Eat
[Podcast] Healthy diets for a healthy planet
You may be keen to make your diet more sustainable. But how can you make sure you’re still getting all the nutrients you need?
In this podcast episode for Dietitians Week, two of our Bupa dietitians talk about how to eat a diet that is healthy for you and the planet. Listen to the podcast below or read on to find out more.
Speaker 1: Abby Stanford, Former Bupa Health Editor
Thanks for downloading another episode of the Bupa Healthy Me podcast. This miniseries has been created in collaboration with some of our Bupa dietitians, to mark Dietitians Week. We hope you enjoy all the insight and expertise they have to offer.
My name is Abby Stanford and I'm a specialist health editor in the Bupa Health Content Team. I'm here today with two dieticians from the Cromwell Hospital.
Speaker 2: Lizzie Brown, Former Bupa Dietitian
Hi, my name is Lizzie.
Speaker 3: Rebecca McBride, Former Bupa Dietitian
And my name is Rebecca.
Abby Stanford:
And today, we're gonna be talking about diet and sustainability. So, Lizzie, what does food have to do with sustainability?
Lizzie Brown:
So food production and consumption has quite a big impact on the environment and in a number of ways as well. So it can create greenhouse gases and it uses a lot of water and land to produce food and pollution. And the impact of chemical products like herbicides and pesticides can also influence things.
Our increasing population and demand for food also means things like deforestation and a reduction in biodiversity occur because we are trying to increase the amount of food we're producing.
Abby Stanford:
OK, so it's quite a big impact then really that all of our food systems have on our planet. So you mentioned there, kind of, deforestation and biodiversity loss. I'm not sure I know exactly what that means. So what is deforestation?
Lizzie Brown:
So deforestation is essentially the large scale removal of trees from forests or land, and so that can damage natural habitats, influence the water cycle, affect the quality of the soil and reduce biodiversity.
Abby Stanford:
OK. And what is biodiversity?
Lizzie Brown:
So biodiversity is sort of the decline in the variety of living things that are on our planet. So that could be animals, it can be plants and it can be things like insects.
Abby Stanford:
OK. And so I'm sure a lot of people listening to this will be then wondering, well if you know food has such an impact on the planet, what can we do to kind of make sure that our food choices aren't negatively affecting the environment? So, what do we mean by kind of a sustainable diet or sustainable eating?
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah, I mean there's many different ways you can describe it. Many different views of what a sustainable diet or a sustainable food system is. But basically it implies that we use resources that don't exceed the capacity that the Earth has to replace them. So it takes into account a range of issues. So those that affect us as individuals, and that can be meaning that food is safe and it's healthy, food is affordable, it's secure.
Which means just basically ensuring that everyone has access to food. And also it includes a strong food industry. So in terms of the amount of jobs that the industry creates and the growth of the industry. But it also takes into account issues regarding the environment. So like Lizzie said that biodiversity, the water and the soil quality and also kind of just optimising the natural resources that we have.
Abby Stanford:
OK, so it's a really kind of holistic approach to how we choose what food we eat.
And if I'm kind of going out to the shops or I'm meal planning, what changes can I make to my diet that might be kind of better for the planet? Like these could be things maybe that I might even be doing already or something that I could start doing to kind of reduce my impact with what I eat?
Lizzie Brown:
Yeah. So things like reducing the portion sizes or the consumption of meat. So that could be something like having a meat free day each week or replacing your usual meat dish for something that's a meat free protein source.
Abby Stanford:
What kinds of things would you kind of recommend? If someone's used to eating, maybe quite a lot of meat or meat most days. What are kind of some good sources of protein that you can choose instead of meat if you're used to eating it?
Lizzie Brown:
So some of your meat free protein sources would be things like tofu or pulses, so whether that's chickpeas, lentils, split peas, things like beans, and you can also get quite a few products out there like vegetarian sausages or Quorn. It will be sort of a plant-based alternative.
Abby Stanford:
OK. And those things can be quite good if you're used to having kind of maybe meals that are based around, you know, sausage and mash, you can kind of make an easy swap with those I imagine as well. And is there anything else that you can do?
