Food is the biggest source of environmental concern but is also essential for healthy humans. We need food which is sustainable, provides nutrition and is palatable to a large segment of the population. Though we can produce enough calories, more than 800 million people still suffer from a deficiency of micronutrients or have an excessive intake of macronutrients. Unhealthy diets now are the key factor for illness rather than unsafe sex, alcohol or tobacco consumption.
The food systems may be able to sustainably feed the estimated approximately 10 billion people who will inhabit the planet by the year 2050 while maintaining a safe operating environment. The components of the reference diet can be utilized to create meals consistent with the tastes and dietary preferences of all parts of the world within the bounds of sustainable food production. The reference diet’s ranges allow for many variances in foods, manufacturing techniques, and technologies on various scales and between cultures, as well as in terms of worldwide dietary patterns.
Healthy diets –Sustainable in nature
A healthy diet has appropriate caloric intake and consists largely of a diversity of plant foods, low amounts of animal source foods, unsaturated rather than saturated fats, and limited amounts of refined grains, highly processed foods and added sugars.
Healthy Diets-Recommendation for 2500 K Calories
| Food Group | Food Subgroup | Reference diet (g/day) | Kcal/Day | Recommended Ranges (g/day) |
| Whole Grains-Carbohydrate | All Grains | 232 | 811 | 0 to 60% of Energy |
| Vegetables (Starchy)-Carbohydrate | Potatoes, Cassava | 50 | 39 | 0 to 100 |
| Vegetables-Micro Nutrients | All vegetables | 300 | 78 | 200 to 600 |
| Fruits-Micro Nutrients | All Fruits | 200 | 126 | 100 to 300 |
| Dairy Foods-Micro & Macro | Dairy Foods | 250 | 153 | 0 to 500 |
| Protein Sources | Meat | 14 | 100 | 0 to 28 |
| Protein Sources | Eggs | 13 | 19 | 0 to 25 |
| Fish -Omega 3 source | Fish | 28 | 40 | 0 to 100 |
| Protein Sources | Dry beans,Lentils, Peas | 50 | 172 | 0 to 100 |
| Protein Sources | Soy | 25 | 112 | 0 to 50 |
| Protein Sources | Nuts | 50 | 280 | 0 to 75 |
| Added Fats | Unsaturated Oils | 40 | 400 | 20-80 |
| Added sugars | All sweeteners | 31 | 120 | 0 to 31 |
This diet is composed largely of vegetables and fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and unsaturated oils; low to moderate consumption of seafood and poultry; and zero to low consumption of red meat, processed meat, added sugar, refined grains, and starchy vegetables.
Key Takeaways
- Protein sources are primarily from plants, including soy foods, other legumes, and nuts.
- Fish or alternative sources of omega-3 fatty acids several times per week, with optional modest consumption of poultry and eggs.
- Low intakes of red meat, if any, especially processed meat.
- Fat is largely from unsaturated plant sources, with low intakes of saturated fats; no partially hydrogenated oils
- Carbohydrates are primarily from whole grains with limited intake of refined grains and sugar less than 5% of energy
- At least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, not including potatoes
- Moderate dairy consumption.
These recommended diets if taken, which is a flexitarian diet with a heavier intake of fruit and vegetable are healthier options for the body and environment.
Given that food production now poses significant threats to the environment on a global scale, sustainable food production must take place within the permissible range for food systems. As a result, producing food for almost 10 billion people should not require the use of additional land, protect already existing biodiversity, reduce consumption of water, manage water responsibly, drastically reduce nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, produce no carbon dioxide emissions, and not result in an increase in methane and nitrous oxide emissions.
(SOURCE : THE EAT-LANCET COMMISSION ON HEALTHY DIETS FROM SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS)