Farm-Scape is sponsored by Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork Play Audio Farm-Scape is a Wonderworks Canada production and is distributed courtesy of Manitoba Pork Council and Sask Pork.

Farm-Scape, Episode 1316

The Calgary based Beef Information Centre is encouraging Canadian consumers to help clear out an over supply of beef by eating one extra serving of beef per week.

An international embargo on Canadian beef has created a dramatic over supply within Canada.

Nutritional studies have shown most Canadians consume fewer than the recommended number of servings from the meat and alternates food group.

Beef Information Centre CEO Kathy Keeler says, by adding one serving of beef per week, Canadians can help the beef industry balance the supply demand situation while improving the nutritional content of their diets.

"One more beef meal a week would account for seven million 500 thousand pounds of beef going through the system if every Canadian ate one more beef meal.

Why this is significant is, there was a recent national study done by McGill nutrition researchers and, in this research, it showed that over 60 percent of women and about 55 percent of men aren't eating the recommended minimum number of servings from the meat and alternate group.

What that means is that, regardless of what the protein source is, whether it's beef, pork or poultry, there is room to be eating more protein in the Canadian diet.

Our belief is that Canadians, by eating an extra beef meal, it's going to bring them closer to the amount of protein they should be having in their diet anyway".

Keeler suggests replacing some of the empty calorie foods from the snack category which don't contribute to the nutritional value of the meal.

She says, by eliminating some of these high calorie snacks and selecting a burger or a salad with a steak topping, consumers will improve their overall nutrition at a time where there's an over abundance of beef available in the market.

For Farmscape.Ca, I'm Bruce Cochrane.