Lizzie Brown:
Yeah. So it might be as well looking at going half and half when you make your meals. So you might use sort of half the meat or dairy in the product and then up the amount of vegetables or legumes. So for example, if you had a lasagna or you're making a chilli, you could use less meat and less cheese and add more beans or lentils or vegetables to that meal.
Also, if you're eating out, you could ask about the meat on the menu and find out, you know, if it's sourced locally or if it's actually travelled quite far to be on your plate. Or if they have any really nice plant-based options that you can try that you may not routinely eat at home. Just something different really.
Abby Stanford:
That's a really good idea. It might even inspire you to try some other recipes at home as well.
Lizzie Brown:
Yeah, absolutely.
Abby Stanford:
Have you got any other tips?
Lizzie Brown:
I think it's, well, looking for better labels when you're shopping. So labels that might state that the food has been produced with higher environmental standards or animal welfare. Like the Soil Association organic, RSPCA Assured, Pasture For Life or Free Range Dairy.
Abby Stanford:
OK, that's a really good tip as well. It's quite an easy one to do if you're in the supermarket just to look out for those stickers.
And then as well as kind of the food we buy, or food we eat, are there other things that we should consider when we're thinking about having a more sustainable lifestyle in general? Are there things that we can do? Other things that kind of impact the planet?
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah. I think talking about when you're at the supermarket, one thing you can do is avoiding like single use plastics or plastic packaging. So instead of buying your fruit and vegetables that come in those packages, you can buy them individually. And in a lot of supermarkets, you can buy more recyclable packaging that you can put them in. And another good thing you can do is just simple things like reusable water bottles so that you don't have to keep buying plastic water bottles.
Abby Stanford:
Yeah, that's a really good shout. And actually I found that having a reusable water bottle has made me drink more water as well cause it's always on my desk.
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah, definitely, yeah.
Abby Stanford:
Is there anything else that we can do?
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah. In terms of behaviours, things like reducing food waste, so only buying things that you need and trying to use leftover food to make other meals. And if you kind of, like, make it in bulk, you can freeze the meals and store them for another day.
Abby Stanford:
Yeah, that's a really good tip.
Rebecca McBride:
We also were thinking as well about the season and buying foods that are in season in this country. So reducing the amount of travel that they have to do.
And we were thinking about this time of year and what's in season at the moment. And so again, if you're going to the supermarket, it's focusing on things that are in season. At the moment, they're things like asparagus and aubergines, peas, peppers, strawberries. So looking out for those in season foods in your supermarket.
Abby Stanford:
OK, great. And then if I'm somebody that likes to eat fish, I know that there's a lot of people who don't know, kind of, where to start, with what fish they should eat and how much they should be having.
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah. I mean, there's a really great resource that you can find online. It's called the Good Fish Guide. So that's by the Marine Conservation Society and it's super simple, it groups fish into either like green, amber or red. And so green is obviously the most sustainable and red is the least sustainable. And it takes into account the fish species and also how that fish is fished. So if you want to plan ahead, you can go on to that website and have a look and see currently what fish is sustainable.
Abby Stanford:
OK. So those are all really great tips for how we can make sure that our diet is good for the planet. But are there anything that we need to consider when we're thinking about whether the diet is also good for us? Are there considerations we need to make if we're, sort of, moving over to a more sustainable diet?
Lizzie Brown:
Yeah. So I think definitely planning your meals can be really helpful. So if you put some thought into what you're gonna have for your meals and plan in advance, you sort of avoid last minute unhealthy choices. In addition to that as well, you're helping to reduce your food waste.
I also think if you're following a plant-based diet, you may need to be more conscious about your protein intake and put more thought into what you might have for those meals. So some good examples of plant-based sources of protein would be things like quinoa, which is also known as a complete protein. Using things as well like pulses. So like we mentioned above, like your lentils, chickpeas and beans will also provide you with protein. And also your soya based things like tofu or tempeh. And then you've also got your nuts and seeds.
So I think because potentially the protein isn't as abundant, you just need to be aware that you're getting enough and that you do include it appropriately in your meals, if you're going to remove the meat portion.
Abby Stanford:
Yeah. And is it a little bit easier if you're choosing to also have dairy?
