Researchers sought to determine the most sustainable diet based on its nutritional composition, environmental impact, and total food cost.
Sustainability was measured across a number of different factors, such as greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, positive nutrient density, and global food prices. Plant-forward diets, such as vegan and vegetarian diets, had half the environmental footprint of meat-containing diets, such as the ketogenic and recommended World Health Organization diet. Vegan diets were found to be the most nutrient dense per gram, as compared to the paleo and Mediterranean diet, and vegetarian diets were found to be the least expensive both in total cost and cost per gram. This research further demonstrates the richness, affordability, and long-term viability plant-forward diets have on human and planetary health.
“Diets with the highest overall sustainability score share a common characteristic: they all suggest that consumers committed to sustainability should prioritize ‘plant-forward’ diets.”
Citation: Aceves-Martins, Magaly et al. “Nutritional Quality, Environmental Impact and Cost of Ultra-Processed Foods: A UK Food-Based Analysis.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 19,6 3191. 8 Mar. 2022, doi:10.3390/ijerph19063191
Laura Bustard is an actuary who is passionate about plants. She has conducted research on the emergency food system and prescription-produce, and recently worked for FairShare CSA Coalition in Madison, WI. She now lives in Goleta, CA, and works remotely for The Standard, holding a Masters of Science in Urban and Regional Planning and a Fellowship from the Society of Actuaries.
High Protein Avocado Toast
I created this recipe because I love tofu. It is such a versatile food to cook with and it has a lot of protein! Tofu...
Talking WFPB with Your Family During the Holidays
So, you’re whole-food plant-based and the holidays are coming! Maybe you’re new to this way of eating, or perhaps...
Research: Plant-Based Diets And Breast Cancer
A new study has found that diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and other healthy plant-based foods, like whole grains,...
Supporting Our Work - We’re currently an all-volunteer organization and we see incredible room and need to grow over the coming year. We understand that this time has enormous challenges for everyone, so while we’ll be seeking support to help roll our vision forward, we’re also thinking creatively to keep our costs low to efficiently build resources and deliver programming at low to no cost to our community. If you’d like to support our work, we hope you’ll consider making a donation to one of our giving programs through our community partner, the Santa Barbara Foundation!
