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Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems - A report published by the EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems warns of the "immense challenge" facing humanity in providing a growing world population with healthy diets from sustainable food systems.

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World Economic Forum - The initiative is promoted by the World Economic Forum. The organization urges everyone to go on a planetary health diet to save the world.

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Planetary health diet - The planetary health diet involves a shift towards plant-based eating designed to answer the question of how we are going to feed a projected 10 billion people—without destroying the planet—by 2050.

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EAT - EAT is a global, non-profit foundation established by the Stordalen Foundation, Stockholm Resilience Centre, and Wellcome Trust. Its goal is to catalyze a food system transformation.

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Global initiative - EAT connects partners across science, policy, business, and civil society to achieve five urgent and radical transformations by 2050.

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Five transformations - These are: shift the world to healthy, tasty, and sustainable diets; realign food system priorities for people and the planet; produce more of the right food, from less; safeguard the land and oceans; radically reduce food losses and waste.

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The challenge - It's an ambitious undertaking because presently "how we grow, transport, eat, and waste food is harming the environment," says the report.

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What's good, what's bad? - Furthermore, "too much of some foods can be bad for our health."

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Sustainability - Scientists believe they have worked out what to eat to feed everyone sustainably, and are urging people to adopt the planetary health diet.

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What can we do? - So, what can we do as individuals to secure the planet’s health by 2050? According to scientists, the following is what to eat­­­—and how to eat—to feed everyone sustainably...

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A little bit of indulgence - You can have one beef burger per week.

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Small portion -

But here's the caveat. "The main change to many Western diets [has to be] in the consumption of red meat, cutting back to only 14g a day (0.50oz), the equivalent of 30 calories. This equates to about a mouthful of a typical Sirloin steak," reads the report.

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Flexitarianism is the answer - Interestingly, the EAT-Lancet Commission is recommending a shift towards flexitarianism rather than vegetarianism or veganism, saying: "Many populations continue to face significant burdens of undernutrition, and obtaining adequate quantities of micronutrients from plant source foods alone can be difficult."

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Fish twice a week - You can have two portions of fish per week. Fish, a substantial part of Japanese and Asian diets, should be limited to 28 g (0.98 oz) daily, recommends the commission.

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One egg or two? -

Consumption of one or two eggs is the commission’s recommended weekly intake.

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Milk every day - But we can drink a glass of milk …

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Cheese, please - ... or eat some cheese every day.

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Finger on the pulses - Pulses (legumes), which include beans, lentils, and peas, should make up most of your protein.

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Go nuts! - Nuts, including walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and cashews, are also good sources of plant-based protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

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Biggest portion - In fact, vegetables should make up the biggest portion of our meals (at least half—300 g, or 10.5 oz, per day).

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Careful with the starch - However, the commission points out that starchy vegetables, including potatoes and cassava—a staple in African countries—should be limited to just 50 g (1.76 oz) a day.

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Lowest portion - Saturated fats, such as oils, should make up the lowest portion of a meal, just 11.8 g (0.42 oz).

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Fruit bowl - Half of every meal should include fruit of any kind…

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Cereal killer - ... and a third should be wholegrain cereals.

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Preventable deaths - Eating like this would prevent 11 million deaths a year. That is equivalent to 19-24% of total adult deaths, notes the World Economic Forum.

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Healthier lifestyle - Adhering to the commission’s recommendations would help lessen diet-related conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, and cancer.

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Healthier planet - It would also help tackle global warming. 

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Greenhouse gas - Back in 2006, a UN report concluded meat production was responsible for 18% of greenhouse emissions—more than transport!

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Protecting wildlife - Following EAT's guidelines would help to protect our wildlife. The commission urges a zero-expansion policy of new agricultural land into natural ecosystems and species-rich forests, as food systems are the biggest cause of biodiversity loss.

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Habitat destruction - Clearing land to grow crops destroys habitats. 

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A warning! - Signing off, the EAT-Lancet report issues this warning: "Unhealthy diets now pose a greater rick to morbidity and mortality than unsafe sex, alcohol, and substance and tobacco abuse combined."

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Time to act -

Will you change what you eat to save the environment?

See also: The healing power of superfoods

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