Is What You Eat Hurting You and the Environment?

Background

The world’s food system and food we consume make up about 30 percent of all the greenhouse gases on Earth(Daley, 2019). The common U.S. diet ultimately impacts the environment in ways we don’t think of. The impact of our food consumption produces the drastic climate change we have observed in recent years. People who try to incorporate a low carbon diet into their eating habits can help fix the problem of emitting an abundance of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. A low carbon diet consists of eating more local/organic foods, less meat and dairy, and less processed foods. The low carbon diet also restricts eating high quantities of produced/packaged foods, imported products (from across the country or out of the country), out of season produce, and limiting food waste (Ecowatch, 2015). Although this may sound like a very limited diet, it is simply just making you be more conscious of the foods you consume on a daily basis. The low carbon diet also helps lower the carbon footprint we produce when consuming food.

The lower the carbon footprint humans leave, the better our environment is. If we limit our meat intake, we are already reducing the carbon emissions that come from eating meat (Daley, 2019). A study was conducted by The Lancet Planetary Health, it showed that people who replaced meat in their diet, such as beef or poultry, helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions anywhere from 9 percent to 50 percent (Willits-Smith et al., 2020). Another study showed that if everyone would cut half of their meat consumption and ate plant based meats instead, the greenhouse gas emissions would be lower by 35 percent (Heller et al, 2020). These statistics show how simply reducing/replacing one food item it in our everyday diet can help contribute to lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The farming of Livestock also contributes to 4/5 of greenhouse gas emissions produced by production of food and agriculture, which includes methane emitted by animals (The Lancet, n.d.).

Figure 1. Greenhouse gas emissions from common foods consumed

Deforestation also contributes to emissions of greenhouse gases because of the livestock being produced on the land where the forest was cut down (The Lancet, n.d.). Without change in the food system, we will not be able to improve climate change and sustainability in our society (Daley, 2019). Some changes in farming techniques have been implemented globally to try and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The changes that have been implemented include, farming livestock more efficiently, changing land use to help capture carbon better, more efficiently managed manure, and relying less on fossil fuels (The Lancet, n.d.). Although these changes are helpful to our environment, it is not sufficient enough to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to the target goal for 2030 (The Lancet, n.d.). This shows that change in farming can ultimately help reduce greenhouse gas emission, but is not enough to reduce the emissions to as low as they should be in our environment. That is why it is important to try and implement a low carbon diet into our everyday life. We have the impact in our society to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by simply making healthier food choices each day to help our environment.

Figure 2. Deforestation happening in different forests around the world

The low carbon diet not only benefits the environment, but also provides health benefits to us as well. The low carbon diet has multiple health benefits to the human body such as consuming more plants or plant based proteins and less meat that contains saturated fats (Daley, 2019). By consuming less saturated fats, you are reducing your risk of heart disease later in life. Statistics from an article, The Health Benefits of Tackling Climate Change, shows that the reduced intake of meat, that contains saturated fats, led to a decline in the risk of developing heart disease in the United Kingdom by fifteen percent and in Sāo Paulo, Brazil by sixteen percent (The Lancet, n.d.) These statistics show the impact of how changing to a low carbon diet can reduce our risk of possibly developing diseases. Another important reason to reduce the consumption of meat, specifically red meat and processed meat, is to reduce the risk of developing cancer. Consumption of red meat and processed meat have been associated with a cause of cancer (Macdiarmid et al., 2012) With this finding, this proves how little we know about the link between human diet and diseases in the past. Back in the day, it was said that meat, like steak, was good for you and helps you build a strong figure. Today, we have realized that isn’t the case anymore. Meat and processed food consumption increases our risk of disease and cancer that can decrease our lifespan sooner than we thought; but we can change this outcome by making healthier food choices. Laura Stec makes this readily available to do by providing a recipe in her book called Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming. Stec provides a basic recipe of stir-fry, where it can be prepared three different ways. It is shown it can be made with vegetables, chicken, and or beef. Ultimately, she wants you to acknowledge the positive effects the vegetable stir-fry has on your body/environment versus the negative effects the beef stir-fry produces (Soares, 2009). It provides people with an opportunity to cook a healthy meal for themselves, that also benefits the environment, while showing the effects of the three different stir-fries by showing the greenhouse gas emissions they produce. Patagonia has also made getting organic food products for camping/on the go readily available. Patagonia has food products that come from regenerative organic farming practices that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Regenerative organic farming is where organic farming is still practiced as well as incorporating methods that helps the soil when dealing with climate change (Patagonia, 2020). Another factor to consider is, as the population increases, the amount of food consumption has to increase. If we keep consuming meat, other processed foods, and imported produce, we will not have enough food to feed the Earth’s population in 2050, which is estimated to be 10 billion people (Daley, 2019). This should not be taken lightly, as our population increases each year. As the population increases, the more of an urgency there will be to switch to a healthier/more sustainable diet for ourselves and for our environment.

