The Planetary Diet: Who's Leading The Way?

The planetary health diet is a flexitarian diet created by the EAT-Lancet Commission and released in The Lancet on 16 January 2019. It is a flexible, plant-based diet developed by scientists who examined how to shift eating habits to better individual human wellness and environmental health. The diet is aimed at creating dietary paradigms that feed a world population of 10 billion people in 2050, reduce the number of deaths caused by poor diets, and be environmentally sustainable. The diet emphasizes plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, and allows for adaptation to dietary needs, personal preferences, and cultural traditions. It also includes small amounts of animal source foods and suggests an average of 2,500 calories per day for an adult.

The planetary diet is a flexible, plant-based diet

The diet is largely plant-based, with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, and plant-based proteins comprising a greater proportion of foods consumed. It emphasizes unsaturated fats and limits refined grains, highly processed foods, and added sugars. Meat and dairy are still included in the diet but in significantly smaller proportions. For example, the diet suggests eating 0 to 120 grams of beef per week, which is just over 1/4 pound. The planetary diet also recommends reducing or eliminating eggs, with an ideal consumption of under two eggs per week. Dairy is also limited, with a suggestion of one cup of milk per day.

The planetary diet is not restrictive and includes a wide variety of foods. It is designed to be tailored to different preferences and contexts, allowing for adaptations to dietary needs, personal preferences, and cultural traditions. This flexibility ensures that the diet can be followed by people from diverse backgrounds and with varying dietary requirements. The diet also takes into consideration the average adult's caloric intake, recommending an average of 2,500 calories per day while acknowledging that this amount may vary based on age, gender, activity levels, and health profiles.

The planetary diet is not just about improving individual health but also about promoting environmental sustainability. The diet aims to reduce the impact of the meat and dairy industries on the environment and encourages the consumption of plant-based foods, which have a lower environmental footprint. By shifting towards plant-based and plant-centered diets, individuals can improve their overall health while significantly reducing their environmental impacts.

The planetary diet has been described as a "win-win" by scientists, as it not only improves human health but also helps to prevent the collapse of the natural world that humanity depends on. With the world's population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050, adopting sustainable diets that promote both human health and environmental sustainability is crucial.

It aims to feed 10 billion people by 2050

The planetary health diet is a flexitarian diet created by the EAT-Lancet Commission. It was developed in response to the challenge of feeding a global population of 10 billion people by 2050. The diet is designed to be environmentally sustainable and to reduce the number of deaths caused by poor diets.

The diet is largely plant-based, with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and plant-based proteins making up the majority of meals. It also includes small amounts of animal-source foods, such as dairy, eggs, and meat. The planetary diet recommends eating between 0 and 120 grams of beef per week and suggests that meat-eaters should view it as a treat, ideally sourced from environmentally friendly or regenerative practices.

The EAT-Lancet Commission's report outlines scientific targets for a healthy and sustainable diet, with specific guidelines for different food groups. It recommends an average caloric intake of 2500 kcal per day for adults, acknowledging that this may vary based on individual factors. The diet discourages overeating and focuses on reducing the consumption of meat, eggs, dairy, and starchy vegetables.

The planetary health diet is flexible and can be tailored to individual preferences and contexts. It aims to reduce the risk of poor diets and environmental degradation by providing guidelines for a well-rounded approach to eating and producing food. According to Fabrice DeClerck, one of the leading scientists on the report, the planetary health diet could "avert 11 million deaths per year and produce enough food for 10 billion people within environmental limits."

The diet has received positive coverage from some major news outlets, such as The Guardian and CNN. However, there have also been criticisms and challenges to the diet's effectiveness and accessibility. Some argue that it places too much responsibility for climate change on individuals, while others claim that it could harm traditional diets and cultural heritage. There are also concerns about the affordability of the diet, as it may be out of reach for those who are already struggling to access nutritious foods.

It is designed to reduce the number of deaths caused by poor diets

The planetary health diet is a flexitarian diet designed to reduce the number of deaths caused by poor diets. It was created by the EAT-Lancet Commission and released in The Lancet on 16 January 2019. The diet is based on the idea that shifting eating habits can better both individual human wellness and environmental health.

