- 1 zucchini, quartered lengthways and thinly sliced
- 1 large red onion, chopped finely
- 250g cooked organic Freekah
- 1 organic lemon
- Handful of toasted pine nuts and raisons
- Handful parsley roughly chopped
- Zest and juice of a lemon
Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut each capsicum in half through the stem, and remove the seeds. Put the peppers, cut-side up, on a baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and season well. Roast for 15 mins.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a small frying pan, add the zucchini and onion and cook until soft. Remove from the heat, then stir through the freekah, with the pine nuts, raisons, parsley, lemon juice and lemon zest. Season with pepper. Divide the freekah mixture between the capsicum halves, then return to the oven for 5 mins to heat through. Serve with a green salad such as pea shoots, rocket and spinach and top with a drizzle of herb infused olive oil.
Cooks notes:
Making your own infused olive oil is so easy.
Cover the herbs such as rosemary and dried whole chilli’s with olive oil, seal the bottle, and let it sit in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks.
The oil will slowly infuse over this time, taste every day or so to see how it’s coming along.
Strain out the solids and re-bottle the oil once the flavour is to your liking.
You can use dried or fresh herbs and spices. With fresh herbs and spices drying them first will remove the moisture which reduces the chance of any mould developing.