The push needed by society to try and reduce meat consumption, buy more local, and eat less processed foods will greatly increase the chances of longer life expectancies for the human population in the world and for our environment. To reduce my meat consumption or to increase my risk of heart disease/cancer. To reduce the purchase/consumption of imported products or to contribute to deforestation, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. The choice is yours.

 

Methods

The research and methodology that I will be conducting has to do with the willingness of individuals reducing their meat intake, the carbon footprints calculated by the food my roommates and I eat, and the efforts a local Bloomington restaurant makes to try and lower their carbon footprint. I will be conducting a survey for my classmates in Human Biology 400 and for another class that Professor Wasserman teaches. I will be preparing meals with no meat in it for my roommates and I, as well as going out to eat at restaurants that offer no meat options. After these meals, I will assess how we feel afterwards as well as calculate our carbon footprints from those meals. I will also be interviewing the head chef at a local restaurant in Bloomington, IN about where they get their products and how they contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by the meals they prepare. All of this research and methodology that I will conduct will help me get a better understanding of how the efforts of individuals and restaurants can significantly help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improve our overall health.

The survey I will initially conduct that will be distributed to my classmates in Human Biology 400, as well as another class, will have three questions on it. The first question will ask, “Do you think about what you eat and how that effects your health and the environment?”. The second question will ask, “Would you be willing to lower your meat intake?”. The third question will ask, “Would you be willing to reduce your meat intake when going out to eat at a restaurant?”. This will help me gauge who would be willing to reduce their meat intake and who thinks about their health and environment when eating food. A Survey is an easy way to get a general public consensus, especially in this case. A study/survey conducted in the Netherlands and the United States had people rate the effectiveness of each option provided as well as their willingness to do so (Boer, Witt, & Aiking, 2015). This rating system showed that people were willing to incorporate eating less meat in their diet due to the importance of climate change (Boer, Witt, & AIking, 2015). This shows that a portion of the general population is willing to reduce their meat intake if it helps the environment.

Another crucial part of my research is calculating the meals my two roommates and I make, eat, and order at restaurants. I will cook three meals for all of us that contains no meat. I will then calculate the carbon footprint of that meal and how that meal effects the environment. I will then ask my two roommates to document how they felt after each meal as well as how they feel the next day. There are three meals presented below (figure 3, figure 4, and figure 5) that I will cook for my roommates and I that contain no meat. I have prepared these meals before and I know they contain local fresh produce, as well as no meat. My roommates and I will also go out to restaurants and order vegetarian meals. I will again ask them to document how they feel after each meal and how they feel the next day. I will also calculate our carbon footprints from each meal we order at the restaurants. This will help compare and contrast the difference in diets when considering our carbon footprints and which diet my roommates prefer based on how they feel. Comparing and contrasting the difference between diets is a common study to conduct when analyzing each diets carbon footprint. A study was conducted where multiple diets from around the world were studied and analyzed based off of their carbon footprint, nutritional values, the effects on the environment, etc. (González-García, Esteve-Llorens, Moreira, & Feijoo, 2018). This study also showed a graph that contained the greenhouse gas emissions given off by each diet that was studied. Another study that was conducted, in Finland, used a carbon footprint calculator to calculate individuals carbon footprints based off of their diets. These calculations showed that it is possible to reduce your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of meat you consume (Salo & Nissinen, 2017). This study helps support the research I will conduct.

