A Monmouthshire farmer says that eating red meat is essential to a healthy diet.

Hybu Cig Cymru chairwoman Catherine Smith wants this to be the key takeaway ahead of World Health Day on April 7, 2024.

This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) is focusing World Health Day on ‘My health, my right’ and raises concerns about the threat faced by the health rights of millions of people worldwide.

At her farm in Monmouthshire, Ms Smith said: "People across the world have a right to nutritious and sustainable food and whilst the nutritional needs of our bodies vary and change throughout our lives, it’s essential from infancy to the later stages of our lives, that we look after our bodies for health and happiness.

“The simplest way to a healthy lifestyle is to eat a variety of different foods and red meat is one food group that can help us keep on top of our intakes of iron, potassium, magnesium, zinc, B Vitamins, Vitamin D at all stages of life.”

A balanced diet, with lean red meat at its core, could be beneficial for overall wellbeing.

She suggested that consuming up to 500g of cooked red meat each week could be central to a healthy and balanced diet.

"Eaten in the right quantities, incorporating red meat in your diet has many health benefits for people of all ages, including iron which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue, B vitamins which produce energy, and zinc which helps the immune system to work normally," she added.

Red meat is also a good source of phosphorus, which is essential for the growth and development of children’s bones.

It is protein-rich as well, making a quick beef stir-fry an ideal post-workout meal to aid recovery, build and maintain muscle mass, and provide energy.

Eating Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef "as part of a healthy balanced diet is an excellent way of making sure you are getting what you need for good health – as nature intended," Ms Smith concluded.