You’ll be helping yourself and the environment as well.
Sustainable diets are designed in a way that it not only helps the individual, but also the environment as well as natural and human resources. Given the alarming climate change crisis, you’d be doing yourself and future generations a disservice if you didn’t give this a try.
Who introduced it?
This term was first seen in 1986 in a paper by Gussow & Clancy.
Purpose of this diet
- Reduce the impact of global warming
- Focus on social and economic challenge
- Vocal for local
- Organic gardening
- Opt for sustainable fishing
- Avoid food wastage
Are there any set rules?
No, it’s still a complex term.
But here are some guidelines by WHO (World Health Organization) & FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation)
- Encourage exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months to upto 2 year combined with complementary feeding
- Avoid processed foods and drinks
- Focus on whole grains, fruit, nuts and vegetables
- Moderate intake of fish, eggs, dairy and limit intake of red meats
- Opt for safe and clean drinking water
- Maintain active lifestyle
- Reduce pollution
- Avoid overfishing and overhunting
- Say no to plastic
- Avoid antibiotics & hormones for food production
- Avoid food wastage
Along with the above guidelines, the food system needs to be strong. Required changes should be made in production/packaging/ labelling and distribution levels.
Sustainable dietary practices will be only achieved if these guidelines are followed by each country and its people, it’s not an overnight change, but small steps daily will help us achieve this goal.