The last part of my research will be to interview the head chef at a local restaurant in Bloomington Indiana that is known for their vegetarian, vegan, and fresh locally sourced healthy food. During the interview with the head chef, I will ask the chef a series of questions about the products they use and where they source them from. I will also ask how they generally prepare the food and the number of non-meat options they have on the menu at all times. I will then analyze how the local restaurant in Bloomington, IN ultimately contributes to lowering their carbon footprint. This will help me get a better understanding of how restaurants incorporate eco-friendly meals, but also serve meals with meat as well. One article stated that 25 restaurants incorporated a Climate Choice meal on their menu. According to the article, “The concept was developed to raise consumer awareness about carbon footprints associated with food in restaurants by offering a climate-friendly meal alternative among other options” (Pulkkinen, Roininen, Katajajuuri, & Järvinen, 2015). This shows that other restaurants are willing to try out “climate-friendly” meals on their menu, as well as keep their other meals that contain meat. Another study was conducted that tried to incorporate “a carbon neutral food menu for a restaurant for brunch, lunch, and dinner” (Ganbavale, 2018). The researchers went on to conduct a “Life-cycle Assessment on the food ingredients, the incorporation of their respective origin, transport, processing, cooking, and the volume of meals produced” (Ganbavale, 2018). This study helps analyze the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that are given off based on the factors discussed in the previous sentence. These studies help prove that restaurants, like the local restaurant in Bloomington, IN, are willing to incorporate other meals on their menu that will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions/carbon footprints.

Overall, the research I will conduct and methodology I will perform will help me gain a better understanding of the willingness of people reducing their meat intake, how it makes their body feel, the comparison of carbon footprints of reduced meat consumption meals and no meat consumption meals, and how a local restaurant is sourcing their food and the ways in which they are preparing their food to help the environment.

 

Results

The first part of my results that I received were the survey results that I administered through Survey Monkeyto the HUBI 400 class and a different class Professor Wasserman teaches. For the first question, nine out of ten respondents answered yes to them thinking about their health and environment when they eat. The second question, seven out of ten respondents answered yes to being open to reducing their meat intake. The third question, six out of ten respondents answered yes to being open to reducing their meat intake when going out to eat at a restaurant.

In the second part of my results I made three meatless meals at home for my roommates and I, as well as had three different meatless meals at restaurants. After each of these meals, I calculated each meals carbon emissions by using a carbon calculator from myemissions.green. The first meal I made for my roommates and I was a pasta dish. The pasta dish contained locally made beet pasta with sweet potato, spinach, olive oil, and parmesan. The carbon emissions from this pasta dish was 615 gCO₂e.

Figure 3. Homemade beet pasta dish

The second dish I made was chili. The chili I made contained meatless ground beef, kidney beans, red beans, onion, green pepper, chili sauce, and brown sugar. The carbon emissions from the chili was 997 gCO₂e.

Figure 4. Homemade meatless chili

The last dish I made was tacos. The tacos had meatless ground beef as well as avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onions, red potatoes, vegan cheese, tomatillo salsa, spinach, and corn tortillas. The carbon emissions for this dish were 1,130 gCO₂e.

Figure 5. Homemade meatless tacos

Although I don’t know every ingredient in each of the dishes that we got when we ate out I estimated what was in each dish. The first dish my roommates and I had at a restaurant was a breakfast tamale plate. The breakfast tamale plate included a lentil tamale, potatoes, scrambled eggs, cilantro, and radishes. The carbon emissions for the breakfast tamale plate was 2,109 gCO₂e.

Figure 6. Breakfast tamale plate

The second dish we got when we ate out was an asparagus benedict. The asparagus benedict included poached eggs, biscuits, asparagus, potatoes, cilantro, and hollandaise. The carbon emissions that the asparagus benedict produced were 2,193 gCO₂e.

Figure 7. Asparagus benedict

The last meal we had was french toast. The french toast contained bread, egg, compote, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and caramel drizzle. The carbon emission for the French toast was 1,287 gCO₂e.