The planetary health diet emphasizes a plant-based approach, with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes, and plant-based proteins making up a significant proportion of the diet. It also includes small amounts of animal-based proteins and dairy foods, with an emphasis on reducing the consumption of red meat. The diet recommends that fully half of your calories come from fruits and vegetables, while the other half is a mix of primarily whole grains, plant proteins, unsaturated plant oils, and modest amounts of meat and dairy.

The diet is flexible and can be tailored to individual preferences and contexts. It provides guidelines for ranges of different food groups that together constitute an optimal diet for human health and environmental sustainability. The dietary targets suggest that the average adult requires 2500 kcal per day, although this may vary depending on age, gender, activity levels, and health profiles.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the planetary health diet can reduce the risk of premature death by 30%. The study found that participants who most closely followed the diet had a lower risk of death from cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. The diet was also associated with lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduced cropland use, and lower fertilizer needs, contributing to the environmental sustainability aims of the diet.

The planetary health diet has received positive coverage from some news outlets, such as The Guardian and CNN. However, there have also been criticisms and challenges to the diet. Some argue that it places too much onus on individual behaviour change rather than addressing the role of large companies in climate change. Others have raised concerns about the affordability of the diet for certain populations and the potential impact on traditional diets and cultural heritage.

It is environmentally sustainable and prevents natural world collapse

The planetary health diet is a flexitarian diet that aims to be environmentally sustainable and prevent the collapse of the natural world. It was created by the EAT-Lancet Commission and released in The Lancet on 16 January 2019. The planetary diet is flexible and provides guidelines for ranges of different food groups that constitute an optimal diet for human health and environmental sustainability.

The planetary health diet emphasizes a plant-forward approach, where whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes make up a greater proportion of foods consumed. Meat and dairy are still included but in significantly smaller amounts. The diet also suggests that the average adult requires 2,500 kcal per day, with the understanding that this amount will vary based on age, gender, activity levels, and health profiles. Overconsumption wastes food and has both health and environmental costs.

The planetary health diet aims to reduce the impact of the meat and dairy industries on the environment. It encourages a shift from today's high consumption of meat and dairy, which often exceeds nutritional recommendations, to a more plant-based diet. This shift can help to lessen the carbon footprint of food production, as meat and dairy have the highest greenhouse gas emissions and require the most land use.

The planetary health diet also promotes the consumption of unsaturated rather than saturated fats and limited amounts of refined grains, highly processed foods, and added sugars. This aspect of the diet further contributes to its environmental sustainability by reducing the energy-intensive manufacturing processes associated with highly processed foods.

By following the planetary health diet, individuals can make simple substitutions within their diets to lower their environmental impact while also improving their health and longevity. This diet is flexible and can be tailored to different preferences and contexts, making it accessible to a wide range of people.

Overall, the planetary health diet provides a solution to feed a growing world population while also preventing the collapse of the natural world through environmentally sustainable practices.

It is a win-win according to scientists

The planetary health diet is a "`win-win`", according to scientists, as it would save at least 11 million people a year from deaths caused by unhealthy food, while also preventing the collapse of the natural world that humanity depends on.

The diet is largely plant-based and allows an average of 2,500 calories a day. It allows for one beef burger and two servings of fish a week, but most protein comes from pulses and nuts. A glass of milk a day, or some cheese or butter, fits within the guidelines, as does an egg or two a week. Half of each plate of food under the diet is vegetables and fruit, and a third is wholegrain cereals.

The planetary health diet is flexible, providing guidelines to ranges of different food groups that together constitute an optimal diet for human health and environmental sustainability. It emphasizes a plant-forward diet where whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes comprise a greater proportion of foods consumed. Meat and dairy constitute important parts of the diet but in significantly smaller proportions than plant-based foods.

The EAT-Lancet Commission’s scientific targets for healthy diets allow for individuals to prepare and consume meals in the total amount, composition, and proportions that fit within the ranges of different food groups. The dietary pattern allows for flexible application of these criteria with room to tailor foods and amounts to different preferences and contexts to reduce the risk of poor diets and environmental degradation.

The planetary health diet is not very restrictive and includes a wide variety of foods. It is easily represented by a plate that is half covered by fruits and vegetables, and half covered with a combination of whole grains, plant protein, a small amount of animal protein (and as little beef as possible), plant oils, dairy foods, and a small amount of added sugars.

The planetary health diet is also more affordable than the typical Australian diet, according to a 2020 study.

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