Numerous studies have linked meat-eating with higher inflammation, increased risks of heart disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, high blood pressure and stroke. This is a great moment to start your plant-based journey. Declare your independence from meat and dairy and commit to a more plant-based diet for the sake of your health.

Check Out The Top 8 Reasons to Cut Out Meat & Dairy Now

Meat used to be considered healthy, essential for protein and building strong muscles. Now we know it’s full of antibiotics, that red meat and processed meat causes inflammation, and that the saturated fat in meat and dairy contributes to and increases our risk of heart disease.

Scientific studies show that people who eat more red meat and consumer milk and dairy have a higher incidence of certain cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

Milk used to be considered necessary for calcium, to build strong bones. Now we know dairy, and especially cheese, contains elevated estrogens, is linked to cancer and doctors now want it to come with warning labels that it promotes breast, and other hormonally driven cancers like uterine, and prostate cancer.

Whereas the flip side is true: Eating more whole-food, plant-based diet, full of fiber and antioxidants, lowers your risks of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and breast cancer while boosting your immune system. You reduce your risk of dying prematurely from all causes, a study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found. Plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of not only heart disease but “all causes of mortality” the study concluded.

Try The Beet’s free 7 Day Beginner’s Guide to Going Plant Based, With 4 Daily. Recipes, Expert Tips, Best Protein Sources – Everything You Need to Start.

The top 8 reasons to declare YOUR independence from meat and dairy

1. Eating a diet of plant-based foods boosts your immunity

There are known benefits to eat a diet high in vitamin-packed foods full of C, A, E, D, B, and minerals like zinc, iron as well as potassium and calcium. Plant-based foods like deep leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole grains, legumes, and seeds are full of these essential vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals that supply the body with the building blocks of your immune systems’ defenses.

You will never need to take vitamin C if you eat a red bell pepper a day since it packs three times the vitamin C as an orange. Start your day with hot water with lemon and get 1/3 of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C for the day. Eat a large vegetable-filled salad for lunch, and get several greens for dinner, and you’ll never feel tired or sluggish after a meal. Nature’s fast food is a piece of fruit. Eat a peach, an apple or a plum for slow-burning clean energy. To fight off all viruses, COVID-19 included, keep your body in the best shape possible, inside and out, by getting sleep, exercising daily and eating plant-based foods.

The list of Immunity boosting foods is so long, we identified 13 of the best, but when you look at a farm stand, bets are that you could find immune-boosting phytochemicals or antioxidants or vitamins or minerals, from A to Zinc, that will help your body fight off the virus. Here is the story on the Top 13 Foods to Eat to Boost Immunity Now. One of our favorites: Mushrooms.

2. Eating a Mostly Whole Food Plant-Based Diet Helps You Lose Weight

Studies show that those who eat a low-carb, vegan, or plant-based diet have a smaller waist circumference than those who don’t and that the most dramatic weight loss has been found among people who adopt a vegan diet. “Obese participants found the most pronounced effect on weight loss [from] a vegan diet.” Meanwhile, over the course of months, the most dramatic health benefits also come from a vegan diet. So it’s a win-win across the board.

There is no question that nutrient-dense food such as vegetables and fruit will help you lose weight. When you fill-up on fiber and vegetables–which are made up of water more than any other molecule–you get satisfied with fewer calories, and your body burns off these calories quicker than calorie-dense foods full of fat, added sugar, simple carbs, and chemicals. Try the 14-Day Plant-Based Diet for a natural weight-loss plan you can live with. Designed by a Registered Dietician, it will teach you how to prepare and create meals that are delicious, filling, and help you lose weight naturally.

3. Eating Plant-Based and Ditching Meat and Dairy Reduces Your risk of Heart Disease

There are so many studies to support the fact that a plant-based diet is beneficial for your heart. Respected heart doctors like Dean Ornish and Caldwell Esselstyn, Joel Kahn and Joel Furhman, Andrew Freeman, who calls himself the Vegan Cardiologist, and T. Colin Campbell who is the co-author of the bestseller, The China Study, all tell us that science backs up the fact that red meat adds to coronary heart disease while a diet rich in plants can reverse symptoms of heart disease.

Consider this recent study, for one: “Plant-based diets are associated with lower blood pressure, lower blood lipids, and reduced platelet aggregation than non-vegetarian diets, and are beneficial in weight management, reduce the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. Well planned vegetarian diets provide benefits in preventing and reversing atherosclerosis and in decreasing CVD [cardiovascular disease] risk factors and should be promoted through dietary guidelines and recommendations.”

