Sustainable diets are defined as diets that contribute to the good nutritional status and long-term health of the individual and society
while at the same time having a low environmental impact
. Therefore, this definition includes healthy eating that focuses on both individuals' dietary intake and
health outcomes; and an environmental sustainability perspective that encompasses all environmental, food production, economic and social
dimensions.
Additionally, sustainable diets must be culturally acceptable, ideally based on local
foods and must be based on ingredients and be accessible to most people
in accordance with the term “food and nutrition safety”. Accordingly, a SHARP diet concept has been proposed to make sustainable diets functional:
1. Environmentally Sustainable (S),
2. Healthy (H),
3. Appropriate Affordable (A; accessible to consumers but also supports the agri-food sector
),
4. Reliable (R; stable and safe)
5. and Preferable (P; cultural norms and
This concept would be compatible with the broader definition of sustainability
, including nutritional, social, ecological and economic dimensions.
well-known dietary patterns that have been widely shown to be associated with
or lower mortality and risk of
non-communicable diseases;
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), Mediterranean diet, Scandinavian
diets, and Vegetarian
The DASH diet is characterized by mostly plant-based foods, with some animal products with an emphasis on low-fat and non-fat dairy products. The Mediterranean and Scandinavian diets
have a common theme of
combining traditional dietary patterns prevailing in the Mediterranean and Scandinavian countries, respectively, and therefore emphasize
locally produced foods. This diet emphasizes eating lots of fresh
fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds and nuts, while limiting consumption of red meat, sugary drinks and sodium. Nutritionally balanced, fiber-rich n high and
low in saturated fat.
The concept of the Mediterranean diet was developed in the early 1960s to reflect the
typical dietary habits followed by those living in the Mediterranean basin, and it is based on the fact that plant-based foods are high
consumption and low consumption of foods of animal origin and
moderate amounts of alcohol. This diet emphasizes eating plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts) and vegetable (olive) oils. High in dietary fat
(mostly monounsaturated), moderate in fish and poultry, and low in
red meat.
The Scandinavian diet was established in 2004 with a strong focus on health and ethical production. was developed as an innovative approach to traditional foods. This diet is also characterized by a high
consumption of plant-based foods, whole grains, nuts, dairy products, fish, shellfish
seafood, and free-range livestock and game. In general, both Mediterranean and Scandinavian diets are considered
prototypes of the healthy regional omnivorous diet that takes into account health, taste, food culture and the environment. This diet emphasizes whole, local, seasonal foods with lots of fruit, vegetables, fish, other lean proteins and whole grains. Fruits,
fruits, vegetables, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, rye
bread, fish, seafood, low-fat dairy products, herbs, spices and rapeseed (canola)
rich in oil; moderate in game meats, free-range eggs, cheese and yogurt; and
other red meats and animal fats are low in added sugars, processed meats, food additives, and
refined fast foods.
Vegetarian diets contain no meat but exclude all foods of animal origin Unlike vegan
diets, it may contain dairy products and eggs. Recently, the EAT-Lancet
Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems has recommended that flexible vegetarian, pescatarian,
vegetarian and defined different energy-balanced plant-based diet patterns, including vegan
. A vegetarian diet includes grains, vegetables, fruits, sugars, fats, eggs (ovo-
vegetarian) and dairy products (lacto-vegetarian). Meat-based protein sources are replaced with a mix of plant-based
proteins (legumes), fruits and vegetables. The pescatarian diet is similar to the lacto-ovo-vegetarian one with the addition of fish
and seafood. The vegan diet, on the other hand, excludes all
protein sources of animal origin.
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