Plant based foods (PBFs) vs Animal based foods (ABFs)
Q: What/how do the healthiest, longest living people in the world eat?
A: Their eating patterns are almost vegetarian/vegan - but not quite - and the foods they eat are almost exclusively made up of traditional whole foods prepared according to traditional home (or village) processing and cooking methods.
Of course, other factors are also at play here: the people which make up these healthy populations, known as the longevity cultures, (read a bit more about them here and here if you wish) are also active, balanced and connected, for instance. We can all draw from the wisdom of all the aspects of their lifestyles. However, eating patterns are core to all health, and so its worth unpacking their eating patterns.
The 80:20 (or 70:30) rule probably applies here:
80% PBFs to 20% ABFs (or 70% PBFs to 30% ABFs, depending on your starting point)
This is probably good enough for most of us to shoot for - although to note, the longevity cultures, for the most part, probably have a split closer to 95% PBFs to 5% ABFs!
However, depending on where you are starting from, an 80:20 split is probably a good place to begin.
I believe moderation is important too, and here, for me, the 80:20 rule also applies:
80% healthy whole foods to 20% hedonistic, or as we please!
More important than obsessing over ratios and amounts is quality, digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients. When it comes to ABFs, it is important to source from animals that have been reared ethically and traditionally. Just as traditional diets and lifestyles are best for us, they are best for animals too (out on pasture, free ranging) - and what is best for animals is best for us: We get nourished better and the pollution and imbalance in the world can be ameliorated.
So where we can, we should try to source from ethical suppliers and/or be part of establishing food gardens and backyard chicken coops. Keeping 'backyard chickens' lends itself to being a companion enterprise in food gardens. Quality over quantity is my mantra, and never more true is this than with ABFs.
Occasionally we have a roast, and really enjoy it! This roast was paired with cherries - providing just the tartness and antioxidants needed for complementing the flavors and the metabolism of the fat in roasts. 🍒 🍒 🍒
Perfect for a festive season or special occasion meal!
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