Dr. Joel Kahn wants the public to understand the dangers of saturated fat. This whole “butter is back” reasoning is ill-founded, he wrote. Butter is not back. Meat is also off the plate, as is poultry. The best heart-healthy fats are those that come from plants you could grow: Avocado, Olive, Nuts, and Seeds. Better yet limit the oil altogether. But if you need oil for cooking, make sure it’s not derived from something that walks. Your heart will thank you. While you’re avoiding sat fat, stay away from coconut and palm oils, since they contain it as well.

4. Ditching Meat Can Lower Your Grocery Bills by $23 a Week

We have heard it over and over again: Eating plant-based or vegan is expensive. It’s elite, It’s for people who shop at Whole Foods. Well here is some news for you: It’s actually cheaper. the priciest item in your cart is likely to be meat, followed closely by sugar. There’s a reason that the entire world subsists very healthily on rice and beans. Meat used to be a sign of prosperity in many cultures. People ate meat to show that they were rich.

In a study that tracked the shopping receipts of nearly 1,100 meat-eaters versus nonmeat eaters, the authors found that those who eat vegan or skip meat saved an average of $23 on their grocery store every week. That adds up to $23 a week, multiplied times four, and you have yourself an extra C-note per month to spend on whatever you like. May we suggest a new bathing suit to show off your super svelte physique from your plant-based VegStart Diet?

5. Eating a Diet High in Fiber-Filled Plant Foods Lowers Your Risk of Cancer

You never want to think that something you did “gave” your cancer. That’s just the wrong way to consider risk factors. But you can lower your risk of getting cancer by not smoking, not sunbathing or using tanning beds, and not eating meat, dairy, or animal products. That is what we are learning from studies on cancer risk and diet that review large swaths of the population over decades and report on eating habits and cancer incidents.

Consider this like the 1970s, when we learned that tobacco was linked to cancer. After more smokers got lung disease, the government added warning labels to cigarette packs. Now the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine wants to see labels on cheese: That the estrogens in dairy can contribute to a lifetime risk of breast cancer.

In several studies, those who ate the least meat and dairy and ate the most plant-based foods over the years also had the lowest cancer risk. You don’t smoke; quit meat and dairy.

Fiber appears to be the magic pill. Women who ate the most fiber had the best chance of avoiding breast cancer, likely because a high fiber diet also keeps weight in check and clears out the digestive system so toxins have less time to linger in the body. In one study, the more often you go to the bathroom, the less the “waste” has a chance to be reabsorbed where toxins get stored in breast tissue, creating more risk for future cancer to form. The Beet covered this in our story about the healthiest “elimination” habits. The more often the better.

For male readers, note this: There is often a correlation between breast cancer and other hormonally sensitive cancers such as prostate cancer. There is still much to be studied; but while research is often focused on breast cancer, studies on meat, dairy, and other cancers. Studies confirm a link between meat-eating and colorectal cancer. So do yourself a favor and eat more plant-based foods to avoid an elevated risk of any cancer.

6. Eating Less Meat and Dairy Won’t Make You Feel Sluggish or Have Dark Circles

That sluggish feeling after a big meal of meat can be a sign that your body has trouble digesting meat, which can slow down in your intestines and cause fatigue as your body works harder to digest your food.

Other signs your body isn’t digesting meat properly, according to experts: Dark circles. You may not be tired or have to live with dark circles. Cut out meat and see if they improve. This is because as the animal product gets stuck in your intestines “the compromised gut lining allows meat particles to pass through the gut wall” and into the bloodstream where they are regarded as “foreign” invaders, according to a medical paper from Geelong Medical Health Center.

“The body will try to produce antibodies to eliminate the foreign substance, and the reaction to this can be dark circles under the eyes, a symptom which is usually overlooked by health professionals.” Skip the meat and see if your dark circles disappear.

Other symptoms you are not digesting meat properly: Bad breath, body odor, constipation, and fatigue. If you have any of these symptoms after eating meat, declare your independence from animal products for three weeks and see how you feel.

