Reducing your personal carbon footprint might begin at your dinner table. A new study, recently published in the journal , indicates that adopting a vegan diet could nearly halve the carbon emissions associated with your food choices. Furthermore, this approach would remain highly nutritious.

The researchers contrasted an omnivorous Mediterranean diet—typically characterized by its emphasis on plant-based foods alongside lean proteins—with pescatarian, ovo-lacto vegetarian, and vegan dietary patterns. They then devised four distinct week-long menus, each encompassing breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, and dinner.  

In the pescatarian meal plan, meat and its derivatives were substituted with plant-based foods like tofu and textured soy protein, or with animal products permitted in the diet, such as fish, eggs, and cheese. The vegetarian plan allowed for eggs and dairy but excluded all meat. The vegan menu completely replaced all animal-derived foods, including meat, fish, eggs, and dairy, with plant-based alternatives like tofu, tempeh, plant-based beverages, soy yogurt, seeds, and various legumes or legume flours.

Greenhouse gas emissions showed a significant decrease with each successive dietary modification. Total greenhouse gas emissions—calculated by factoring in how food was cultivated or raised—fell from 3.8 kg (8.37 lbs) per day for the omnivorous diet, to 3.2 kg (7.05 lbs) per day for the pescatarian diet, 2.6 kg (5.73 lbs) per day for the ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet, and finally to 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs) per day for the vegan diet, representing a 46% reduction. Moreover, these dietary shifts also led to reduced water usage; the vegan diet, in particular, utilized 33% less land and 7% less water during its production phase. 

Extensive prior research has established that replacing animal products with a plant-based diet can substantially lower emissions. The meat and dairy industries are responsible for between of all global emissions, with meat production alone accounting for nearly 60% of climate emissions. Yet, this new research demonstrates that making such a dietary change does not need to come at the expense of essential nutrients.  

Indeed, a wholesome, plant-based diet is not only beneficial for the planet but also offers numerous health advantages—ranging from preventing diabetes to lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Researchers employed a specific formula to calculate the energy and nutrient contributions of each food item and daily menu. The pescatarian, vegetarian, and vegan diets all met established nutritional standards; notably, the vegan menu provided a significantly higher amount of dietary fiber than the other three. However, the study points out that individuals following these diets might need supplements for vitamin D, iodine, and vitamin B12.

If one wished to adhere to the scientists’ menu blueprint for a nutrient-dense vegan diet, this would involve swapping 250 mL of milk and 125 grams of yogurt for 125 grams of soy-based yogurt and 250 mL of a soy-based drink each morning. For lunch or dinner, chicken would be replaced by textured soy and beef by seitan. For additional nutritional benefits, the inclusion of side dishes incorporating flax seeds and lentils is suggested.

Nevertheless, there are methods to reduce the carbon footprint of your eating habits without completely removing meat. The report found that every substitution of a plant-based alternative—whether it involved replacing meat with fish, then with legumes, dairy, and eggs, or ultimately adopting a fully vegan composition—resulted in a statistically significant decrease in environmental impact.

“You don’t need to go fully vegan to make a difference,” stated Noelia M. Rodríguez Martín, one of the study’s authors, in a press release. She added, “Even small steps toward a more plant-based diet reduce emissions and save resources. Every meal that includes more plants helps move us toward healthier people and a healthier planet.”