Key TakeawaysEating more plant-based foods may help reduce your environmental impact and support your overall health.Certain animal products are still your best bet for some important nutrients.

Key Takeaways

Eating more plant-based foods may help reduce your environmental impact and support your overall health.Certain animal products are still your best bet for some important nutrients.

It’s easy to think that your diet doesn’t impact anyone but you. But the foods you eat do more than shape your personal health; their production impacts the health of the planet as well.

The agriculture industry accounts for up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, 70% of freshwater use, and nearly 50% of land use.

Limiting your consumption of these foods is one way to reduce your environmental impact on an individual level. And a new study suggests it will benefit your own wellbeing too.

Enter the Planetary Health Diet

A diet rich in ultra-processed meats, refined grains, added sugars, and unhealthy fats is linked to many negative health outcomes, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.There’s also evidence that certain agricultural industries have more of a negative impact on the environment than others.

Specifically, this diet encourages people to fill half a plate with fruits and vegetables. The other half should consist of primarily whole grains, plant proteins (beans, lentils, pulses, nuts), unsaturated plant oils, modest amounts of meat and dairy, and some added sugars and starchy vegetables.

Higher adherence to this diet is linked to lower greenhouse gas emissions, less land use, and reduced mortality risk among Europeans, according to one study published inLancet Planetary Health.Other data corroborates these positive effects on health and greenhouse emissions when following this diet, but does observe increased water use.

The ‘Portfolio Diet’ Is Another Heart-Healthy Option, Study Finds

Most recently, data published inJAMA Open Networkshowed that those who followed the planetary health diet most closely had a decreased risk of all-cause mortality, as well as mortality from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory disease, compared to those who didn’t stick to the guidelines as closely.

The authors of theJAMAstudynoted that those who stuck most closely to the planetary health diet ate more fruits, dairy, vegetables, and legumes. But that comes with its own set of environmental repercussions, resulting in more water and land use.

Because of this, the authors recommend reducing your consumption of red meat and total grains, which is a proven way to lower the impact on land and water use.

Simple Swaps to Support Your Health and the Health of the Planet

The planetary health diet includes general recommendations for people to explore. But data published inNature Foodin November highlights specific swaps people can take that may support both their health and reduce their carbon footprint.

The study authors suggest:

The largest reductions in carbon emissions occur when “mixed” dishes, like burritos and pasta, are made with plant-based proteins or other “low-carbon” choices instead of lamb, beef, or pork.

Along with focusing on which foods produce the lowest amount of carbon emissions like these study authors did, it is also important to recognize which foods have a large water footprint and/or use large quantities of land.

“Nuts can often have a large water footprint, especially since most nuts are grown in California,”Ty Beal, PhD, with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, told Verywell. For instance, although almond milk may have a lower carbon footprint than dairy milk, it has a larger water footprint. And nutritionally, data suggests that many plant-based milks don’t provide equivalent nutrients as dairy milk.

“Other discretionary foods can have a large environmental impact,” Beal added. “Wine, for example, has a large water footprint.”

There’s Still Room for Animal Protein

You don’t have to totally forgo animal protein if you’re striving to be healthy and environmentally conscious. In fact, some animal food sources have little environmental impact.

“Animal products with lower environmental footprints include small fish, bivalves (mussels, clams, oysters, for those who can afford them) and insects (for those who can stomach them), as well as regeneratively raised livestock products (for those who can access them),” he said. “But I think most people can have a moderate amount of meat in the context of a healthy diet without too much guilt. Plus, livestock producers are making meat more sustainable every day.”

Eggs, lean beef, fish, and low-fat dairy can be a part of a balanced and healthful diet thanks to several important nutrients, like iron, zinc, and vitamin B12.

Michelle Routhenstein, RD, CDE, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian, told Verywell that diets free of animal products may be lacking in EPA and DHA, two important omega-3 fatty acids typically found in fish and shellfish. She suggests meeting with a registered dietitian about a personalized meal plan if you cannot eat any animal products, or choose not to, in order to fill any nutritional gaps.

9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ye YX, Geng TT, Zhou YF, et al.Adherence to a planetary health diet, environmental impacts, and mortality in Chinese Adults.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2339468. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39468Dixon KA, Michelsen MK, Carpenter CL.Modern diets and the health of our planet: an investigation into the environmental impacts of food choices.Nutrients. 2023;15(3):692. doi:10.3390/nu15030692Cusack DF, Kazanski CE, Hedgpeth A, et al.Reducing climate impacts of beef production: a synthesis of life cycle assessments across management systems and global regions.Glob Chang Biol. 2021;27(9):1721-1736. doi:10.1111/gcb.15509Ramsing R, Santo R, Kim BF, et al.Dairy and plant-based milks: implications for nutrition and planetary health.Curr Environ Health Rep. 2023;10(3):291-302. doi:10.1007/s40572-023-00400-zTaneri PE, Wehrli F, Roa-Díaz ZM, et al.Association between ultra-processed food intake and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Epidemiol. 2022;191(7):1323-1335. doi:10.1093/aje/kwac039EAT.The planetary health diet.Laine JE, Huybrechts I, Gunter MJ, et al.Co-benefits from sustainable dietary shifts for population and environmental health: an assessment from a large European cohort study.Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(11):e786-e796. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00250-3Colizzi C, Harbers MC, Vellinga RE, et al.Adherence to the EAT-Lancethealthy reference diet in relation to risk of cardiovascular events and environmental impact: results from the EPIC-NL cohort.J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(8):e026318. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.026318Grummon AH, Lee CJY, Robinson TN, Rimm EB, Rose D.Simple dietary substitutions can reduce carbon footprints and improve dietary quality across diverse segments of the US population.Nat Food. 2023;4(11):966-977. doi: 10.1038/s43016-023-00864-0

