How To Eat Healthier Whilst Saving The Planet

POV: You've watched a documentary or seen a news headline about our impending doom due to climate change.

It is clear a drastic change needs to happen, starting with the foods we eat. The way we eat has a detrimental effect to the planet, and in some cases our bodies.

Here we explore the conversation around veganism and how adopting a plant-based diet could save the planet whilst also eating healthier.

What is Going Wrong Exactly?

Animal agriculture is the single largest driver of habitat loss and rainforest deforestation. Additionally, Livestock is one of the leading causes of global warming.

Here are some statistics on animal products and animal agriculture:

• Animal agriculture is responsible for producing between 14.4% and 18% of total greenhouse gas emissions - which is more than the worlds entire transport system
• Animal products are responsible for 83% of emissions in an average EU diet, compared to only 17% of plant based good 
• In the UK, is it estimated that 85% of agricultural land is used for animals, which is almost 50% of the entire land mass of the UK
• Cattle ranching is responsible for 90% of the amazon rainforest loss

The University of Oxford stated that even if fossil fuels were immediately eliminated, the emissions produced by the agricultural sector alone would make it impossible to limit the global warming to 1.5 degree Celsius.

It is evident that a change in our diets is essential to reduce our impact on the planet.

Is it Too Late To Make a Difference?

The good new is, absolutely not! Keeping Climate Change to a tolerable level isn't totally impossible, but it is important to act now and make changes to your lifestyle.

If we all went vegan, the world’s food-related emissions would drop 70% by 2050, according to a 2016 report on food and climate in the academic journal, Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Adopting a plant based diet will reduce agriculture emissions by up to 73% in high income nations and would free up to 75% of agricultural land globally.

What Can I Do?

A recent study finds that veganism is the single best way to to reduce our environmental impact. 

1. Adopt a Plant-Based Diet

Two plant-based meals a day cuts your food-related carbon emissions by 50%, and switching to a plant based diet could reduce agricultural emissions by as much as 73% in high income nations.

Although it is clear that adopting a plant-based diet has an impact on the environment, it is important to have a balanced vegan diet as some vegans can be at risk of missing out on important nutrients.

Research is key to having a balanced plant-based diet. Look into what food provides what nutrients such as protein, iron, B12, calcium, omega 3 and zinc. Introduce supplements if you have to. 

We have lots of Vegan Based Blogs which can answer some of these questions on going vegan. 

You should also follow vegan creators, activists and news outlets online for information, recipes and guidance - or watch vegan documentaries to expand your knowledge. Some examples are:

• Earthling Ed
• @avantgardevegan
• @cheaplazyvegan
• Cowspiracy Documenraty - Netflix
• Seaspiracy Documentary - Netflix
• Plant Based News
• Vegan Food and Living

Adopting a plant based diet can also have a number of health benefits, including an improvement on your heart health and reducing blood sugar levels. Read our 5 Heath Benefits of Going Vegan Blog for more information. 

2. Introduce Savvy Swaps

Transition at your own pace - in the majority of cases, turning vegan doesn't happen overnight. By making simple adjustments to your diet can help you reduce your carbon footprint and ensure you're eating a balanced diet.

There's lots of food swaps you can introduce to your diet: 

• Milk: There's lots of plant milks you can substitute dairy milk with, including almond, oat, coconut, soy milk or use our Dairy free vanilla creamer.
• Dairy: Use vegan butter, vegan cheese, plant-based cream, coconut cream and diary-free yoghurt as alternatives. 
• Eggs: Eggs can be replaced with scrambled tofu.
• Protein Sources: Use tofu, tempeh, pulses, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds and 'vegan' meats
• Remember to eat a lot of leafy greens, other vegetables and fruits too!
• Without meat and dairy consumption, global farmland use could be reduced by more than 75% – an area equivalent to the U.S., China, the European Union and Australia combined.

Vegan alternatives and products are becoming more and more accessible in leading supermarkets, even Restaurants and Cafes are introducing more vegan options for people to enjoy.

Read our Easy Vegan Food Swaps for a Plant-Based Diet Blog for tips on going vegan and savvy swaps with The Skinny Food Co Products.

3. Shop The Skinny Food Co

Here at the Skinny Food Co we have are very conscious of our environmental impact whilst producing healthier alternatives to the foods we consume.

By switching to Skinny Food Co, you will not only dramatically decrease your sugar and calorie intake, you'll also be taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint. 

Zero Palm Oil

We are very proud to say that all our products contain zero palm oil. 

Palm oil leads to an increase in deforestation and increased carbon emissions contributing to climate change. Carbon is released into the environment when farmers expand their farming areas by converting forest into large scale palm oil plantation. 

An increase in deforestation is a result of high demand for palm oil, therefore contributing to the expansion of palm oil plantations resulting in the destruction of tropical forests.

Palm oil is the leading cause of habitat loss and contributes to the extinction of species, including the orangutan population. Every year it is estimated that between 1,000 to 5,000 orangutans are killed in Palm Oil concessions.

80% of our Products are Vegan

80% of our products are now vegan and we are currently developing new formulas for our non-vegan products to be made vegan.

Shop our full Vegan Range today! We also have multiple Vegan Recipes you can try at home.

Recyclable Packaging

All our products are made with recyclable packaging and can easily be recycled.

Having These Conversations

Here at The Skinny Food Co we find it extremely important to have these conversations to continuously work towards bettering ourselves and reducing our carbon footprint. 

We are always trying to find new ways to improve our Environmental Strategy and provide information on how to reduce your impact on the planet.

We also have our Vegan Starter Bundle, containing delicious meat flavoured sauces that are 100% vegan and some other best selling Skinny Food Co vegan products.