What’s On Your Plate?Examining the Personal and Environmental Impacts of Food Consumption

Author: Cherie Hou

Hello there! Welcome to another series of Girls Who Impact Topic Blogpost Series!
Today we will dive into the food we consume, and as impact nerds ourselves, we examine not only the nutritional components of what’s on your plate, but also the broader environmental impacts of what we eat on a daily basis. Ready? Let’s go! 

Sustainable Food Consumption and the Broader Environmental Implications

The Negative Environmental Impacts of Livestock Production 

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO), the livestock sector accounted for approximately 11.1%-19.6% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Breakthrough Institute, 2023). On a commodity basis, the FAO estimated that beef cattle accounted for 41% of livestock emissions, cattle milk 20%, pig meat 9%, buffalo milk and meat 8%, chicken meat and eggs 8%, and small ruminant milk and meat 6% (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations , 2013).

Specifically, beef has been found as being the type of red meat that is most resource-intensive, demanding 20 times more land resources than common plant-based proteins(World Resources Institute, 2022). 

With the increasing pressure of red meat consumption on environmental resources, calls for dietary change have been increasing prominent, with the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCCC) convened by the United Nations highlighting that a plant-based, balanced diet present opportunities for environmental mitigation whilst generating significant benefits for human health (IPCC, 2019)

Such a passionate outcry for dietary transformation on a global scale has been echoed by the global nonprofit foundation EAT-Lancet Commission co-chaired by academics from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research & Stockholm Resilience Centre,  highlighting that the issue of Sustainable Food Consumption and Production will become the most powerful lever in optimising human health and the sustainability of the global environment.

Towards Sustainable Food Consumption 

Veganism, Vegetarianism, Flexitarianism and Everything in Between 

Plant-based or plant-forward eating patterns has been defined as the consumption of foods from plant sources primarily (Mcmanus, 2021) . This includes not only fruits and vegetables, but also nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans. It doesn't mean that you are vegetarian or vegan and never eat meat or dairy. Rather, you are proportionately choosing more of your foods from plant sources.

Types of  plant-based diet

Whilst there are a number of benefits associated with a plant-based diet, adopting such a diet comprehensively may not be the most suitable for every individual given that nutritional needs vary extensively. The following table illustrates the different types of  plant-based diet and the general consumption requirements associated. 

Benefits and tips of a plant-based diet 

1. It supports your immune system 

Plants have essential nutrients that you cannot get from other foods. Vitamins and minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants in plants help our cells stay healthy and body in balance so that our immune system can function at its best. It also provide with our bodies the essential nutrients to help fight against infection, strengthening our immune system and protecting us against germs and microorganisms. Furthermore, a plant-based diet is essential for reducing the risk of cancer by boosting our immune system which has the capacity to recognise and attact mutations in cells before they can progress to disease. 

2. Plant foods reduce inflammation 

Plant’s essential nutrients work to resolve inflammation in your body. The same tiny phytochemicals and antioxidants that boost your immune system also go ground your body neutralising toxins from pollution, processed food, bacteria, viruses and more. The antioxidants in plants grab all these so-called free radicals that can throw your body off balance. 

Prolonged inflammation can damage your body’s cells and tissues and has been linked to cancer and other inflammatory diseases like arthritis. A plant-based diet has the greater capacity to protect you against such diseases by removing some of the triggers to these diseases. 

3. A plant-based diet can assist with the maintenance of a healthy weight. 

Staying at a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do to reduce your risk for cancer. This is because excess weight causes inflammation and hormonal imbalance. If you are overweight or obese, your risk is higher for 12 different types of cancer including colorectal, post-menopausal breast, uterine, esophageal, kidney and pancreatic cancers. 

4. Plants are high in fiber 

Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stablise blood sugar and it’s great for good bowel management. Fiber is very important for reducing your cancer risk. This is especially true for your risk for the third most common cancer: colorectal cancer. 

5. Reducing Your Risk for Other Diseases

A plant-based diet also has been shown to reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes and  some mental health illnesses.

Drawbacks of Plant-based Diets

Whilst the benefits of increasing the proportion of plant-based foods present a number of prominent benefits, a full plant-based diet may also be unrealistic given the lack of its full nutritional profile. The following are the nutritional elements which are absent from a 100% plant-based food consumption: 

Vitamin B12   

Vitamin B12 is almost exclusively found in animal sourced foods such as eggs, fish, meat, and dairy products. This nutrient is also known as cobalamin, it is water soluble and involved in developing red blood cells as well as maintaining nerves and normal brain function. Vegans who don’t take supplements are at a higher risk of having a vitamin B12 deficiency than vegetarians; symptoms include but are not limited to fatigue, weakness, impaired brain function, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders, and megaloblastic anemia. 

Creatine

Creatine is found in animal sourced foods, most of this nutrient is stored in muscles but significant amounts are also concentrated in the brain. Creatine functions as an energy reserve for muscle cells to give them greater strength and endurance. Supplementing may have significant benefits such as improving physical performance and improvements in brain functions like memory. 

Carnosine 

Carnosine is important to muscle function and is only found in animal sourced foods, it is an antioxidant that is concentrated in the muscles and brain. Carnosine is not an essential nutrient, but supplementing it may be a good way to boost muscles to improve endurance and increase muscle mass. 

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is the sunshine vitamin which the skin produces when exposed to the sun. There are 2 forms of dietary vitamin D: cholecalciferol(D3) found in animal based foods, and ergocalciferol(D2) found in plants; D3 increases blood levels of absorbable vitamin D more efficiently. The best source of D3 are egg yolks, fatty fish, and cod liver oil. Deficiency is linked to increased risk of cancer, heart disease, depression, impaired brain function, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, muscle wasting, and reduced strength.

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)

Docosahexaenoic acid is mainly found in fatty fish, fish oil, and certain types of microalgae. It ia an essential omega-3 fatty acid that is important for normal brain development and function. DHA can be made from ALA found in walnuts, chia seeds, and flax seeds but the conversion is inefficient and may not increase blood levels of DHA sufficiently. 

Heme

Heme iron is only found in meat, especially red meat, and helps to improve absorption of non-heme iron from plant foods. Non-heme iron is poorly absorbed, and this can be limited by antinutrients present in plant foods such as phytic acid. 

Taurine 

Taurine is only found in animal sourced foods, it is a sulfur compound found in various body tissues, including the kidneys, brain, and heart. This nutrient appears to play a role in muscle function, bile salt formation, and antioxidant defenses. 

The Bottom Line and Tips

Whilst there are a number of benefits of the plant-based diet, it is also crucial to know that there are also other essential nutrients which a pure plant-based diet cannot provide. Thus, it is important to adopt a flexible approach towards minimising the consumption of red meat. For instance, you may only be vegan/vegetarian for one meal a day. You may also adopt the Flexitarian approach. At the end of the day, it is important that you ensure that you are consuming the comprehensive profile of nutrients. For a guide of the recommended nutrient profile on a daily basis, please refer to the profile as proposed by the Eat-Lanchet Commission