Martin Freeman revealed that he has turned his back on vegetarianism after 38 years and has now included meat in his diet.

The 52-year-old “Sherlock” and “The Office” actor said he became a vegetarian as a teenager in January 1986 because, he said, he “never felt comfortable with the idea of ​​eating meat.” However, according to him, he made this decision because their “substitutes can be very, very processed.”

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“I’m trying to eat less processed food,” he said on the “Dish” podcast with Nick Grimshaw and chef Angela Hartnett. On the podcast, guests sit down to a meal with the hosts, and Hartnett’s Bolognese was on the menu in the latest episode.

Freeman said it could be the first “proper” bolognese he’s ever had, although he revealed his mother was a “pretty good cook”.

The actor emphasized that he “always had vegetable substitutes”, which he described as “wonderful”. “It’s funny, because I like things that replace meat, but my reservation about them is that they can be very, very processed.”

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Alarm bells have been sounded for ultra-processed foods, with studies warning they may increase the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

A recent study found that plant-based meat and dairy alternatives have lower levels of saturated fat and higher fiber than their animal-based counterparts. However, scientists cautioned that nutritional value can vary significantly between products.