I don’t care about meta, I care about fun. I like cooking I like crafting things I (or my alts) can use.
Implementing a new ressource, and not making one measly potion or recipe enhancing this ressource in any way is un-fun and I think lazy and anyways NOT catering to the RP aspect of the game - in a MMORPG!
This meta / utilitarian point of view you give voice to here is the reason Cata is no longer Classic.