7. Ditch Meat and Dairy to Perform Like Your Favorite Artist or Athlete

You don’t have to want to jump onstage and dance like Harry Styles, or Billie Eilish, win an Oscar like Joaquin Phoenix, or become a swashbuckling geologist like Harrison Ford, or for that matter emulate any of the stars who have gone plant-based, including Zac Efron, Sir Paul McCartney, Usher and Kristen Wig, Ariana Grande or Sandra Oh, the Bailey Sisters, Lizzo, and .A$AP Rocky, and Will.I. Am. The list goes on and on. But if you want all-day energy and a youthful coutenenance, avoid inflammatory foods like red meat and dairy and focus on eating as many whole plant-based foods as you possibly can. You will feel amazing.

And you don’t have to want to be an elite athlete to go plant-based to avoid injury and hasten your recovery time between tough sessions. That’s just one reason that  athletes like Novak Djokovic, Kyrie Irving, Tom Brady and Formula One Driver Lewis Hamilton has gone plant-based. When they need to be lithe, lean and strong and train at the highest levels while remaining injury-free, they each adopted a plant-based lifestyle.

Again, there are dozens of athletes who have seen their endurance improve on a plant-powered diet. Watch The Game Changers for inspiration and a better understanding of why athletes are increasingly choosing this higher octane fuel choice: To recover faster, fight inflammation, avoid sluggishness, stay light, and avoid injury.

Our admiration for these artists and athletes leaves us thinking: What do they know that we don’t know. Generally, if they are this tuned into the plant-based, vegan or meatless lifestyle, it’s probably because they look better and feel better, and can perform better. We’ll have what they’re having.

8. Eating Plant-Based is More Sustainable and Climate Friendly. Lower Your Impact.

Consider this: Eating just one plant-based meal a day for a year is the equivalent of saving the same carbon emissions as driving across the country, according to science offered by One  Meal a Day, the organization started by Suzy Amis Cameron, activist, author, and actor, and wife of James Cameron, so eating three plant-based meals is like driving from New York to LA and back!

The land use, water use and fossil fuels needed to raise farmed animals is the biggest human contributor to greenhouse gasses that we can control. (There are naturally occurring methane emissions that we can’t control.) So if you want to lower your carbon footprint, along with eyeing and new Tesla for your next ride, or if that isn’t in the budget, just leave the meat and dairy in the grocery store. Already sales of meat are down 18 percent during COVID-19. That may be rough on meat processing companies but it’s much better for the planet, for animals, and for our health.

Even if you’re not ready to go the whole distance, every small step toward a more plant-based diet has a benefit on you and on the planet. For more on how this works, read The Beet’s story: More People Going Mostly Plant-Based Has Vast Climate Benefits

The post The Top 8 Reasons to Declare Your Independence From Meat & Dairy appeared first on The Beet.

Whether you are going plant-based to lower your lifetime risk of disease or to benefit the planet, the first thing to do is spend time in the produce aisle.

So first, stock up on vegetables and fruit, nuts and seeds, legumes and all nature of foods you can grow (as opposed to foods that are raised or that walk or swim). Then add your favorite whole grains, in their most minimally processed forms, since those whole wheat and brown rice style grains are full of fiber and will keep you feeling satisfied and full for longer, while helping to prevent blood sugar spikes.

How Are You Going to Satisfy Your Cravings?

Whether you love to snack on salty crunchy chips, or have a sweet tooth and can’t live without chocolate chip cookies or a pint of ice cream with your RHOBV viewing session, you can find plant-based salty snacks and dairy free ice creams.

Can’t imaging enjoying a cup of coffee without creamer? There are so many new dairy-free coffee creamers that we provide the 20  best tasting dairy-free creamers that are plant-based and  will satisfy your need for foamy froth on your am latte!

Here is a plant-based starter kit to buy at the store and have everything you need on-hand as you begin your vegan diet journey: Snacks, treats, staples and even a few unexpected plant-based delights in the mix. And of course sign up to get the 4-recipes-a-day meal plan newsletter in your inbox every morning that is our helpful 7 Day Beginner’s Guide to Going Plant-Based. It has expert tips and plenty of inspiration to keep going and motivate you through your first week.

So many questions pop up when you start your plant-based journey. Some include:

“Can I have creamer in my coffee?”  Yes, since these days there are many great plant-based non-dairy creamers that taste as good as the real thing. Still other questions include: Do I need to be strictly vegan? The answer to that is up to you. You can decide to avoid all animal products and byproducts, from dairy to honey, or you can go mostly plant-based which means avoiding as many animal products as you can, but forgiving yourself if you slip up.

Where Do I Get My Protein on a Plant-Based Diet?