Figure 8. French toast

I had my roommates then journal and keep track of how they felt after eating each of the meals with no meat. My first roommate mainly journaled that she didn’t feel as full, stomach never hurt after a meal, body felt better by eating no meat, and woke up with more energy in the morning. My second roommate also journaled that she didn’t feel as full, stomach didn’t hurt after eating any of the meals, and had more energy after the meals. I am vegetarian and became a vegetarian because it made my body feel better. I mainly chose the vegetarian diet because meat would make my stomach upset in general. After switching over to the vegetarian diet, my stomach doesn’t hurt after meals or snacks anymore. With that being said, my journal entries included less stomach pain, body feeling better (especially when I work out), and sometimes I don’t feel as full. Overall, my roommates and I feel better eating vegetarian meals, but don’t always feel as full from eating the meals. I personally prefer the vegetarian diet over the traditional diet that contains meat, but my two roommates prefer the traditional diet that contains meat, but they do incorporate smaller portions of meat as well as organic vegetables.

The last part of my research consisted of interviewing a chef at a local restaurant that implements vegetarian options, local products, and sustainability into their food. I asked the chef five questions about the restaurant. The first question asked about how many vegetarian options are consistently on the menu. The chef answered by stating there is at least one main vegetarian entrée on the menu and one vegetarian small plate. The second question asked what percentage of produce is locally grown. The chef said that more than 50 percent of the produce that they purchase in the winter time is locally grown and about 75 percent of the produce that they buy in the summer is locally grown. The third question asked about the meats used at the restaurant and if they are local meats or not. The chef said that most of the meats come from a small farm in Indianapolis or purchased from Bloomington farmers when available. The fourth question asked if the chef thinks about carbon emissions when buying and preparing food. The chef answered yes that that they try to buy products from small farms and not big farms, the quality of meat is better that way, and the chef buys wild caught fish as often as possible or tries to buy fish that is sustainably sourced (boat to store in two days). The last question I asked the chef was about how much food is made in house (besides vegetables and meat). The chef answered about 95 percent of the food is made in house. The things that are made in house include sauces, dressings, breads, aioli, jams, and all menu ingredient items. The chef did say that some breads are purchased at a small business in Indianapolis, IN called Amelia’s and that all the meats are processed in house with natural brines/cures without nitrates or are from a small business in Indianapolis, IN called Smoking Goose. The chef also listed all of the small farms or producers that the restaurant works with which include Brown County Coffee Roasters, Heartland Family Farm, Gunthorp, Dewig, Viking, Fischer, Smoking Goose, FoodWorks Freedom Valley, Rene’s Bakery, Poplar Ridge Farm, Buffalo Nickel Ranch, Capriole, and Rhodes Farm.

 

Discussion

When analyzing the results of the research I conducted, I have concluded that there are many factors that go into a low carbon diet and ultimately vary between the studies. When analyzing the results of the survey I realized that all of the participants except one think about their health and environment when they consume food, but not all of the participants that answered yes to the first question are willing to reduce their meat intake. It was interesting to see those results and how they vary between each question. Overall, the survey was an excellent indicator of how willing people are to reduce their meat intake versus not willing to reduce their meat intake. I thought if nine out of ten people answered yes to the first question they would answer yes to the other two questions as well, but that wasn’t the result. Overall, the survey I conducted didn’t necessarily match the results found in other studies I researched in my background information.

The results of the carbon emissions from making meatless meals and eating meatless meals at restaurants were not shocking to me. The results of the meals made were significantly lower in carbon emissions than the meals that were eaten out at restaurants. I initially hypothesized that the meals I made for my roommates and I would be lower in carbon emissions because I could pick and choose what to add into the meal or not add into the meal. It is harder to control the carbon emissions when eating out considering we could not pick the ingredients in our meal. I was also not surprised that my roommates overall felt better eating meals with no meat versus eating meals with meat. I have felt better being a vegetarian and was curious to see if my roommates would feel the same way I did. Based off of the journal entries from my roommates I wasn’t surprised that their bodies felt better and had more energy. Although they chose to stick with the traditional diet of consuming meat. There efforts to reduce their meat intake and eat organic vegetables contributes to lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

