New Zealand Listener – August 24, 2019

16 LISTENER AUGUST 24 2019

It’s easy to boost protein intake with a few simple swaps and

additions. An average-sized woman aged 19 to 70 needs

about 46g a day of protein, whereas an average man needs

64g.

For an adult, two slices of wholegrain toast with baked

beans and a pottle of yogurt contain about half of our

protein needs. By contrast, a beef or lamb steak and a glass

of milk would provide 80% of requirements.

A well-balanced vegetarian diet that completely excludes

meat can provide the protein needs for growing children.

For example, two slices of wholemeal bread (6.4g of protein),

a glass of milk (8.5g) and half a cup of yogurt (5-6g) provide

the daily protein needs of a child aged four to eight.

The best idea is to include protein- and fibre-rich legumes,

such as beans, peas and lentils, when cutting back on meat

and fish. Legumes are a highly nutritious source of protein,

folate, potassium, iron, magnesium and fibre. They’re also

low in fat and contain no cholesterol, making them a healthy

meat substitute.

• Jennifer Bowden

fertiliser. Barrowclough says farmers are already using a variety of

new techniques to lower emissions, including restoring wetlands,

using new fertiliser and effluent monitoring systems, moving to

once-a-day milking and trialling low-emission feeds.

REVISITING GENETIC ENGINEERING

Low-emission feed has become something of a holy grail, but the

giant obstacle is New Zealand’s strict controls on gene-modifying

technology and genetically engineered (GE) crops. The Royal Society

Te Apārangi, which convened a panel of biological scientists and

law and economics professors to review the status of GE, has just

received a provisional yes from Environment Minister David Parker

on its plea that the Government review the 20-year-old legislation

governing hazardous organisms. Even Climate Change Minister and

Greens co-leader James Shaw, whose party is militantly opposed to

GE, has said New Zealand needs to revisit the issue.

However, neither minister has expressly discussed this insomuch

as it might apply to agriculture. The Government’s fear is that loosen-

ing the rules for GE and allied technology here would damage our

“clean, green” brand and premium export marketing advantage.

The flourishing organics sector says any loosening would kill its

businesses. In the politicians’ other ear are scientists such as former

prime ministerial chief science adviser Sir Peter Gluckman, who says

GE technology is going to be an important weapon against climate

change, and he doubts New Zealand will be able to duck it. He also

believes public opinion is softening against GE.

Meanwhile, high hopes are held for Dutch company DSM’s chemi-

cal methane inhibitor, expected on the market within a few years.

It’s suited to intensive farms where animals are fed indoors, but DSM

is also developing an equivalent for pasture-fed stock.

In addition, there’s also the option of rape forage feeding, which

field trials have shown can cut sheep emissions by up to 35%. Selec-

tive-breeding for low emissions is also well under way, but it’s a long

game. In the meantime, excitement surrounds development of a

rumen vaccine that could change the gut bacteria in ruminants to

reduce methane.

Balance Agri-Nutrients and Hiringa Energy are working at the

former’s Kapuni ammonia-urea plant on producing green hydrogen

with renewable energy. Up to four large wind turbines are to supply

electricity and power electrolysers at the plant to produce high-purity

hydrogen, either for feed stock use or as zero-emission transport fuel.

Barrowclough says not all farmers will initially be able to afford

the relevant new technologies, and the cost will have to be factored

into production. But as the National Party’s agriculture spokesperson,

Todd Muller, says, “The history of our farm sector is one constant arc

of innovation and adaptation. The IPCC report is really about how

the world can sustainably feed itself when the population is expected

to grow from 7.7 billion to 10 billion [by 2055]. Our producing less

food, as some would suggest, is not going to help.”

Muller says New Zealand has so many ways forward it’s spoilt for

choice. “It’s pretty hard to think of anything we can’t grow here.”

He says few other countries have what we have: plentiful water, sun,

GE good soils and the vital fourth pillar of no subsidies to distort what

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THE IPCC DIET

Farmers are already using a variety of

new techniques to lower emissions.

Protein alternatives

Try these modifications

To add this

much extra

protein

Eat a higher-protein breakfast cereal 3-5g

Swap 1 tablespoon of jam for peanut butter 4g

Swap ½ cup of fruit yogurt for

a low-fat greek yogurt

5g

Swap a glass of trim milk for calci-

fortified milk (it’s higher in protein)

10g

Add two boiled eggs 8g

Add half a can of baked beans 9g

Add 2 tablespoons of seeds to your muesli 4g

Eat 30g of nuts as a snack 5-7g