Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
A Professor of Animal Production & Management, Professor Cordelia Ifeyinwa Ebenebe, has dispelled doubts and fears about the conjectures surrounding the consumption of meat.
Prof. Ebenebe in her research and findings affirms that all meat types contain nine essential amino acids needed by the human body.
Delivering the 99th Inaugural Lecture of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ebenebe emphasised that meat is essential for human growth and development.
Unlike the belief that higher consumption of unprocessed red, and processed red meat were associated with a higher risk of diseases, the Professor stressed that her research evidence confirms that only processed meats could be linked with issues of diseases, while unprocessed meat consumption is not linked to heart disease.
“The meat that appears to be linked with issues of diseases are the processed meats found in big supermarkets and shopping malls,” she explained.
She said most plant proteins are incomplete which explains why most vegetarians in Europe and America take supplements that make up for the nutrient deficiency in plant proteins.
She pointed out that the body needs 950mg of cholesterol for daily metabolism and the liver is the main producer, while only 15 percent is obtained from diet.
Prof. Ebenebe who is also the current Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka outlined the various types of meats including red meat, white meat, and grass-fed or organic meat.
She appealed to Nigerians to look towards little known animals which she called Micro/minilivestocks that offer economic future as meat or for economic purposes.
