Craftbutchers say all health evidence indicates that meat as part of a balanced diet is good for you!

Craftbutchers, like all food professionals recommend a balanced diet. The Irish Cancer Society does likewise. The World Cancer Research Fund says that 'many foods of animal origin are nourishing and healthy if consumed in modest amounts'.

(Source 'Food, Nutrition, Physical activity and the Prevention of Cancer; a Global perspective'. Washington DC 2007)

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Press Statement

Craftbutchers say all health evidence indicates that meat as part of a balanced diet is good for you!

The reissue of a statement regarding health scares related to eating 'processed meats' has had another airing in what is obviously a quiet news week.

The RTE Drivetime programme managed a whole item on this without once asking what processed meats are!

The ordinary consumer could be forgiven for assuming that any meat of animal origin is 'processed' (as it is but not in the sense intended here) and therefore covered by the rather scaremongering tone of these concerns.

They need not fear. This would be a wrong conclusion.

Craftbutchers, like all food professionals recommend a balanced diet. The Irish Cancer Society does likewise. The World Cancer Research Fund says that 'many foods of animal origin are nourishing and healthy if consumed in modest amounts'. (Source Food, Nutrition, Physical activity and the Prevention of Cancer; a Global perspective. Washington DC 2007)

The idea of eating 'The full Irish' at the start of every single day of the week is not our idea of a balanced diet and we doubt if anyone these days would have the time or inclination to do so.

Indeed we do not recommend that anyone should do so. These are the processed foods referred to.

ACBI Chief Executive Pat Brady says; 'These do not represent a danger consumed as they are by most people as an occasional weekend or B&B treat. The risk referred to arises from the consumption of over 1000 grams of processed foods a week which is almost two and a half pounds, or five packets of sausages a week! That's a lot of sausage!!'

Fresh meat. i.e. beef, pork, lamb, poultry; the average content of a butcher's meat counter (which is not in this context what is meant by 'processed') is a recognised and valued source of protein and nutrition as part of a balanced diet and a significant improvement on the diet of processed meals and junk food which is the expensive staple of too many, especially young people.

'If we could add balanced reporting to balanced diet we might be healthier in mind and body' concluded Mr Brady.