What we eat is key to a healthy planet and a healthy body. This is the origin of concepts like One Health , because the health of people, animals, and ecosystems is closely interconnected, as the World Health Organization ( WHO) explains. Changes in these relationships can increase the risk of new human and animal diseases emerging and spreading. This was the case with the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently happening with avian flu and African swine fever, among many other examples.
To balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems, a comprehensive and unified approach is needed, according to the WHO. “ The relationship between sustainability and health is direct and bidirectional. Human health depends on the health of ecosystems. When food systems exhibit high levels of pollution, overexploitation of resources, and loss of biodiversity, environmental health risks also increase, ” food scientist Noelia María Rodríguez Martín , a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Granada, told Climática . “Sustainability is not only an environmental issue, but also a prerequisite for public health. Food systems determine the nutritional quality of the food we consume and the stability of the communities that produce and consume it,” added Silvia Gómez Suárez , a researcher in sustainable aquaculture at the Austral University of Chile, also speaking to Climática .
The planetary impact of what we eat
The food system generates between 21% and 37% of the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving the climate crisis, from the moment food is produced until we eat it or throw it away, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC ). Land use, such as for crops and pastures, which involves deforestation, and its impact on climate change are primarily associated with animal products, notes the European Commission . Livestock farming is the world’s largest user of agricultural land, directly as pasture and indirectly through the production of animal feed, and accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions, indicates the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ). But this situation can change if we pay attention to what we consume and produce, and how we do it.
“Modifying demand has enormous potential to reduce emissions: it could allow us to do so by up to 70% by 2050,” Julio Díaz-José , a researcher at the University of Veracruz (Mexico) and one of the lead authors of the IPCC chapter on demand and the social aspects of climate change mitigation, explained to Climática in 2022. A clear example is vegan and vegetarian diets : they are cheaper, healthier, and more sustainable, as concluded by a study published in The Lancet Planetary Health . The cost of groceries in Spain with a sustainable diet can be €7.27 cheaper per month than the usual one, thanks to a higher proportion of plant-based protein, according to a 2021 study by Ramon Llull University .
The advantages of plant-based diets
“Plant-based diets are the most sustainable and healthy, provided they are well-planned. A vegan diet can be an excellent option if it is varied, although any reduction in the consumption of animal products represents a change,” emphasizes Noelia Rodríguez. A systematic review of omnivorous, vegetarian, and vegan diets—that is, a compilation of the scientific literature on the subject—found that a diet based solely on plant-based foods offers the greatest potential for reducing global water consumption , in addition to the lowest level of greenhouse gas emissions.
“From a scientific standpoint, there is considerable certainty about the positive impacts of reducing meat consumption. It is true that there is debate about the effects of completely eliminating meat and transitioning to a vegan diet , but the reality is that reducing the consumption of animal protein would benefit the planet and the overall health of the population,” according to Julio Díaz-José. Legumes are a good alternative to meat and fish. They are key “nutritious seeds” for addressing the challenges of “poverty, food security, nutrition, soil health, and climate change,.”
READ MORE: https://rebelion.org/comer-bien-para-vivir-mejor-por-que-no-empezar-en-2026/
