What’s the Maximum Amount of Meat for a Sustainable Diet?

You can enjoy a healthy and sustainable diet without completely eliminating meat. Recent research.

Scientists at the Denmark Institute of Technology have analyzed 2,500 foods and concluded that consuming less than 255g of pork or chicken weekly is beneficial for both the environment and your health.

“We understand that the planet faces significant environmental challenges, while millions are dealing with hunger and malnutrition,” stated Dr. Caroline Helev Guevara from the University of Technology, Denmark, who led the research. BBC Science Focus.

“While there’s a strong emphasis on increasing plant-based food consumption, it’s still uncertain how much of it is necessary and whether these changes can truly have a positive impact.”

The team led by Guevara examined 11 different diets, including options with red or white meat, pescetarian, vegetarian, vegan, and various flexible diets, to determine if they were “sufficient.”

They formulated thousands of food combinations within these dietary patterns, evaluating both their nutritional value and environmental impact.

Environmental effects were assessed in five key areas: carbon dioxide emissions, land use, water consumption, biodiversity loss, and fertilizer-contaminated water.

The findings revealed that it is possible to nourish the global population healthily without excessively harming the planet, with a variety of dietary choices available.

“We possess enough resources to provide healthy, nutritious foods to the global populace without surpassing environmental limits,” said Guevara. “This is promising news.”

The research identified around 100,000 healthy and sustainable food combinations. While vegan and vegetarian diets showed the greatest benefits, those including less than 255g of pork and chicken were also feasible—equivalent to two chicken breasts or one large pork chop.

The only option that was entirely off the table was lean meat, as it was deemed less viable due to its higher environmental impact relative to the nutrition it delivers.

“Producing lean meat generates more greenhouse gas emissions (mainly methane) than poultry and pork, mainly due to how ruminants digest their food.”

However, although such diets are feasible, their practical implementation may pose challenges.

“A significant shift in our food consumption habits is essential right now,” Guevara noted. “Our research focuses on what can physically be done, not what is socially or economically accessible. Structural changes are necessary to turn these sustainable diets into reality.”

About our experts

Caroline Helev Guevara is a postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Environmental Resources Engineering, University of Technology, Denmark. She investigates the impact of human activities and industries on the environment.

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