Friendly diets for climate are also healthier: a study – Xinhua

CHICAGO, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) – After examining the carbon footprint of what more than 16,000 Americans eat in a day, a study conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan (UM) and the US Tulane University shows that more environmentally friendly diets also healthier.

The researchers ranked diets by the amount of greenhouse gas emissions per 1,000 calories consumed and divided them into five equal groups. Next, they badessed the nutritional value of the foods consumed in each diet using the US Healthy Eating Index, a federal measure of food quality, and compared the groups with the lowest impacts to the most important ones. .

Americans in the lower carbon group ate a healthier diet, as measured by this index. However, these diets also contained more unhealthy items, namely added sugars and refined cereals. They also had a lower amount of important nutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin D.

Overall, the diets of the group with the lowest impact were in better health, but not for all measures.

The group's diets with the greatest impact represented five times the emissions of those in the group with the lowest impact. High-impact diets contained higher amounts of meat, dairy, and solid fat per 1,000 calories than low-impact diets.

Overall, high – impact diets were more concentrated in total protein and animal protein foods. A related study released last year by the researchers found that 20% of Americans were responsible for nearly half of US-related greenhouse gas emissions.

"The good news is that there are win-win solutions with healthier diets for both humans and the planet," said Martin Heller, co-author of the program. study of the UM Center for Sustainable Systems at the School for Environment and Sustainability. "The moderate abandonment of red meat in favor of beans, eggs or chicken can significantly improve the health and carbon footprint of our diet."

"We hope these results will help the public and policy makers recognize that improving the quality of food can also help the environment," said Heller.

The study was published online Thursday in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.