Rethinking Easter: choosing lentils instead of lamb

By Shireen Kassam, Founder and Director of Plant-Based Health Professionals UK

Easter is a time of celebration, family gatherings, and feasting. Traditionally, roast lamb has been the centrepiece of many Easter meals, symbolising renewal and sacrifice. However, as we become more aware of the health, environmental, and ethical implications of our dietary choices, it’s worth considering a delicious and nutritious alternative: lentils. These tiny, nutrient-packed legumes offer a delicious, sustainable, and compassionate alternative to lamb, aligning with modern values of health-consciousness and environmental responsibility.

Health Benefits of Lentils

Lentils are edible seeds of the legume family that grow in pods. They are nutritional powerhouses that provide an excellent source of plant-based protein, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, magnesium, B vitamins, zinc, and folate. Higher intakes of lentils and other legumes have been associated with better cardiometabolic health, lower risk of cancer and a reduction in premature mortality. Lentils have a low glycaemic index, helping to stabilise blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes and improving glucose control in people with diabetes. Lentils have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, while promoting gut health and immune function.

Health Concerns around Lamb

In contrast, consumption of red meat such as lamb has been consistently associated with adverse health outcomes, including an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer. In fact, the World Health Organisation has classified red meat as a group 2a carcinogen – a probable cause of cancer. These negative impacts on health are due, in part, to the presence of saturated fat and haem iron in lamb, plus the generation of cancer-causing chemicals when cooking red meat at high heat. In addition, lamb lacks beneficial nutrients such as fibre and other anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds present in plant foods that support gut health and immune function.

The Environmental Impact of Lamb

The environmental consequences of raising ruminant animals, such as lamb, for food is staggering. Not only is there the issue of carbon emissions, but methane emissions from burps and manure have a greater warming potential and will prevent us from meeting our climate commitments. In the UK, more than 60% of greenhouse gas emissions from farming arise from the production of red meat and dairy. The production of meat from lamb is hugely inefficient. In the UK around 20% of farmland is dedicated to raising sheep but these roughly 32 million sheep provide only 1% of our energy intake. The conversion of feed for the animals into energy for people is a ratio of 5 to 1. The UK is the sixth largest producer and third largest exporter of lamb, a food we do not need for maintaining good health. This vast amount of land dedicated to raising sheep is leading to the degradation of soil, habitat destruction, water and land pollution and biodiversity loss.

It is often stated that the uplands of the UK (hills, dales, moors and mountains) are not suitable for anything other than grazing animals. This is far from true. These areas could instead be used to grow tree crops (fruit and nuts), rewilded to restore natural habitats, and provide other ecosystem services such as natural flood barriers in watershed management.

Lentils: A Climate-Friendly Protein

Lentils, on the other hand, have an exceptionally low environmental footprint. They require minimal water and land compared to farming animals and can even improve soil health by fixing nitrogen and thus reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers. The production of lentils generates far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than meat production, making them a climate-friendly food choice. By shifting to consuming plant-sources of protein we would free up 75% of farmland in the UK, that is land mass the size of Scotland, which could be used to restore nature and capture carbon.

For food security and sovereignty, we need to vastly increase our domestic production of fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, which this land could also be used for and thus further supporting rural livelihoods. Currently we only dedicate 15% of farmland to growing fruit, vegetables and legumes with the UK relying heavily on imported fruit and vegetables. Even then there is insufficient availability of these foods for people to consume the recommended five portions a day. By opting for lentils this Easter, we take a small but meaningful step toward reducing our ecological impact, preserving the planet for future generations and ensuring our food security.

Ethical Considerations: Compassion Over Tradition

Easter is a celebration of renewal and life, yet the tradition of eating lamb contradicts this message. Millions of lambs are slaughtered for Easter worldwide with more than 2 million killed in the UK at the mere age of six months. Contrast this with the natural lifespan of sheep of around 12 years. These young animals we love to observe in fields around the UK are removed from their mothers and rendered unconscious by firing a metal bolt into their heads or electrically stunned before being killed in a slaughterhouse.

By choosing lentils over lamb, we embrace a more compassionate approach to food. Lentils provide all the nourishment we need without the suffering that comes with meat production. In an age where plant-based alternatives are more accessible and delicious than ever, there is no need to take an animal’s life for our celebrations. Instead, we can honour Easter’s themes of renewal and kindness by embracing plant-based meals that are nourishing for both body and soul.

A Delicious Easter Alternative

Lentils are incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of Easter dishes. From hearty lentil stews, lentil loaf,  shepherd’s pie to lentil-based curries, there are countless ways to create a festive, flavourful meal without relying on meat. Lentils absorb seasonings beautifully, allowing for a range of culinary possibilities that can delight even the most devoted meat eaters. You can add flavour to meals with onion, garlic, bay leaves, herbs, and vegetable stock during cooking. Puy lentils also add a wonderful texture and boost fibre and protein in salads.

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