A global study shows that eating healthy can save money and cause fewer greenhouse gas emissions than many current diets. The researchers used targets called the Healthy Diet Basket, which UN agencies and governments use for monitoring.
They found local food items that meet basic nutritional needs and collected data on price, how much of the country’s food supply each item makes up, and average emissions linked to each product. For each country they modeled five diets and compared cost and emissions.
The study also gives examples: milk is often cheaper than beef, small fish can have low emissions, and rice may emit more methane than wheat in some places. Choosing cheaper items can often lower a diet’s climate footprint.
Difficult words
- greenhouse gas emissions — gases released that warm the Earth's atmosphere
- monitor — watching or checking something over timemonitoring
- nutritional — related to food and the body's health needs
- model — make a simple example or plan for studymodeled
- methane — a gas that can warm the atmosphere quickly
- supply — the amount of food available in a country
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- What healthy foods are common and cheap where you live?
- Would you choose cheaper items to lower your diet's climate impact? Why or why not?
- How can choosing foods with lower emissions help the environment?