“Where do I get my protein?” is another common question and legitimate concern, although there are so many clean plant-based sources of protein, including these 20 Vegetables with the Most Protein to eat on a plant-based diet. And of you can substitute plant-based sources of protein into most recipes that call for meat. For the Top 10 Sources of Plant-Based Protein, according to a nutritionist, here are some easy ways to add protein into your diet:

• Seitan has 21 grams of protein for 1/3 of a cup
• Tempeh has 16 grams of protein in 3 ounces
• Lentils contain 13 grams in a half cup of cooked legumes
• Hemp Seeds have 10 grams of protein in 3 tablespoons
• Tofu has 9 grams of protein for 3 ounces (or one third of a block)
• Quinoa has 8 grams of protein in one cup

So with a little planning, and shopping, you won’t lack for protein if you mix any of these into your stir-fry, your grain bowl or your morning smoothie (in the case of hempseeds).

Here is Your Starter Kit to Help You Get Going on a Plant-Based Diet

For most people, the easiest way to get off go is to simply seek out vegan or plant-based substitutes for their favorite foods. That’s what worked for me, since I had never really tried oat-milk ice cream or cashew-nut cheese before going plant-based in spring of 2019. Now I am a walking expert and encyclopedia on all the different plant-based alternatives that are easy, tasty and healthier for you than meat, if one reason you are going plant-based is for the sake of human health.

When shopping for plant-based or vegan products, it helps to know your motivation. For me, it’s driven primarily by a desire to be healthier as well as concern for our environmental wellbeing. I love animals, as do most people, so the fact that I don’t eat them is a major win.

On the health front: Simply by avoiding saturated fat in meat and dairy, studies show, you can lower your lifetime risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, including hormonal cancers like breast cancer and prostate cancer, and now, a new study finds, pancreatic cancer as well.

Plant-Based Starter Kit. What to Buy to Make Going Plant-Based Easier

It’s so much easier to go plant-based now, even than it was just five years ago. Along with the ubiquitous Beyond Burgers and Impossible Meats, you now have a plethora of delicious and authentic tasting meat alternatives in the chicken category, as well as plant-based dairy products like cream cheese, yogurt, milk, ice cream and as mentioned, non-dairy creamers.

There are now great non-dairy cheeses of all variety, including slices, shreds and spreads. Some are made from cashew milk, while others use almond milk, and still others are from a blend of plant-based incredients. When it comes to Mayo and other vegan substitutes, watch out for tropical oils like palm oil and coconut oil, since both are high in saturated fat and you could be swapping out one unhealthy item (butter or mayo) for another.

But don’t skip the innovative products that make disbelievers shake their head in wonder at the taste and how similar to the real thing a plant-based substitute can be. The one that I love to use to blow people’s minds is JUST Egg, which whips up into an omelet as delicious as any you’ll ever taste.

When it comes to “getting over the hump” and starting out, not all decisions are made with health as the first priority. Sometimes you just want what you want. Like pizza, or ice cream.

For that moment, I suggest you stock up on Amy’s Pizzas and Oatly ice cream. When you’re entertaining, make sure to keep a box or large bag of Gardein Meatballs which will give you traditional dinner options (add them to a red sauce and serve over your favorite pasta) even if you’re not a big cook.

Califia almond milk is so tasty, I have it on cereal and never blink about the taste. It just tastes like milk to me. Now with all the products flooding the market, you can make it through an entire day, week, or month of plant-based meals and never feel you’ve “compromised” on your favorite foods and tastes.

Because of all the choices out there, I decided to put together a Plant-Based Starter Kit that is what I used to get through my first period of going plant-based. That plus I signed up for Sakara Life, which is full of delicious and fresh tasting prepared salads and meals, But that set me back a pretty penny so I decided to not continue it and instead go it alone. Still, if a plant-based meal delivery service is a helpful tool for you, there are so many great ones, including Mosaic Foods.

This kit is includes all the foods that I love and depended on when I went plant-based and had to figure it out.

Here, I have compiled my best version of your Plant-Based Eating Starter Kit. I realize you may like a different choice of plant-based milk or non-dairy creamer or dairy-free ice cream –enter your personal favorites and add a rating at the Product Reviews in the Beet Meter – where we rate products for both taste and health.

But for now, with a quick sweep of Whole Foods, I came up with the only 17 items you need to start your journey and transform to being a plant-based eater. This is a kit, so use it as needed. And good luck!

Breakfast Starter Kit Items

1. Almond Milk. We love Califia Brand but there is also Oat Milk and many other great kinds of milk out there. This is a personal preference. If you like Blue Almond or another option, go for it. There have never been more milk choices at the market.

