Save the climate, eat kangaroos

Dubai: Roo burger anyone? Instead of beef scientists have suggested that kangaroo meat could be an appropriate protein substitute while helping to protect the earth's fragile ozone layer.

Methane gas released by flatulent cattle is actually one of the most damaging sources of greenhouse gases. Kangaroos on the other hand have a different digestive system which means they less prone to flatulence and burping and therefore have a smaller impact on the environment.

Methane gas is about 20 times more toxic to the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. In a report which came out in 2006, the Food and Agriculture Organisation states that livestock is a major threat to the environment.

If people ate less beef, the human ecological footprint would be vastly reduced. As forests are cleared to create new pastures, it is a major driver of deforestation, especially in Latin America.

But beef is not all bad. Lean red meat such as beef, lamb and veal contains a wide range of essential nutrients and is a major source of high-quality protein, said Sara Adhami, Australian Accredited Practising Dietician with the APC clinic in Dubai's Healthcare City.