La diet of the Eat-Lancet Commission, formed by a pool of scientists from around the world, predicts substantial changes in our eating habits. The goal is to be able to feed all the people who will live on Earth in 2050 adequately for our health and that of the environment. But how?
The doctor explains it Walter Willett, professor at Harvard University and co-chair of the international group of experts: "The world consumption of fruit, vegetables, nuts, oilseeds and legumes will have to double, while that of red meat and sugar will have to reduce by more than 50%".
The health benefits
«This diet can definitely help us prevent cardiovascular diseases, strokes, embolisms. And also the metabolic syndrome, a term with which a dangerous combination of certain risk factors is indicated, including overweight and obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension », comments Dr. Diana Scatozza, specialist in food science in Milan.
According to the scientists who proposed it, the new menu will prevent around 11 million deaths worldwide each year, representing between 19 and 24% of all adult deaths.
The Mediterranean model
"The foods recommended by the Eat-Lancet Commission (albeit in different weights) are those of our Mediterranean diet, which has always been considered one of the healthiest", points out Dr. Scatozza.
«The real novelty is represented by the choice of limit not only the meat (in particular the red one, put under accusation for some time), but also fish, evidently not for reasons related to its healthiness but because it is considered not available in sufficient quantities to feed a growing population ».
The benefits for the environment
The Food Planet Health Diet it's not just about health benefits. The foods included in the menu have been chosen both with an eye to our health and with the environment in mind. In other words, they are the ones that, more than others, make it possible to reduce the use of land, water and fertilizers for agriculture.
"World food production threatens climate stability and ecosystem resilience," says Professor Johan Rockström, from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Change in Stockholm and co-chair of the EAT Commission. "A worldwide transformation of the food system is therefore necessary quickly".
The pool of scientists indicated the ways forward: stimulate the production of healthy, sustainable and high quality foods, saving biodiversity and then cutting food waste by at least half.
«Reduce the consumption of cattle and pigs in favor of “less impact” meats, such as poultry, can certainly make the difference as regards methane pollution », comments Stefano Ciafani, president of Legambiente.
“As for water, we must stop thinking that it is an unlimited resource, simply because it is not. There are 700 million people in the world who do not have easy access to drinking water. According to scientists, nearly two billion men and women will experience the problem by 2025 "absolute" water scarcity, with an availability below the threshold of 500 cubic meters per year per person.
Without forgetting that only 2,5% of the water on earth is fresh and, of this, only 0,1 is accessible to man. If we calculate that the world population is growing at a faster rate than the capacity of the resource to regenerate and become available, it becomes a limited good, which must not be wasted to produce food and must not be polluted. Finally », says Ciafani,« alongside the concrete and long-term commitment of governments with policies of strong reduction of CO2 emissions, the interest in changing habits on the part of the citizens of the major greenhouse gas producing countries is indispensable ».
Change is possible
In short, change must take place on all levels, starting with sustainable production and fight against waste, up to the healthy diet.
But there is a positive fact: «In recent decades, the topic of proper nutrition has conquered more and more people. Today there is more attention to what we eat and its origin and perhaps this is the right time to indicate the guidelines for living a healthy life, starting with the food consumed », concludes Dr. Diana Scatozza.
THE DIET
Diana Scatozza's menu takes into account the daily quantities transformed, if necessary, in weekly doses (14 g of red meat for 7 days = 98 g, 1 portion).
MONDAY
Breakfast
125 ml of whole milk (HD if you do not tolerate lactose) + 50 g of whole grains
Snack
200 g of fresh fruit
Lunch
80 g of wholemeal bucatini with pepper sauce + 100 g of grilled chicken breast with rosemary + 100 g of grated zucchini salad + 50 g of wholemeal bread
Merenda
30 g of walnuts
Price
1 egg omelette + 200 g of fennel and Belgian salad with 20 g of walnuts + 50 g of wholemeal bread + 125 ml of white yogurt
TUESDAY
Breakfast
125 ml of whole milk (HD if you do not tolerate lactose) + 50 g of whole grains
Snack
30 g almonds
Lunch
80 g of wholemeal spaghetti with tomato and basil + 100 g of English beef + 150 g of mixed salad with 20 g of walnuts + 50 g of wholemeal bread
Merenda
125 ml in yogurt
Price
100 g of hake with tomatoes and capers + 150 g of chicory and legume salad (50 g weighed dry) + 50 g of wholemeal bread + 200 g of fresh fruit
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast
125 ml of whole milk (HD if you do not tolerate lactose) + 50 g of whole grains
Snack
30 g of walnuts
Lunch
80 g of wholemeal penne with vegetables + 1 egg omelette with 150 g of spinach + 50 g of wholemeal bread + 20 g of walnuts
Merenda
200 g of fresh fruit
Price
soup prepared with 150 g of lentils (weighed dry) + 150 g of mixed salad + 50 g of wholemeal bread + 125 ml of white yogurt
THURSDAY
Breakfast
125 ml of whole milk (HD if you do not tolerate lactose) + 50 g of whole grains
Snack
125 ml of plain yogurt
Lunch
80 g of wholemeal spaghetti with pepper + 200 g of celery salad with 20 g of walnuts and 50 g (dry weight) of legumes + 50 g of wholemeal bread + 200 g of fresh fruit
Merenda
30 g almonds
Price
100 g of baked sea bream + 100 g of chicorino salad + 50 g of wholemeal bread
FRIDAY
Breakfast
125 ml of whole milk (HD if you do not tolerate lactose) + 50 g of whole grains
Snack
30 g of walnuts
Lunch
80 g of wholemeal black rice with 200 g of mixed vegetables + 50 g of wholemeal bread
Merenda
125 ml of plain yogurt
Price
puree prepared with 150 g of mixed legumes (weighed dry) + 100 g of mixed green salad with 20 g of nuts + 50 g of wholemeal bread + 200 g of fresh fruit
Saturday
Breakfast
125 ml of cappuccino (made with whole milk or HD if you do not tolerate lactose) + 50 g of whole grains
Snack
125 ml of whole yogurt
Lunch
Puree prepared with 200 g of mixed vegetables, 50 g of potatoes and 25 g (dry weight) of legumes + 50 g of wholemeal bread + 20 g of walnuts
Merenda
30 g almonds
Price
80 g of whole buckwheat with 100 g of carrots and peppers + 200 g of fresh fruit salad + 50 g of wholemeal bread
Sunday
Breakfast
125 ml of whole milk (HD if you do not tolerate lactose) + 50 g of whole grains
Snack
200 g of fresh fruit
Lunch
80 g of brown rice with saffron + 100 g of grilled turkey breast + 200 g of fennel and artichoke salad with 20 g of walnuts + 300 g of roasted potatoes
Merenda
125 ml in yogurt
Price
Soup prepared with 100 g (dry weight) of lentils and 50 g of whole grains + 100 g of green salad with 30 g of nuts + 50 g of wholemeal bread
Everyday: Extra virgin olive oil: 40 g. Grated butter or parmesan: 10 g sugar: 30 g.
Is 2500 Calories Too Much? Go down to 1700-1800 by eliminating 100g of bread, 2 tablespoons of oil, butter, 10g of sugar and 30g of nuts per day.
