In light of the current global shift toward a more environmentally friendly, natural, healthy, and equitable food system for the future, plants are essential for human survival. People are embracing plant-based diets for several ethical and moral reasons, including health, sustainability, climate change and animal welfare (World Health Organization Europe, 2021).

There is a wide variety of diets that fall under the umbrella term "plant-based" diet, all of which place more emphasis on plant-based meals and limited or eliminated consumption of animal products. These diets are often considered to be meatless, however not all vegetarian diets need to exclude meats (Evtuch et al., 2016). A plant-based diet contains a lot of plant foods in their whole, unprocessed form, such as vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and small amounts of healthy fats.

Some common vegetarian diets are;

• Vegan where all animal products, including meat, dairy, fish, eggs, and (usually) honey, are eliminated from the diet.
• Lacto-vegetarian diet typically includes dairy items such as milk, cheese, yoghurt, and butter but do not permit any form of meat, fish, fowl, or eggs.
• Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets contain dairy and eggs but exclude meat and fish.
• Ovo-vegetarian diets omit dairy products, meat, poultry, and seafood, but allow eggs.
• Pesco-vegetarian (pescatarian) diets include dairy, eggs, and fish but exclude other kinds of meat.
• Semi-vegetarian (flexitarian) diets are primarily vegetarian, with occasional or limited amounts of meat, dairy, eggs, poultry, and fish.

One of the primary benefits of a plant-based diet is that it is generally considered to be rich in a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, fiber, and phytochemicals. In the United Nations' National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data analysis, vegetarians consumed more fiber, vitamins A, C, and E, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, calcium, and magnesium than non-vegetarians. According to this research, vegetarian diets are nutrient-dense, in line with dietary guidelines, and may be advised for weight management without sacrificing diet quality (Palmer, 2014).

Concerns have been raised, however, regarding the nutritional adequacy of these diets, particularly vegan diets which forgo any animal products. Consequently, individuals who consume a vegan diet need to be mindful of the risk of potential micronutrient deficiencies. Concerns about consuming adequate protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, iron, zinc, iodine, and vitamins B12 and D, which are often obtained from animal products, are common among vegetarians and vegans. Although some micronutrient absorption and availability (such as iron, vitamin A, and zinc) may be lower in plant than animal foods, a well-planned vegan diet that incorporates a wide variety of plant foods can still ensure that the body receives the nutrients it needs (Melina et al., 2016).

Additionally, it has been shown that adopting a plant-based diet lowers the risk of premature mortality and lowers the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to WHO (2021), NCDs account for 71% of all premature deaths worldwide (41 million deaths per year). Among these, the four most prevalent NCDs account for 80% of deaths, with cardiovascular diseases accounting for 17.9 million of them, followed by cancer (9 million), chronic respiratory illnesses (3.9 million), and diabetes mellitus (1.6 million).

The environmental impact of a high intake of foods derived from animals, such as meat and dairy products, as well as its effects on human health, are all factors that are mitigated by a plant-based diet. To a lesser extent, greenhouse gas emissions are produced by the manufacturers of plant-based foods as opposed to animal-based ones. When compared over the last 50 years, modern diets feature a far higher consumption of animal-based foods. Indeed, by 2050, humans will consume 40% of daily calories from animal-based products (from a baseline of 36% in 2010), according to UN-Food and Agriculture Organization data gathered by the World Resources Institute in their study on Creating a Sustainable Food Future (Searchinger et al., 2019).

The adoption of a plant-based diet could also contribute to the economic well-being and a sustainable food system. Plant-based meals are frequently produced at a lower cost than meat and dairy products due to their nature; primarily because they are typically grown specifically for human consumption. Red meat, whether in its natural and processed forms, is consistently linked to the highest increases in disease risk and has the most detrimental effects on the environment, which produces the most greenhouse gas emissions. Reduced consumption of unprocessed and processed red meat therefore has positive effects on both human and planetary health. (CMU BSND OJT Joyce Vanessa E. Navaja / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 09631090198)

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 VEGETARIAN DIETS. UC Davis Department of Nutrition.

Farmer B, Larson BT, Fulgoni VL 3rd, Rainville AJ, Liepa GU. A vegetarian dietary pattern

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Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999-2004. J Am Diet Assoc.

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Melina V, Craig W, Levin S. (2016). Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics:

vegetarian diets. J Acad Nutr Diet.;116(12):1970–80. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2016.09.025.

Palmer, S. (2014). Nutrients of Concern for Individuals Following a Plant-Based Diet. Today’s

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