Health meets sustainability in this controversial global diet transformation put forward by the EAT- Lancet commission. They have been tasked with creating 1 global healthy sustainable diet to save our bodies and the planet.
This is a fascinating paper, combining health and sustainability goals to create a global "sustainable healthy diet". We will not all agree, but it's early days and an interesting discussion point. We need to keep in mind that the point of this paper (and commission) is to find a GLOBAL diet that will adequately nourish 20 billion people by 2050 (That's a whole other discussion right there.) Solutions are required and our global food system needs to be fixed before it's too late. In summary; + we need to reduce food waste by 50% + a lot of us could eat less, but some of us need access to food to eat more + you can never eat too many vegetables, the average global human needs to + increase their plant based protein intake (enormously) and + decrease their meat, dairy and egg consumption (this point will cause the most controversy on both dietary and sustainability levels. But interestingly it's the overconsumption of lower quality grain fed, meats that cause some of the biggest dietary risks and environmental degradation.) There is recognition of the need for animals in agriculture to maintain soil integrity. Risks of not adopting the new global diet + Increased diet related diseases (cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes etc) and malnutrition (overfed/ undernourished and underfed/ undernourished) + increase in green house gases, leading to accelerated climate change + habitat loss to make space for more agricultural land. Controversy will ensue for sure. This paper addresses UN Sustainable development goals which seek to end poverty, protect the planet, ensure prosperity for all and eradicate hunger and malnourishment on a global level (They are pretty BIG goals). Most people reading this article have the money to buy the food they choose to eat and may be confused by the perceived high level of grain (especially Paleo peeps) and low levels of meat, fish and dairy in the Healthy Reference diet. Keep in mind that this is a global diet, aimed to feed all AND protect our environment whilst supporting 20 billion people in 2050. There are a lot of questions, why palm (habitat destruction) and soya bean (very high in inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids) oil over heart healthy olive oil and other omega 3 fatty acids. Why so few eggs and so much chicken? There is so much to question and yet this commission is full of intelligent world leaders. Fingers crossed it gets an upgrade. If you'd like to read more, here is the full article, with some highlighting. Lou x
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I hope you've had, or indeed are still having a lovely holiday.
At the very least, a break from the usual routine seems to help the mind relax and regenerate (I am of course referring to post Christmas mania). We've not ventured far from home this year and so have had a lovely quiet start to 2019. We saw in the New Year with friends in Bateau Bay, which resulted in the happy birth of a new swim club... 365swims, mainly to encourage us make the most of where we live. You can check out our daggy posts on instagram and read the story in the first NYE instagram post on 365swims. The swimming is not a New Year's resolution but it will give us a purpose and add a sense of fun to 2019. Food and nutrition wise, I think 2019 is going to be an interesting one. The GUT received much media coverage last year and as the evidence increases, linking the health of our microbiota to almost every body system, treatment protocols will remain firmly focused on supporting the gut to help banish bad bugs, improve intestinal cell integrity and encourage the growth of friendly bacteria to improve our emotional and physical wellbeing. Food trends will follow suit with the spotlight on the health of our intestines and micro-biome with prebiotic and probiotic superfoods already overflowing from shelves. Environment and ethics will continue to play a larger role in food choices with plant based proteins, tech foods (such as faux meats), insects and block chain traceability up front and centre. Hemp and CBD infused foods are bountiful overseas and with hemp legalised in Australia for human consumption in November 2017, we are likely to see many permeations in the snack and functional food ranges. Diets such as Paleo, and high fat are still trending, with a new kid on the block...Pegan (that would be Paleo Vegan.) Here at Nourishing Nosh, our focus, will remain as our tagline suggests, on delicious, nutritious, conscious eating of fresh, seasonal whole foods, with body and earth in mind. I'm not really into labels BUT to help you understand me a little more I have always considered myself a flexitarian. I eat pretty much everything as long as I consider it sustainable. All veggies, fruit, legumes, seeds, nuts, grains, organic chicken and eggs, sustainable seafood, kangaroo, goat and very small amounts of free range grass fed meat. This is about to change...but more about that next time... For now, enjoy our lovely sunshine and come and join me in the kitchen and at my table for a delicious cooking experience. January classes. xx Lou 😀 |
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