Lizzie Brown:
Yeah. So your dairy will also provide you with protein. If you have chosen not to have, I guess, your traditional dairy products, like your cow's milk, then I think being aware of replacing it with an alternative milk source that is still going to give you the micronutrients that you would get from your cow's milk. So looking for one that's been fortified with calcium. And also fortified with your vitamin B2, your B12 and your vitamin D. I think that's an important point that you need to be aware of. A lot of the alternative milks out there are fortified with these things, but I think it's something that's important to check.
Abby Stanford:
Yeah, that sounds like some really good advice. It sounds like being organised is probably quite key, just to make sure you're planning those meals and you know where your protein is going to be coming from.
And so that you're not having kind of lots of excess food waste and things as well. And yeah, just getting your shopping list organised.
OK. So it would also be really great to hear an example of how we might make, kind of, a traditional meal a bit more sustainable. And so I thought we could look at kind of a traditional English breakfast and think about what might be on the plate usually, and how we could, kind of, make that a bit more sustainable without just giving it up completely. So would you kind of have any tips for how you might do that?
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah. So, I mean, thinking about the English breakfast, everyone has their breakfast differently. So typically you might have on there like two fried sausages, two fried rashers of bacon, some fried eggs and portion of beans, maybe some mushrooms and some white toast with butter.
So thinking about how that could be made more sustainable. I mean sustainable doesn't need to be 100% vegetarian or vegan. There are some other changes, where you can still keep those meat products in there. They're just changes like reducing the portion of the animal based products. So having one sausage instead of two, having one egg instead of two, and then increasing the portion of the more plant-based foods on the plate. So the beans, the mushrooms, for example.
And thinking about how it can be more healthy as well. You can choose healthier cooking methods. So grilling your sausages and poaching your egg and choosing wholemeal toast instead of the white toast. And then maybe using like an unsaturated fat spread instead of butter.
Abby Stanford:
Yeah it sounds like it would still feel like quite a nice big breakfast. You don't feel like you're missing out with that. It's just kind of adjusting those portions and choosing kind of healthier cooking methods.
And so if you kind of had to give somebody one top tip, you know they really want to eat more sustainably, but they don't know where to start. Maybe they've listened to this podcast and they wanna make a change, but they want to kind of start small. Just one thing that people could do. Do you have kind of a top tip each that you could give people?
Lizzie Brown:
Yeah. So I think touching on something we mentioned before, so definitely looking local. So I think that can be quite an easy swap. Just moving to fruit and vegetables that are in season, or things that have been growing quite close to where you live can be quite an easy thing to do, but also can make quite a big difference.
Abby Stanford:
Sounds great. And Rebecca?
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah. I mean, it's something that's been quite popular recently, is growing your own produce. So it can be things like growing some herbs in a pot or some tomatoes on your patio. And these small things will give you a greater appreciation for what it takes to actually create food. So the factors involved in making those plants thrive and the attention you need for them to grow successfully. And how, kind of, precarious that process can be. And this process, the whole growing process, might influence how you buy foods in future and how you dispose of them.
Abby Stanford:
Yeah, that's a really good point, I think. And we actually did grow some tomatoes recently and it's really satisfying as well to see something that you've grown become edible. But it really does make you appreciate how long that takes and, you know, how slow the process is. You have to really wait a long time before you can eat this tomato that you grew on the windowsill.
So if people are interested in this and they're keen to kind of eat more sustainably or learn more about it, are there kind of resources that they can search for online? And I know that you mentioned the Marine
Conservation Society, but are there any other places that people can go for information?
Lizzie Brown:
Yeah. So the British Dietetic Association has quite an interesting document called One Blue Dot, which talks about sustainable eating. And I think also has a bit of a plus on it in terms of the healthy side of things as well.
Rebecca McBride:
Yeah. And other places such as the World Health Organization website or the British Nutrition Foundation can be quite useful.
Abby Stanford:
That's great. And I know that as well on the Bupa website, we've got a few kind of recipes and top tips as well for people that are looking to eat a bit more sustainably. So if people want to search our health information, we've got quite a few articles there as well that might help people out with recipes and tips. But it's been really great chatting to you and thank you so much for your time. And yeah, we really appreciate your input.
What does food have to do with sustainability?
