"The nation’s top nutritional panel is recommending for the first time that Americans consider the impact on the environment when they are choosing what to eat, a move that defied a warning from Congress and, if enacted, could discourage people from eating red meat.

Members of Congress had sought in December to keep the group from even discussing the issue, asserting that while advising the government on federal dietary guidelines, the committee should steer clear of extraneous issues and stick to nutritional advice.

But the panel’s findings, issued Thursday in the form of a 571-page report, recommended that Americans be kinder to the environment by eating more foods derived from plants and fewer foods that come from animals. Red meat is deemed particularly harmful because of, among other things, the amount of land and feed required in its production."

Roberto Ferdman and Peter Whoriskey report for the Washington Post February 19, 2015. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Stop Eating So Much Meat, Top U.S. Nutritional Panel Says" (Washington Post) [3]

"Here's What the Government Thinks You Should Be Eating in 2015" (Grist) [4]

"Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee" (Dept. of HHS) [5]

"Cholesterol Is Back on the Menu in New Federal Dietary Guidelines" (Los Angeles Times) [6]