Los Angeles [US]: According to new research, eating more foods that are good for the environment may help you live a longer, healthier life.
The research expands on earlier studies that identified foods that are beneficial to both human health and the environment, such as whole grains, fruit, non-starchy vegetables, nuts, and unsaturated oils, as well as foods that may be detrimental to both, such as eggs and red and processed meats.
According to the latest research, consuming more healthful meals may lower one's risk of dying from conditions including cancer, heart disease, respiratory illnesses, and neurological disorders.
Existing evidence suggests, plant-based foods are associated with both a lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, colorectal cancer, diabetes, and stroke, and reduced impacts on the environment in terms of factors like water use, land use, nutrient pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions.
With the new study, the researchers aimed to create a simple tool that policymakers and public health practitioners could use to develop strategies to improve public health and address the climate crisis.
“As a millennial, I have always been concerned about mitigating human impacts on the environment,” said Linh Bui, MD, a PhD candidate in the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“A sustainable dietary pattern should not only be healthy but also consistent within planetary boundaries for greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental parameters,” Dr Bui added. (with ANI inputs)
