Although experts agree that cutting back on meat intake is crucial for sustainability, switching to a plant-based diet isn’t an environmental cure-all.
Firstly, the farm system is far from perfect. Industrial agriculture, which focuses on minimizing costs, is known to degrade soil health, harm human health due to mass pesticide use, and contaminate water and soil (8).
What’s more, large, industrial farms account for only 1% of the world’s farms but occupy 65% of its agricultural land (8).
This means that large farms have control over the market, making it difficult or impossible for small farms — which often use more sustainable practices — to compete (8).
Thus, making your diet more plant-based doesn’t necessarily make it more sustainable.
That’s why you should pay attention to factors like where your food is grown and its seasonality — as well as why supporting local farmers, when you’re able, is so important.
What about plant-based meat?
The sustainability of plant-based meats is complex.
A report sponsored by Beyond Meat states that plant-based meat generates 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions, has 93% less effect on land use, and requires 46% less energy than U.S.-grown beef (9).
However, the numbers used to create these statistics don’t differentiate between beef raised in industrial feedlots and beef raised using regenerative, sustainable practices like intensive grazing management, which can improve soil health and preserve biodiversity (
Plus, research on the environmental impact of plant-based meat is often funded by the companies that manufacture the product.
Experts also point out that while popular plant-based beef alternatives are lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than beef, they’re higher in sodium. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends limiting your sodium intake to reduce your risk of heart disease (
Since there’s no long-term research on how plant-based meat affects health, it’s impossible to say that these alternatives are better for your health than beef or other meats.
Ultimately, a sustainable diet is one that limits highly processed foods, including plant-based meat (3).
Going plant-based doesn’t automatically make your diet sustainable. You should also try to limit your processed food intake, support local farms, and learn about foods native to your area.
This content was originally published here.