2. Coffee Creamer. Again this is a personal preference. I chose Califia Better Half combo of Coconut Cream and Almond Milk, but you can choose any of the growing number of non-dairy creamers hitting the shelves. If you like creamier taste try the Oatly Barista Edition.

3. Vegan Butter Spread. Earth Balance is a fantastic plant-based butter spread. So is Myokos (more of a solid) and I Can’t Believe It’s Vegan. These melt well on toast or bagels, and you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference from the real thing in a blind taste test.

4. JUST Eggs. Every other egg substitute makes scrambling or omelets watery or lacking stiffness, but JUST Eggs actually give you that egg-like texture when you make them. I loved this option all summer for healthy protein-packed breakfast, especially mixed with veggies.

5. Tofutti Cream Cheese. You could start an office fight of us all arguing over which one is the best cream cheese, but the larger point is that there are great new plant-based offerings. Suffice it to say that Tofutti is my favorite, but there are lots of good ones. Check out our review with the Beet Meter ratings attached for the story. Then add your ratings and reviews.

6. Oatmeal. Okay so there is nothing particularly vegan about it but it’s the perfect base to add other fruits and nuts and raisins on top, and fill up quickly without any compromise. If you’re Gluten-Free we recommend Bob’s Red Mill classic for a base. Just add almond milk.

7. Non-Dairy Yogurt. This is an especially tricky category since most people don’t love the overly-sweetened coconut milk choices that are everywhere. We have found a few that are tasty, not too sickly sweet, and have a yogurt-like taste and consistency. Check out the yogurt review we published, and add your favorites and ratings to The Beet Meters!

Lunch Starter Kit:

1. Vegenaise. The great thing about lunch is you can go out for a salad or veggie wrap, or pick up soup or another veggie-based offering — even an Impossible Whopper. If you’re making your own sandwich at home, make sure to have Follow Your Heart Vegenaise handy.

2. Cheese Slices or Shreds. Make your grilled cheese or salad with vegan cheese. Chao makes a good one, as does So Delicious (the mozzarella is legit) and for nachos, we love how Miyoko’s singles melts and grips the chips like the real thing. These cheeses make it easy to be plant-based, even for cheese lovers. (Trust us.)

3. Head over to Sweetgreen or Just Salad, or even your local BK when you’re feeling lazy and need fast food for the Impossible Whopper, or make yourself a hummus and flatbread snack, or avocado toast. For a list of amazing lunch options to make and bring to work, check out the 21 Day Plant-Based Challenge and look at the Carousel of Recipes!

Snack Starter Kit:

1. Air-popped Flavored Popcorn. Most of the offerings include cheese so look for the Vegan “V” sign. We love Boom Chicka Pop Sea Salt flavored popcorn because it delivers the most band for the buck when you want a little indulgence mid-afternoon.

2. I also lived on Hippeas, which I won’t tell you are healthy, but made of chickpeas and with that much-needed crunch, these yellow bags of snacks had a way of disappearing when we kept them on-hand in the office kitchen. Stock up and feel good about your afternoon indulgence.

3. Natural, Raw Almonds. This is pretty basic. But if you need an easy, protein-packed healthy snack to have on hand, almonds are a great bet. Steer away from the salty or roasted options that carry more sodium and calories than you need.

4. Home-made-style Hummus. Protein, protein, protein. Everyone asks where to get it. You know that plant-based protein is abundant in chickpeas and soybeans, tofu and of course hummus. In fact there are dozens of sources. But for the low-hanging fruit, keep hummus in the fridge and dip anything you like into it. Celery, pretzels, your finger. Just eat it.

Dinner Starter Kit:

1. Veggie Burger. Dr. Praeger’s, Hillary’s, Boca, and others all make tasty, filling and healthy veggie burgers that don’t try to imitate meat. If you want something that will “fool” your tastebuds stick with Beyond or Impossible (my personal preference). These are more classic veggie burgers from beans, mushrooms, beats, and other recognizable grown ingredients.

2. Frozen Pizza. Amy’s vegan supreme plant-based pizza is a medley of veggies like mushrooms, peppers, and meatless pepperoni and veggie sausage, all on an organic crust and covered with a generous dose of vegan mozzarella-style cheese.  Keep these stocked!

4. Beefless Ground crumbles. Making Tacos? shepherd’s pie or a bolognese sauce? These ground-up alternative meats are delicious and you would never know that there is no beef in the sauce.

