Environmentally Friendly Meal Plan or Green Eating Regimen
In a bid to address the pressing issues of food sustainability and public health, the EAT-Lancet Commission, a group of scientists from 16 different countries, has released guidelines on diets that are both healthy for humans and sustainable for the planet.
The top sustainable diets, according to the Commission, are primarily plant-based, with minimal animal product intake. The core recommendation is a "planetary health diet," which is predominantly plant-based, emphasizing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Animal proteins are included in much smaller quantities compared to Western diets, with a focus on reducing red meat and dairy intake to lower environmental impact.
Such diets aim to operate within planetary boundaries, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water consumption associated with food production. The Commission's research shows that these diets, including the planetary health diet, vegetarian, and vegan diets, are shown to significantly reduce environmental footprints and support public health, including reduced risks of overweight, obesity, and associated chronic diseases.
The environmental impact comparison reveals that vegan diets have the greatest reduction in land use and greenhouse gas emissions, with vegetarian diets using the least water. A low-meat diet also shows substantial reductions.
The upcoming 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission, launching in October 2025, builds on the 2019 report and incorporates new evidence on dietary health, environmental impact, and food justice. It maintains the focus on plant-rich diets but also highlights the importance of cultural diversity and adaptation to regional contexts. The updated Commission expands its framework to include equity and human rights across the food system, emphasizing practical, scenario-based pathways to transition toward healthy and sustainable diets.
Supporting local growers who use regenerative farming techniques can help reduce a person's impact on the environment. Regenerative farming practices include cover cropping, no-till farming, rotational grazing, composting, agroforestry, and using natural buffers. These practices aim to improve the soil, land, water, and climate, not just avoid harming them.
Small steps towards a more sustainable diet, such as setting aside one day of the week for plant-based meals, can have significant impacts. The flexitarian diet, which focuses on plant foods but is also "flexible," meaning people can include animal products sparingly, is another approach. A sustainable flexitarian diet could still include red meat, fish, dairy, and packaged foods, just in smaller amounts, while keeping the focus on whole plant foods.
Reducing the consumption of meat, dairy, fish, and packaged foods can contribute to a more sustainable diet. Research into sustainable diets has found that people who follow vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and semi-vegetarian diets have a 12% lower overall mortality risk than people who eat meat.
Learning more about becoming a vegetarian can provide additional information on sustainable diets. Consumers can also support regenerative farming by joining regenerative farming cooperatives, supporting local growers, and speaking up for sustainable initiatives.
In conclusion, the EAT-Lancet Commission's guidelines provide a roadmap for a healthier and more sustainable future, emphasizing the importance of plant-based diets, reducing animal product consumption, and supporting regenerative farming practices.
- The Commission's guidelines, released by the EAT-Lancet Commission, recommend a planetary health diet that primarily consists of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds, with minimal animal product intake.
- Vegan diets, according to the Commission's research, have the greatest reduction in land use and greenhouse gas emissions, while vegetarian diets use the least water compared to diets including higher levels of meat and dairy consumption.
- The updated EAT-Lancet Commission, launching in 2025, focuses on plant-rich diets but also highlights the importance of cultural diversity and adaptation to regional contexts, expanding its framework to include equity and human rights across the food system.
- Supporting local growers who use regenerative farming techniques such as cover cropping, no-till farming, and composting can help reduce a person's impact on the environment, aiming to improve the soil, land, water, and climate.
- Small changes, like setting aside one day for plant-based meals or adopting a flexitarian diet (focusing on plant foods but allowing for animal products sparingly), can contribute to a more sustainable lifestyle, reducing the overall mortality risk and supporting the health-and-wellness sector in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner.