After talking to the chef I interviewed, the results from the questions I asked were more informative than what I anticipated they would be. It was very interesting to learn that the local restaurant mainly took a lot of pride in getting food products and produce locally or sustainably. Although the restaurant makes about 95 percent of their food products in house/ gets most of their meats locally or from Bloomington farmers, there produce is not always easily accessible locally. The result of their produce not all being locally grown shows how hard it is in general for a local restaurant to get all locally/organically grown produce. This then shows that it could be harder for individuals and families to get access to locally/organically grown produce in grocery stores. Which then reduces individual’s ability to practice the low carbon diet if certain foods aren’t readily available.

 

Limitations

There were some limitations I encountered when researching and conducting my own research. I was not able to sample a big group of people due to limited time and people I could get to participate in the survey. I was also limited in the amount of people that would try the low carbon diet or at least willing to reduce their meat consumption. I was also limited on the number of restaurants that I could interview and learn more about their food practices and purchasing methods. Although I was limited on some of the research I conducted, I got an overall consensus of how the low carbon diet works and how a local restaurant implements low carbon factors into the food they purchase. I also got an estimate of how carbon emissions are emitted from vegetarian diets both homemade and at restaurants.

 

Conclusion

Overall, research has shown how meat consumption has increased carbon emissions into the atmosphere as well as contributed to more deforestation because of the livestock grazing on the cleared land. Interviewing a local restaurant has proven that restaurants in general can implement low carbon factors into their menu and meal prepping. Health benefits have been researched and proven that reducing meat consumption could reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other health risks. In conclusion, a low carbon diet is better for the environment and our health, but is not always easy to follow due to local produce not being readily available all the time and not always affordable for the average income.

 

References:

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Copy of reduce meat intake. (n.d.). Retrieved May 02, 2021, from https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/P5RMVMV

Daley, J. (2019, January 30). Low-carbon diets are good for the planet, and your health. Retrieved February 02, 2021, from https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/low-carbon-diets-are-good-for-planet-and-your-health

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Heller, M. C., Keoleian, G. A., & Rose, D. (2020, January 13). Implications of future us diet scenarios on greenhouse gas emissions. Retrieved May 02, 2021, from http://css.umich.edu/publication/implications-future-us-diet-scenarios-greenhouse-gas-emissions

How to Eat a Low Carbon Diet. (2015, July 31). Retrieved February 23, 2021, from https://www.ecowatch.com/ice-castles-2650725139.html

Ganbavale, G. (2018, April 01). Carbon neutral food menu for restaurants. Retrieved April 02, 2021, from https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/handle/1774.2/59886

González-García, S., Esteve-Llorens, X., Moreira, M., & Feijoo, G. (2018, July 04). Carbon footprint and nutritional quality of different human dietary choices. Retrieved April 02, 2021, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S004896971832415X?casa_token=XjH4lkBue_0AAAAA%3A5FIbXxXSXPlZryNOG1kQ7UjNdsuPffFGeIEQtYvmen_n7cgpEfT9Aw5lyDZVVw7aJYsvhT–

Macdiarmid, J., Kyle, J., Horgan, G., Loe, J., Fyfe, C., Johnstone, A., & McNeill, G. (2012, August 01). Sustainable diets for the future: Can we contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by eating a healthy diet? Retrieved February 02, 2021, from https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/96/3/632/4576889

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Salo, M., & Nissinen, A. (2017). Consumption choices to decrease personal carbon footprints of Finns. Reports of the Finnish Environment Institute,1-2

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Willits-Smith, A., Aranda, R., Heller, M. C., & Rose, D. (2020). Addressing the carbon footprint, healthfulness, and costs of self-selected diets in the USA: A population-based cross-sectional study. The Lancet Planetary Health,4(3). doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(20)30055-3

Chef Interviewed at Local Restaurant

Pictures:

food pictures taken by me

https://www.carbonbrief.org/deforestation-has-driven-up-hottest-day-temperatures

https://www.visualcapitalist.com/visualising-the-greenhouse-gas-impact-of-each-food/

https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/scientists-say-deforestation