How Does Shifting To A Planetary Healthy Diet Nurtures The Planet

 

Hey there! Today, I'm going to talk about something that doesn't usually come up in conversation. It's a topic that many people aren't really aware of. You see, people often don't realize that their unhealthy eating habits don't just impact themselves, but also the planet. It's pretty surprising, right? But it's true – what you eat can actually have an effect on the environment. With this let’s dig deeper and widen our knowledge about something new.

 

So, here's the deal: food goes through a whole process before it ends up on your plate. It needs to be grown, processed, transported, distributed, prepared, eaten, and sometimes even thrown away. Now, each of these steps actually releases greenhouse gases that trap the sun's heat and contribute to climate change. Can you believe it? Around one-third of all the greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans can be traced back to our food choices. It's pretty mind-boggling, right?

Hold on, there's more to this story! It's not just about those greenhouse gases. Nope, there are other issues at play too, like species going extinct, contamination of freshwater, and deforestation. It's a whole package deal, you know? So, when we talk about the impact of our food habits on the planet, it's not just one thing we need to consider. There's a whole bunch of stuff going on that we should be aware of.

Unhealthy eating habits are the primary cause of global health problems, with a staggering number of people affected. Currently, there are 800 million individuals experiencing hunger, 2 billion suffering from malnutrition, and an additional 2 billion grappling with overweight or obesity. Recently, the world's scientific academies have reached a consensus that the food system is fundamentally flawed and in need of repair

Now, you might be wondering, how exactly does our diet impact the planet? Well, it all started when people began shifting towards a diet that included lots of highly processed foods, high-calorie meals, and a whole bunch of animal products. This new eating style was given the fancy name of "Western Style dietary pattern."

So, after hearing all this, you might be thinking, "What now? Should we stop eating altogether? What should we actually be consuming? Is there a proper diet that won't harm the environment?" I know you've got a lot of questions, but don't worry, I've got your back.

According to scientists from around the world, they have discovered that addressing this issue requires significant changes, such as reducing food loss and waste. After conducting further research, they have developed a specific diet that not only benefits the planet but also our own health. This diet emphasizes consuming a variety of nutritious foods while reducing the consumption of meats. It has been named "The Planetary Health Diet."

The term plant-forward is defined as “a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, foods from plant sources—fruits and vegetables (produce), whole grains, legumes (pulses), nuts and seeds, plant oils, and herbs and spices—and reflects evidence-based principles of health and sustainability.”

The diet addresses the major role of farming – especially livestock – in driving climate change, the destruction of wildlife and the pollution of rivers and oceans.

The planetary health diet is largely plant-based and allows an average of 2,500 calories a day. Globally, the diet requires red meat and sugar consumption to be cut by half, while vegetables, fruit, pulses and nuts must double. The diet allows 14 grams of red meat like beef or lamb a day — roughly the equivalent of an average American McDonalds hamburger once every eight days.

So now let’s talk about what can we eat!

·       Nuts - 50g a day

·       Beans, chickpeas, lentils and other legumes - 75g a day

·       Fish - 28g a day

·       Eggs - 13g a day (so one and a bit a week)

·       Meat - 14g a day of red meat and 29g a day of chicken

·       Carbohydrates - whole grains like bread and rice 232g a day and 50g a day of starchy vegetables

·       Dairy - 250g - the equivalent of one glass of milk

 

Aim to consume no more than 98 grams of red meat (pork, beef or lamb), 203 grams of poultry, and 196 grams of fish per week.

People who are used to eating meats from years and years, it will definitely take time but the diet doesn’t state to completely stop eating it just says to control the limit of consumption.

If you are worried that will the proportion would help us survive? Yes, it will help you. We don’t know about your taste buds, but this diet will keep you not only alive but also very healthy.

 

Apart from switching to healthy diet what else you can do to contribute?

Behind our food, there is always someone who produced, planted, harvested, fished or transported it. These food heroes are helping to make sure that everyone, everywhere has enough affordable, safe and nutritious food.

Be A Food Hero!

·      Eat Healthier meals (as we talked about) - If you want to make a positive impact on both your health and the environment, try switching to a more balanced diet. That means getting energy and nutrients from a variety of food groups. Also, consider cutting back on foods that require more natural resources, like water, to produce (meat tends to use more resources compared to plants or pulses). Oh, and try to opt for seasonal and local fruits and veggies too. It's not just good for you, but also for the planet! And hey, don't forget to choose foods with less packaging whenever possible.

 

·       Cut your food waste - Did you know that a whopping 900 million tonnes of food, which is about 17% of all the food available, gets thrown away every year? Crazy, right? And here's the kicker: there are nearly 700 million people worldwide who don't have enough to eat. It's time to stop this waste. When you toss out food, you're not just wasting the food itself, but also all the energy that went into growing, producing, packaging, and transporting it. So, let's be mindful and only buy what we really need – and make sure to use what we buy. By doing that, we can save money, reduce pollution, and help preserve resources for future generations.

·       Try a sustainable recipe – Food like Sauteed veggies, Vegetable Stew, Mushroom and Tofu soup, Optimal Fruit Salad, Groundnut Soup, Okra Stew, Fermented Asparagus, Jackfruit Spread, Etc.

 

·       Shop with a reusable bag- Up to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used every year (there are 12 zeroes in that number!). Besides polluting the ocean and environment, they clog up sewers, kill wildlife and cause irreparable damage to nature. Simply bringing your own, reusable bag can seriously reduce the amount of plastic waste in our world.

 

·       Buy Local and seasonal food- Buying local and seasonal food supports your local economy and lowers the carbon emitted to get that food on your table. Local and seasonal produce tastes better, too – give it a try. And don’t shy away from buying imperfect-looking fruits and vegetables. They might otherwise get thrown out.

 

·       Save Water- Water is a precious resource: less than 3 percent of the world’s water is fresh (drinkable), and most of it is frozen in the Antarctica, Arctic and glaciers. Using water smartly can help ensure that we continue to have clean water to drink, wash and stay healthy. So, don’t keep the tap running when washing fruits or vegetables or dishes. And avoid plastics, which often end up in rivers and oceans, polluting water and killing seabirds and marine life.

 

The definition of sustainable food production requires that we use no additional land, safeguard existing biodiversity, reduce consumptive water use and manage water responsibly, substantially reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, produce zero carbon dioxide emissions, and cause no further increase in methane and nitrous oxide emissions. There is no silver bullet for combating harmful food production practices, but by defining and quantifying a safe operating space for food systems, diets can be identified that will nurture human health and support environmental sustainability.

 

EAT WISE, EAT RIGHT