The way we produce food and our eating habits have effects on the environment, such as:
- creating greenhouse gasses
- deforestation (the removal of trees from forests)
- biodiversity loss (reduced numbers of animals, plants and other living things)
- soil and water pollution
What is a sustainable diet?
A sustainable diet is one that:
- does the least damage to the planet as possible
- means everybody has enough food
- is healthy and safe
- protects the environment including our forests, soil and water
- makes the most of the resources we have
- creates a strong food industry
- is culturally acceptable
How can we eat sustainably?
The good news is that there are lots of things you can do to make your diet more eco-friendly, and to have a more sustainable lifestyle.
- Follow a more plant-based diet by adding in some meat-free meals. You could replace meat with foods such as tofu, pulses (chickpeas, lentils, split peas), and beans. Or vegetarian meat alternatives such as soya and mycoprotein.
- Have a go at making ‘half and half’ meals. For example, lasagne or chilli made with half meat and half lentils.
- Eat fish in moderation and make sure that it’s from sustainable sources. You can do this by checking for the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) logo on the packet. Or use the Good Fish Guide.
- Avoid single-use plastic where you can. Try using reusable coffee cups and water bottles.
- Try to reduce the amount of food waste you create. Use leftover food to make other meals and freeze any extra portions if you make too much.
- If you can, buy your food locally and seasonally.
How can I make sure I’m eating a healthy diet?
Try planning your meals to make sure you’re eating a balanced and varied diet. Aim for a variety of foods from all the food groups.
You can get all of the nutrients you need in a plant-based diet. But some nutrients can be more difficult to get from plant-based foods. For example, you may need to make sure you get enough protein if you reduce the amount of meat in your diet. Try including meat alternatives, pulses, quinoa, nuts, seeds, tofu and tempeh. And remember, a sustainable diet doesn’t have to be vegan or vegetarian.
If you’re eating less dairy, make sure the alternatives you choose are fortified (have added nutrients). Check the label and choose products with added calcium. Some dairy alternatives are also fortified with vitamins B12, B2 and D. For example, you could try fortified oat and soya drinks or yoghurts.
Are there one or two changes I could make to get started?
If you’d like to make your eating habits more sustainable but you’re not sure where to start, there are a few things you can try.
- Look local. If possible, focus on foods that are available in season where you live. Learn about which foods are in season and plan your meals around these. You could also try using local markets if you can.
- Grow something. It could be herbs in a pot, tomatoes on a patio or a small vegetable patch in your garden. Growing things gives you a greater understanding of what it takes to create food. It also gives you a source of food that doesn’t need any transport to get to your plate.
Every small change can have a positive impact on our health and the health of our planet. Why not see what works best for you?
1. Drive less
Take public transport instead of driving
Cycle and walk more if you can
2. Eat more plant-based foods
Add lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, and grains to your diet
Include plenty of fruit and vegetables, and reduce meat and dairy
3. Don’t waste food
Plan your meals and cook at home
Save any leftovers for your next meal
Or even freeze them for another day
4. Eat seasonally
Buy foods that are in season
Shop locally
5. Get gardening
Both inside and outside
Use windowsills and pots to grow vegetables and herbs and encourage wildlife
6. Reduce and reuse
Buy less. Repair and upcycle instead
Can you borrow, swap, or rent clothes?
Cut down on single-use plastic, and use reusable alternatives
7. Recycle
Dispose of waste correctly
Recycle what you can
Compost food scraps
8. Save water
Fix dripping taps
Take shorter showers
Reuse washing up water for your plants
9. Reduce energy at home
Switch to a greener energy supplier if you can
Turn off lights you don’t need
Wash clothes at lower temperatures
10. Start small
Keep learning and see what works for you
Make changes over time, and inspire others
Small changes can make a positive difference
Are you interested in learning more about your health? Discover more about our range of health assessments.
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Sources Sources
- Eating patterns for health and environmental sustainability. British Dietetic Association. www.bda.uk.com, published August 2020
- Sustainable diets and biodiversity: Directions and solutions for policy, research and action. The Food and Agriculture Organization. www.fao.org, published 2012
- Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems: Summary Report of the EAT-Lancet Commission. The Lancet, www.eatforum.org, published 2019
- The Vegan Eatwell Guide. The Vegan Society. vegansociety.com, published February 2020
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