5. Sliced Italian Saus’age. There are now so many options for sliced or breaded “chicken” and “pork” as well as meatballs, and other alternative meats you can try a new one every night for a month and still not have tasted all of them.  We suggest keeping a bag on hand for when you want to add them to pasta or another traditional meat-filled dish.

Dessert Starter Kit:

1. Non-Dairy Ice Cream. So Delicious and Oatly make amazing non-dairy ice creams. So does Salt and Straw, depending on whether you prefer Almond Milk, Oat Milk or another base. The richest of the bunch are coconut cream based treats; when we tried them all we loved the Ben & Jerry’s which taste as rich as the real thing but are massive calorie bombs. Still, when you transition to plant-based eating, don’t deprive yourself. A couple of pints of non-dairy ice cream go a long way to make your new lifestyle choice feel delicious.

2. Partake Cookies.  Whether you love to dip them in milk or just savor them on their own, the Ginger Snaps out of the box have all the authentic taste of the cookies you grew up with. My dad had a particular hankering for these and while chocolate was my jam, I can’t snap a ginger snap without thinking of long beach days, sailing our sunfish, and generally enjoying a little well-deserved treat. These will bring you back!

3. Tate’s Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. What is summer without chocolate chip cookies? The best of the bagged (not homemade) are Tate’s and now that they make a vegan version, you don’t have to ever compromised your plant-based lifestyle for taste. Stock up. Your houseguests will love them too!

And watch: The Game Changers. We can’t say it enough. If you’re an athlete or doing this because your body doesn’t recover as fast as it used to, or you want to boost your performance overall, plant-based athletes are so inspiring that you can’t help but feel like you’re making the right choice for your body. Watch it on Amazon Prime tonight.

The post Your Plant-Based Diet Starter Kit: The Only 20 Items You Need to Succeed appeared first on The Beet.

One of the key factors driving the recommendation to shift to more plant-based diets, for people of all nations, is the enormous carbon footprint of animal agriculture, and by contrast, the lighter impact that plant-based crops produce. “The largest differences occur between animal-sourced and plant-sourced foods, with the latter having smaller footprints; in some cases, substantially smaller,” the report concludes. Land use, emissions, water use, and biodiversity all were considered and it is undebatable that raising animals for food is a major contributor to global environmental degradation. In fact, the global food system is responsible for more greenhouse emissions than any other industry, the report found.

Eating Plant-Based for the Planet is Second Only to Plant-Based for Health

Even though more people than ever are adopting a plant-based diet and choosing meat alternatives and non-dairy milk and cheese, the demand for animal products is still growing as the global population grows. To meet that demand, factory farming, also referred to as “intensive” farming, has expanded. These assembly-line, high-efficiency intensive farming operations wreak havoc on the environment, the report finds. In the US, factory farms are where 99% of farmed animals live and it is the primary source of where your meat and dairy comes from. Yet environmentally, factory farming is an unsustainable system that if not changed, will be catastrophic to the environment.

A recent survey found that while the number one reason Americans as eating more plant-based foods is for their health, concern over the environment is the second reason, and it’s growing, especially among younger consumers. In the past two years, the shift toward eating plant-based “for the environment” has risen 17 percent to 48 percent of people saying that is their focus. Another poll found that 54 percent of Millennials are eating more plant-based and call themselves flexitarians, since they are cutting back on meat and dairy, but have not fully committed to ditching those foods altogether.

Disease prevention is the other reason to adopt a plant-based diet, the report states

Beyond the environment, the UN-backed report also highlights the other public good that would result from reducing our reliance on animal-based foods, including improved dietary quality and reduced incidence of diet-related disease associated with overconsumption of red and processed meat such as obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.

Pandemic risk could also be “significantly lowered by reducing animal farming,” the report says. The researchers point out that the majority of infectious diseases that have caused epidemics have come from animals. The pandemic has shined a spotlight on the high risks concentrated in certain food production supply chains, as well as the poor labor standards in food-processing plants that have accelerated disease spread amongst workers.

In addition to the first lever—the adoption of more plant-based foods and reliance on animal-based products—the two others are the need to protect and set aside land for nature, and shift to more sustainable farming methods. All three of these levers are needed for food system redesign to succeed and to ultimately save our planet.

So if you care about the planet, the type of food you eat matters. So if you’re driving a Prius, or cutting down on single-use plastic, and shopping from sustainable fashion companies, this report recommends you also eat food from plant sources.

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