The Planetary Health Diet
Some 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions come from our food systems. First things first, by ‘food systems’ we’re talking about the methods, materials and energy used to farm, process, package, transport and dispose of food.
Food systems are an incredibly important part of human existence - we need to feed the growing global population. But our current food systems are a big part of the problem of climate change. However they are also a big part of the solution to climate change.
In particular, there are two areas where we could significantly reduce emissions:
Shifting to a planet-friendly diet
Reducing food waste and loss
But for today, I want to focus on adjusting our diet, because it is the single most effective change people can make to reduce their carbon footprints and reduce global emissions. That’s a pretty powerful piece of information at our finger tips.
The western diet
Across the world, as people get wealthier and have moved to cities, they have tended to replace their traditional plant-based diets with a diet higher in animal source foods.
This has become known as the “Western diet”: a diet rich in animal source foods 🥩🥛, refined grains, saturated fats and sugar 🍔, and low in healthy plant-based foods.
Animal foods in moderation are an important source of protein but in the last few decade the world has started consuming way more red meat, processed animal foods and dairy products than we actually need.
We already know this is not great for our health but it’s terrible for the planet.
So, if we want to reduce our carbon footprint and global carbon emissions we have to change our behaviour a little. We cannot keep eating so many animal products.
Before you start to panic, you don’t need to stop eating all meat and cheese. You just need to stop over-eating meat and cheese.
Planetary Health Diet
Experts recommend the planetary health diet. It’s a way to eat well and within the boundaries of the planet. The idea is that you substitute your main proteins with vegetarian options a few times a week.
The planetary health diet is easily represented by a plate that is half covered with fruit and vegetables, half covered with a combination of whole grains, plant protein, a small amount of animal protein (and as little beef possible), plant oils, dairy foods and a small amount of added sugars.
The tide is well and truly changing
Moving away from meat is the new normal in Europe, recent research shows 46% of Europeans are eating less meat.
China has introduced dietary guidelines which aim to halve meat consumption by 50% by 2030. Given that China currently consumes 28% of the world’s meat (!), this has the potential reduce emissions from agriculture by 12%.
Health benefits
The planetary health diet has a variety of knock-on effects. Eating more fruit and vegetables, provides you with more fibre in your diet which is really good for your gut health. More whole grains means less refined carbohydrates, which means less sugar, and this reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
Less saturated fats from eating less meat, eggs and dairy also reduces the risk of these same diseases.
And let’s not forget about our mental health, a more plant based diet will improve your mental health - gut health is directly related to your mood. You’ll have higher energy levels too - the general feel-good factor from the planetary health diet is a serious bonus.
Our grandparents didn’t eat the quantities of meat we do today, and they got their meat from animals reared on smaller farms much closer to home, and their fruit and vegetable too. We need to go back to our roots.
OK so let’s not leave all this to others. We really can make these adjustments to our diet from today!
When we partake in a planetary health diet we’re doing something good for the planet, we’re actively doing our bit to take control of the climate situation and eh hem, I don’t know about you but I could do with a few less kilos around my midriff ;)