When it comes to diet and nutrition, there is so much information out there that leaves your mind boggled about what to follow and what not. With all the fancy routines and lifestyle choices, the consumer is usually left with expensive imported stuff on their counter shelves. However, now the mindful and rational consumer is making their choices, keeping in mind the economic and ecological aspects of their consumption. This sustainable way of consumption in diet choices is known as “sustainable diet”. Sustainable diets are defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations as “those diets with low environmental impacts that contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2012).
Sustainable and environment-friendly nutrition is based on choices that are eco-friendly. This involves buying foods that are produced regionally and seasonally, which means that these sustainable foods do not have to travel miles through air, land or seas resulting in a decrease in the carbon foot-print of the consumers. The consumers often try to and prefer foods with little or no packaging to reduce the plastic use and waste. People following this lifestyle, get to save money and reduce food waste as local foods usually tend to be cheaper. To be further cost-effective and environmentally friendly, people on sustainable diet grow their own foods.
Sustainable nutrition is often linked to vegan diet, as plants are considered more environment-friendly than meat, however, this might not be the case always, as many countries like China and Japan locally produce seafood that is a huge portion in their diet. So them consuming seafood is a sustainable choice as they are playing their part in the food chain of their particular areas as long as they are not overfishing or over consuming.
In order to maximize the sustainability of one’s diet, there must be an acquainted consuming pattern, meaning the focus should be on the ecology and environment and to maximize that it must be noted that in a sustainable diet there is no room for over-consumption. Therefore, eating an amount to support a healthy body and lifestyle is enough. Conclusively, more research needs to be done into our past generations eating patterns and food chains in order to completely understand the health and sustainability of nutrition and diet and to help the future of mankind.
by: Mehram Zain
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