As environmental awareness continues to make its way onto our plates, scientists have come up with the diet they say will 'save the world' – and no, it's not vegan.
The ‘the planetary health diet’ promises to feed ten billion people, save lives and stop catastrophic damage to the planet in decades to come.
Despite meat being hailed as one of the biggest contributing factors to climate change, on the planetary health diet, you’ll still get to eat it, alongside dairy. But it won’t be your primary source of protein.
Rather, nuts and legumes will provide you with your essential proteins, with meat acting as a weekly – or sometimes monthly – treat, depending on what you eat.
Without changes to the food system, the world risks failing to meet the #GlobalGoals & the goals of the #ParisAgreement. https://t.co/Im1yB6A34u New report of the @TheLancet Commission presents a diet that is healthy for both people and planet. #EATLancet #foodcanfixit pic.twitter.com/KZN8KOcvAy
— UN Climate Change (@UNFCCC) January 17, 2019
The diet states that fruit and veg should make up more than half of our plates for each meal, although starchy vegetables such as potatoes should be limited.
The diet was designed between 37 scientists who are part of the EAT-Lancet commission, which set out its goal in 35 corners of the world this week. The diet is based on a 2,500 calorie daily intake, and would require huge changes in almost every global cuisine.
The diet has been designed to be loosely based on the Mediterranean diet, but with less meat, fish and sugar. The biggest changes will be for the Western world due to the small daily intake of dairy, while red meat portions will equate to one burger a week, or one steak a month.
What does a day look like?
Carbs - 232g a day of whole grains such as rice or bread and 50g of starchy vegetables
Vegetables - 300g a day
Fruit - 200g a day
Dairy - 250g - around one glass of milk
Beans, chickpeas, lentils and other legumes - 75g a day
Nuts - 50g a day
Fish - 28g a day
Meat - 14g a day of red meat and 29g a day of poultry
Eggs - 13g a day - about one per week
Sugar – 31g a day
Oils – 50g
Professor Walter Willet, one of the researchers based at Harvard said the diet would not deprive people of certain food. "There's tremendous variety there," he told the BBC. "You can take those foods and put them together in thousands of different ways. We're not talking about a deprivation diet here, it is healthy eating that is flexible and enjoyable."
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