【明報專訊】Have you ever realized that the food we eat is also the culprit of global warming? The livestock industry is one of the greatest contributors to global warming, and the meat we consume adds more greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. To reduce carbon emissions and promote good health, people start to adopt green eating habits, i.e. more vegetables and less meat.
In Hong Kong, you may have heard of the "Green Monday" campaign which is widely promoted in restaurants, corporations and schools. People are encouraged to go meatless one day a week. While vegetarian diet has gained popularity in recent years, it is important to ensure that the vegetarian meal is nutritionally balanced.
For example, the protein (蛋白質) content of vegetables is, in general, lower than that of animal products. In order to absorb different types of protein, vegetarians can choose to consume beans, nuts and dairy products in various combinations. Vegetarian food containing calcium (鈣), iron (鐵), zinc (鋅) and other minerals is also important to health.
sources: www.studenthealth.gov.hk, greenmonday.org
■Game
MoMo is carefully choosing the vegetarian food for organising the "Smarties Go Green" party. Can you help put the following food into the correct category?
(See picture)
.A.Whole wheat and grains (穀物)
.B.Nuts
.C.Beans and bean products
.D.Fruit and vegetables
.soya bean.
.peanuts.
.brown rice.
.oatmeal.
.almond.
.mushroom.
.pumpkin.
■Quiz
1. Which of the following is correct about green eating?
(1) Eating food that is green in colour only
(2) Eating meat only
(3) It is good for health and the environment
A. (1) and (2) B. (2) and (3) C. (1) only D. (3) only
2. Find a word in the passage which has a similar meaning to "many".
(Answers on next text)
■English highway﹕In general
"In general" is a common phrase referring to "usually or in most situations".
e.g. The parents in general will support the school's new policy.
■Glossary
culprit (n) 罪魁禍首
livestock (n) 牲畜
vegetarian (adj) 素食的
popularity (n) 流行
[Smarties' Power English 第234期]