9 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ye YX, Geng TT, Zhou YF, et al.Adherence to a planetary health diet, environmental impacts, and mortality in Chinese Adults.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2339468. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39468Dixon KA, Michelsen MK, Carpenter CL.Modern diets and the health of our planet: an investigation into the environmental impacts of food choices.Nutrients. 2023;15(3):692. doi:10.3390/nu15030692Cusack DF, Kazanski CE, Hedgpeth A, et al.Reducing climate impacts of beef production: a synthesis of life cycle assessments across management systems and global regions.Glob Chang Biol. 2021;27(9):1721-1736. doi:10.1111/gcb.15509Ramsing R, Santo R, Kim BF, et al.Dairy and plant-based milks: implications for nutrition and planetary health.Curr Environ Health Rep. 2023;10(3):291-302. doi:10.1007/s40572-023-00400-zTaneri PE, Wehrli F, Roa-Díaz ZM, et al.Association between ultra-processed food intake and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Epidemiol. 2022;191(7):1323-1335. doi:10.1093/aje/kwac039EAT.The planetary health diet.Laine JE, Huybrechts I, Gunter MJ, et al.Co-benefits from sustainable dietary shifts for population and environmental health: an assessment from a large European cohort study.Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(11):e786-e796. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00250-3Colizzi C, Harbers MC, Vellinga RE, et al.Adherence to the EAT-Lancethealthy reference diet in relation to risk of cardiovascular events and environmental impact: results from the EPIC-NL cohort.J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(8):e026318. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.026318Grummon AH, Lee CJY, Robinson TN, Rimm EB, Rose D.Simple dietary substitutions can reduce carbon footprints and improve dietary quality across diverse segments of the US population.Nat Food. 2023;4(11):966-977. doi: 10.1038/s43016-023-00864-0

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Ye YX, Geng TT, Zhou YF, et al.Adherence to a planetary health diet, environmental impacts, and mortality in Chinese Adults.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2339468. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39468Dixon KA, Michelsen MK, Carpenter CL.Modern diets and the health of our planet: an investigation into the environmental impacts of food choices.Nutrients. 2023;15(3):692. doi:10.3390/nu15030692Cusack DF, Kazanski CE, Hedgpeth A, et al.Reducing climate impacts of beef production: a synthesis of life cycle assessments across management systems and global regions.Glob Chang Biol. 2021;27(9):1721-1736. doi:10.1111/gcb.15509Ramsing R, Santo R, Kim BF, et al.Dairy and plant-based milks: implications for nutrition and planetary health.Curr Environ Health Rep. 2023;10(3):291-302. doi:10.1007/s40572-023-00400-zTaneri PE, Wehrli F, Roa-Díaz ZM, et al.Association between ultra-processed food intake and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Epidemiol. 2022;191(7):1323-1335. doi:10.1093/aje/kwac039EAT.The planetary health diet.Laine JE, Huybrechts I, Gunter MJ, et al.Co-benefits from sustainable dietary shifts for population and environmental health: an assessment from a large European cohort study.Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(11):e786-e796. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00250-3Colizzi C, Harbers MC, Vellinga RE, et al.Adherence to the EAT-Lancethealthy reference diet in relation to risk of cardiovascular events and environmental impact: results from the EPIC-NL cohort.J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(8):e026318. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.026318Grummon AH, Lee CJY, Robinson TN, Rimm EB, Rose D.Simple dietary substitutions can reduce carbon footprints and improve dietary quality across diverse segments of the US population.Nat Food. 2023;4(11):966-977. doi: 10.1038/s43016-023-00864-0

Ye YX, Geng TT, Zhou YF, et al.Adherence to a planetary health diet, environmental impacts, and mortality in Chinese Adults.JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2339468. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.39468

Dixon KA, Michelsen MK, Carpenter CL.Modern diets and the health of our planet: an investigation into the environmental impacts of food choices.Nutrients. 2023;15(3):692. doi:10.3390/nu15030692

Cusack DF, Kazanski CE, Hedgpeth A, et al.Reducing climate impacts of beef production: a synthesis of life cycle assessments across management systems and global regions.Glob Chang Biol. 2021;27(9):1721-1736. doi:10.1111/gcb.15509

Ramsing R, Santo R, Kim BF, et al.Dairy and plant-based milks: implications for nutrition and planetary health.Curr Environ Health Rep. 2023;10(3):291-302. doi:10.1007/s40572-023-00400-z

Taneri PE, Wehrli F, Roa-Díaz ZM, et al.Association between ultra-processed food intake and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Am J Epidemiol. 2022;191(7):1323-1335. doi:10.1093/aje/kwac039

EAT.The planetary health diet.

Laine JE, Huybrechts I, Gunter MJ, et al.Co-benefits from sustainable dietary shifts for population and environmental health: an assessment from a large European cohort study.Lancet Planet Health. 2021;5(11):e786-e796. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(21)00250-3

Colizzi C, Harbers MC, Vellinga RE, et al.Adherence to the EAT-Lancethealthy reference diet in relation to risk of cardiovascular events and environmental impact: results from the EPIC-NL cohort.J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(8):e026318. doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.026318

Grummon AH, Lee CJY, Robinson TN, Rimm EB, Rose D.Simple dietary substitutions can reduce carbon footprints and improve dietary quality across diverse segments of the US population.Nat Food. 2023;4(11):966-977. doi: 10.1038/s43016-023-00864-0

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