ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Science

The healthiest food may also be the most sustainable one

A wider use of healthier diets could reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture

Fermin KoopbyFermin Koop
October 29, 2019
in Climate, Environment, Health, News, Nutrition, Science
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

Having a climate-friendly lifestyle not only means recycling, consuming fewer resources and using public transportation but also changing our diets, according to a new study, which showed that wider use of healthier diets could reduce the environmental impacts of agriculture and food production.

Credit Wikipedia Commons

The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, establishes a link between diet, health, and sustainability, and shows that foods with positive health outcomes have a low environmental impact, while other foods, such as red meat, can be especially harmful to both.

“The foods making up our diets have a large impact on both ourselves and our environment. This study shows that eating healthier also means eating more sustainably,” said David Tilman, co-author of the study. “Normally, if a food product is good for one aspect of a person’s health, it’s better for other health outcomes, as well. The same holds for environmental outcomes.”

Tilman and the group of researchers explored how consuming 15 different food groups is, on average, associated with five different health outcomes and five aspects of environmental degradation. They concluded that transitioning diets toward greater consumption of healthier foods would also improve environmental sustainability.

Red meat had the strongest association with a heightened risk of mortality, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Producing red meat was also ten to 100 times worse for the environment than producing plant-sourced foods due to greenhouse gas emissions, land use, acidification, and eutrophication.

At the same time, consuming sugar-sweetened beverages, like soda and fruit juice, was also found bad for your health but with a low environmental cost. Adding an extra serving of dairy products, eggs, or chicken was not associated with upping or lowering disease risk and with a moderate environmental impact.

“Overcoming current environmental and health challenges may seem overwhelming, but there is much that we as individuals can do,” Michael A. Clark, co-author, told Inverse. “Choosing to purchase and consume foods that are win-wins for health and environment will be key in reversing the growing health and environmental harms that societies globally are experiencing.”

While meat is bad for your health and the environment, there’s a wide range of products that are completely the opposite. Eating more nuts, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, olive oil, and fish every day is quite positive, as well as implementing plant-based diets such as the Mediterranean diet.

The study also showed certain nuances can make the environmental or health impacts stronger or weaker. Leafy greens are better for reducing type 2 diabetes risk than some other vegetables, while frying fish can negate its positive health effects. Wild-caught fish is much better for the earth than farm-raised.

RelatedPosts

Researchers find cocktail that delays aging
Better diets could save billions in U.S. health care costs
Electronic cigarettes aren’t good for you — in some respects, they’re worse than traditional cigarettes
Rising hemisphere temperature difference shifts tropical rainfall patterns

“This study shows that replacing red meat with more nutritious options can greatly improve health and the environment,” said Jason Hill, co-author. “It’s important that all of us think about the health impacts of the foods we eat. We now know that making our nutrition a priority will pay dividends for the Earth, as well.”

The study highlighted recent recommendations from the United Nations and others about the environmental impacts of human diets. A report from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in August said eating more plant-based foods helped adapt to and limit climate change.

Tags: climate changefoodhealth

ShareTweetShare
Fermin Koop

Fermin Koop

Fermin Koop is a reporter from Buenos Aires, Argentina. He holds an MSc from Reading University (UK) on Environment and Development and is specialized in environment and climate change news.

Related Posts

Climate

Climate Change Triggered European Revolutions That Changed the Course of History

byMihai Andrei
2 weeks ago
Environment

Global Farmlands Already Grow Enough Food to Feed 15 Billion People but Half of Calories Never Make It to our Plates

byTudor Tarita
3 weeks ago
yellowed grass landscape in london with cityscape in the background
Climate

Heatwaves Don’t Just kill People. They Also Make Us Older

byMihai Andrei
3 weeks ago
a cat napping
Health

Does a short nap actually boost your brain? Here’s what the science says

byMihai Andrei
4 weeks ago

Recent news

A 2,300-Year-Old Helmet from the Punic Wars Pulled From the Sea Tells the Story of the Battle That Made Rome an Empire

September 15, 2025

Scientists Hacked the Glue Gun Design to Print Bone Scaffolds Directly into Broken Legs (And It Works)

September 15, 2025

New Type of EV Battery Could Recharge Cars in 15 Minutes

September 15, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.