In a recent review in the journal, Frontiers in Nutrition, Ruini et al. state that there is a
“strong correlation between the environmental impact of food and their nutritional characteristics. Specifically, it has been demonstrated that the foods whose consumption should be moderated for health reasons are also those that have a greater impact in terms of soil use, water consumption, and CO2 emission. In other words, to achieve a sustainable, healthy diet is essential to eat more plant-based foods and reduce our consumption of meat, animal products, and other foods, like salted snacks and sweets, which offer little in terms of nutritional value.”
An important observation. It would appear that a plant-based diet is better for our health, more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Reminds me of that quote that we are sometimes surrounded by solutions rather than problems!
- Ruini, Luca Fernando, Roberto Ciati, Carlo Alberto Pratesi, Massimo Marino, Ludovica Principato, and Eleonora Vannuzzi, ‘Working toward Healthy and Sustainable Diets: The “Double Pyramid Model” Developed by the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition to Raise Awareness about the Environmental and Nutritional Impact of Foods.’, Frontiers in Nutrition, 2 (2015), 9 <Link>
