According to the academic journal Nature Food, simple changes to the foods we eat, such as substituting chicken for beef in a burrito, can reduce negative environmental impact and improve personal health. .
If all consumers of high-carbon foods switched to lower-carbon alternatives, the carbon footprint of the U.S. diet could be reduced by 35%. These changes also improve diet quality by 4-10%.
The study, conducted by researchers at Stanford University, Harvard University, and Tulane University, used dietary data from more than 7,700 U.S. adults and children to identify practical food alternatives and simulated the impact of substitution on both carbon pollution and diet quality.
The study authors say the findings show that a “small change” approach could be a useful starting point for combating the effects of diet on health and climate change. .
“When you’re at the grocery store, move your hand over your foot and grab soy or almond milk instead of cow’s milk,” says Diego Rose, senior author and nutrition program director at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. he says. “Just him, one small change can have a big impact.”
Rose added: “This study shows that reducing dietary carbon emissions is achievable and does not require changing your entire lifestyle.”
However, the study also highlights the difficulty of making the drastic dietary changes needed to produce maximum benefits. According to Tulane University, food production accounts for 25 to 33 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas pollution, with beef production being the main culprit.
Alternative foods are not a panacea for major climate change goals, but this study provides compelling evidence that a little goes a long way.
“There is an overlap between sustainable eating and healthy eating,” says lead author Anna Grammon, assistant professor of pediatrics and health policy at Stanford University. “Our research shows that by changing just one ingredient, a single swap can be a win-win, with implications for both climate change and the health of our diets.” We know it makes a difference.”
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