Well, if you are in the food business, I have no doubt that you have heard about the food system hundreds of times but if you are not from this industry, then sample this!
According to Wikipedia- The term food system describes the interconnected systems and processes that influence nutrition, food, health, community development, and agriculture. A food system includes all processes and infrastructure involved in feeding a population: growing, harvesting, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, consumption, distribution, and disposal of food and food-related items.
Food and diet systems often account for the heartland of all industries across the globe, and with the rapidly growing threats of population explosion, depleting food reserves and climate change, sustainable food systems have been deemed as one of the major pivotal points when it comes to upholding the global stability and making sure that the future generations can come together with strong, binding commitments towards environmental sustainability. However, before delving into the different types of diet systems that can potentially help in restoring food security, it is important to know what a sustainable diet actually means
With sustainability being adopted into most major aspects of life in the 21st century, the term ‘sustainability’ has become more of a buzzword lately, with changing priorities depending on the context. However, when it comes to the food industry, a sustainable food system, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) often describes “a food system that delivers food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations are not compromised.”
Similarly, a sustainable diet generally refers to one that is “generally healthy and has a low impact on the environment and food supply.” And recently, with the United Nations’ SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) to achieve food security and end hunger, sustainable diets have gained impetus across the world, with more families adopting sustainable diets to improve their health, while simultaneously contributing to a brighter, greener future.
With the United Nations encouraging individuals to shift towards a sustainable and healthy diet, it has become crucial to know the food habits and daily lifestyle choices that can revolutionize your health and environmental contributions. Although there are no rules set in stone that can help you streamline your diet, choosing certain foods that are deemed more sustainable than the rest can help you hit the difference you’re looking for! Mentioned below are some of the types of sustainable diet options that can assist you in food stability.
Vegetarian Diet
In recent years, the vegetarian diet has grown immensely popular across the world, with over 22 per cent of the global population opting for a healthy diet that consists majorly of plant-based foods. Not only has it been incredibly effective in reducing the individual carbon footprint, but it has also encouraged people to actively encourage community practices like vegetable gardening. Although it mostly includes plant-based foods, vegetarianism allows individuals to introduce animal-based foods like meat and fish to their diet in reduced proportions.
Vegan Diet
Unlike vegetarianism, where individuals can consume animal-based foods in reduced amounts, veganism refers to complete abstinence from animal products, such as meat, fish, and eggs. Instead, a vegan diet completely replaces all animal-based foods with fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and grains. Vegan diets have been seen to be the most effective in stabilizing the environment and can help avoid major threats like loss of biodiversity.
DASH Diet
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet is somewhat less known in the food industry, but thanks to its incredible qualities, it has been recommended by most doctors and health professionals, helping it to steadily gain popularity. A DASH diet is currently known for its health benefits, primarily because of its ability to reduce cholesterol. A DASH diet mostly consists of food like vegetables, low-fat dairy items, fish, fruits, whole grains and nuts, which are rich in minerals like magnesium, potassium and calcium, while being low on sodium.
Flexitarian Diet
Flexitarian diets have also steadily found their way into the regular diets of many, with an emphasis on the consumption of vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes, with a controlled diet of animal-based foods like meat, fish and dairy.
Whole30 and Keto Diets
Whole30 and Keto’s diets have garnered massive popularity over the past years, and due to their simple nature, are perfect for urban residents who do not otherwise have the time and resources for cooking a sustainable diet every day. Whole30 diets help individuals to reduce the consumption of heavily processed foods, such as bread, dairy and sugar and instead include whole foods to their diet, such as vegetables, unprocessed meat and seafood. In addition, Keto diets encourage individuals to introduce high-fat, plant-based food to their diet, such as nuts and avocado, which have a positive impact on the environment.
Carnivorous Diet
Although a carnivorous diet is one of the prime sources of increasing carbon footprint, a sustainable diet does not mean an absolute elimination of animal-based foods. Instead, a carnivorous diet consisting of reduced or controlled proportions of meat, fish or dairy products can still be considered sustainable. Introducing a reduced diet of animal-based foods does not just help you to introduce some variety to your everyday diet, but it also allows you to cut your food expenses while choosing a healthier, sustainable lifestyle.
Sustainability in food development and consumption has been a major source of inspiration to me as an orosensation expert, allowing me to explore the wonderfully diverse domain of food. And as an active advocate of healthy eating, my choice of a sustainable diet has encouraged me to take a step toward a greener, healthier future.
To sum it all up, we must understand the effect of explicit decisions of what to eat and what not to eat as that is inextricably linked to the ethics of our choice affecting environmental sustainability and human well-being. If certain resource-intense eating habits are considered critically important for human health, then their distribution and access must be put under the lens of policymakers to protect an existing imbalance and take steps to address it with urgency.