Why should we eat less meat?

 Why I’m Eating Less Meat as I Get Older

For most of my life, I never seriously questioned eating meat, dairy, and eggs. Like many people of my generation, I simply grew up assuming this was normal, healthy, and necessary.

But over the past year, I’ve gradually begun changing my mind, not only because of concerns about animal suffering, but also because of health and environmental issues that become harder to ignore as we get older.

I am not writing this as a strict vegan or as someone trying to lecture others. But I do think many of us could benefit from moving towards a more Mediterranean, pescatarian, vegetarian, or partly plant-based way of eating.

And perhaps especially in later life.

Health as We Age

One thing becomes increasingly obvious after 60: our bodies no longer recover as quickly from years of excess.

Many doctors and nutritionists now agree that diets rich in vegetables, legumes, olive oil, nuts, fish, and whole grains are linked to:

• better heart health
• lower blood pressure
• reduced inflammation
• improved gut health
• healthier weight management
• lower risk of type 2 diabetes
• better long-term brain health

By contrast, heavy consumption of processed meat and high-fat industrial food is increasingly associated with cardiovascular disease, obesity, and some cancers.

The traditional Mediterranean diet — common in parts of Spain, Italy, and Greece — consistently appears near the top of global longevity studies. There is probably a reason for that.

A More Sustainable Way to Eat

The environmental argument is also becoming difficult to dismiss.

Modern industrial meat production uses enormous amounts of land, water, grain, and energy. It also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

No single person can “save the planet” through diet alone. But collectively, eating less meat and consuming more plant-based food could make a substantial difference for future generations.

Even small changes matter:

• meat-free days
• smaller portions
• replacing some meat meals with fish or legumes
• buying better-quality food less often rather than cheap industrial meat every day

Perfection is probably unrealistic for most people. Improvement is not.

The Ethical Question

I also cannot entirely avoid the moral side of this discussion.

In recent months I watched several documentaries about modern factory farming. Some of what I learned about industrial dairy and egg production genuinely shocked me.

For years, I had comforted myself with phrases like “humane farming” or “ethical meat”. I am no longer sure those phrases fully withstand scrutiny.

At the very least, I think we owe it to ourselves to think honestly about where our food comes from.

A Simpler, Healthier Balance

Ironically, eating less meat has not made life feel more restricted.

Quite the opposite.

We now cook more vegetables, beans, salads, olive oil dishes, soups, fish, herbs, nuts, and Mediterranean-style meals at home. I feel lighter after eating, sleep better, and generally feel healthier.

Perhaps old age is not only about adding years to life, but also about learning to live a little more gently — towards our own bodies, towards animals, and towards the planet we leave behind.

Balance, rather than excess, is one of the real secrets of ageing well.

SIMPLY. BETTER. LIVING.

“The best and healthiest pharmacy is in your own kitchen.”  — Sebastian Kneipp