We know it:we eat too much meat, and in particular too much red meat. A new study comes to show it again, but instead of just showing the facts, it offers a solution to adopt a healthier diet, which also preserves the planet. According to the report, written by specialists and co-produced by the NGO EAT Foundation and the medical magazine The Lancet , we should halve our consumption of red meat, but also that of sugars. The 37 experts from 16 countries who took part also explain that we must double our consumption of fruits, vegetables, and nuts of all kinds. Global adoption of healthy diets from sustainable food systems would protect our planet and improve the health of billions of people. Clearly, this report does not necessarily advocate becoming vegetarian or vegan, but really consuming less meat, while finding the proteins and other vitamins we need in plants and oilseeds.
A plant- and nut-heavy diet would “balance human health needs and environmental impacts.” It would reduce premature human deaths by 11 million per year (oh yes, anyway!). And since environmental issues can no longer be ignored, this diet is also good for the planet (any reduction in meat and fish consumption has a positive impact). “The way we eat is one of the main causes of climate change, biodiversity loss and non-communicable diseases,” the experts add in the report. So, ready to save the planet and eat better?
