Sam Ebner-Landy and Plant Based Councils campaigners in the Town Hall chamber

• I READ with dismay your report on the lobbying of the council to ditch meat and milk in favour of more costly “plant-based” alternatives, that are not healthier for the planet and ourselves, especially if natural animal-based products are demonised and phased out, (Ready to give up your chicken and chips? Council is urged to go meat-free to help save the planet, November 23).

The statistics quoted by Sam Ebner-Landy at a council meeting, seeking to ban animal-based products, have been comprehensively debunked by many academics. Plant-based meat alternatives may have the same protein content, but as much as five times the salt.

Jackfruit and mushroom products typically have even more sugar and salt, multiple additives and 20 per cent of the protein. Unsweetened almond milk has twice the salt of milk, one-eighth of the protein and one-quarter of the zinc.

Plant milks use unhealthy vegetable-based fats to make them flow and high prices are charged for the large amounts of water they contain.

The ardent vegans and vegetarians ticking off Camden Council fail to acknowledge the vast amounts of water needed to grow the almonds for almond “milk”, and at the same time accuse livestock of using up water when only referring to cattle captive in feedlots. As for almond air miles, shouldn’t they come into the equation if we are talking climate?

Cattle and livestock that are grass-fed condition the soil with their urine and dung, which allows roots to grow deeper with the help of dung beetles which aerate the soil. Rainfall is held by the healthy roots instead of running off impacted soil. Covered soil such as grasslands stop the emission of carbon. In addition, green cover crops protect soils from heating, and thus their reradiation of infrared heat.

Reradiated infrared heat is the key driver of the greenhouse warming effect. Livestock are now woven in vegetable and crop production in sustainable farming methods to condition the soil and improve the quality of what is grown.

Processed plant-based foods, manufactured in the name of sustainability and saving the planet, will give greater control to private corporations while weakening the population and undermining local food production on healthy soils.

To save the planet and support your health, skip all the fake meat alternatives and opt for real food that’s being raised the right way instead. When you shop for food, know your farmer and look for regenerative, biodynamic, and/or grass-fed farming methods which are bringing you truly sustainable food for a healthy population and planet.

But if this is all too much for Camden to take on board, at least give us choice in the town hall café. For those who want to continue as vegans, fine. But don’t ask for a total replacement of local and unprocessed foods in the name of the health of the planet.

Let Camden get on with the job of managing Camden. Dropping meat and dairy from council catering is a step too far.

GILL JACOBS
Burghley Road, NW5