27 February 2023

McKinsey & Company completed a survey last October to find out if consumers were continuing a pandemic trend of conscious eating.  They found that interest in health (70%) outweighs interest in sustainability (which is often dependent upon convenience) when it comes to food decisions.

Half of all consumers surveyed (US, France, Germany, UK) reported that the pandemic changed the way they eat and one in six made major changes!  Despite their desire to do better, nearly half of consumers admit confusion on choices of health and sustainability.

Despite what the media would have you believe, dietary recommendations for health have changed very little over the years; it’s the food supply that has evolved (or some might argue, “devolved”).  

Here are my top 3 tips universally beneficial to humans and our habitat:

• Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and whole grains.  The proportion of each depends on your starting point and specific health needs (consult an RDN), but plant foods remain the key to food as medicine, while also being the most efficient way to produce calories.
• Choose whole foods as much as possible.  Every level of processing is an opportunity for food manufacturers to waste energy to add stuff we don’t want in our food (and don’t forget the plastic packaging).
• Consume appropriate calories.  If you follow the steps above (whole foods and plant based), this becomes automatic.  Natural plant foods contain fiber and micronutrients that enable our body to recognize satiety.

Whether you're concerned about personal health or the planet, I’m of the opinion (and science confirms this) that we are all seeking positive steps we can take.  Nobody wants to hear what they shouldn’t be eating. The EAT-Lancet Report concluded that food is the single strongest lever to optimize human health and environmental sustainability on Earth. Dietary choices which are good for our health happen to be climate action we all can do; if that’s not convenient, I don’t know what is.

Stay healthy, eat well!