[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]A new study reveals that a shift toward plant-based vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets can deliver a quadruple threat of benefits — lower agricultural emissions, less air pollution, more economic activity and fewer premature deaths.
Of course, a
plant-based diet can be better for your body, too.
The
study, published in October 2023 by the journal Nature Communications, outlines the “major public and environmental health challenge” posted by air pollution. Researchers called out the global food system as a major source of air pollution, most of which is tied to the production of animal foods.
“Improving air quality is undoubtedly beneficial for our health and the economy. We argue that dietary changes should thus be placed firmly on the policy menu,” co-authors Marco Springmann and Toon Vandyck wrote in an
article published by The Conversation.
“Embracing more plant-based diets is a cost-effective strategy for tackling emissions,” they added. “But it also lowers the need for expensive investments in emission-reducing equipment for livestock systems, such as scrubbers that remove ammonia from the air.”
Health & Environmental Benefits of a Vegan Diet
According to the study, here are four areas where reducing or eliminating animal products in your diet can generate health and economic benefits.
1. Agricultural advantages
A switch to more plant-based diets has a “substantial impact” on harmful emissions from farming, the study indicates. Livestock production constitutes the bulk of food-related emissions, with animal foods causing up to 1,000 times the emissions as plant-based foods.
But as the study shows, reduced consumption of animal foods could yield massive global benefits:
- 84% to 86% decline in agricultural emissions due to adoption of vegan diets.
- 69% to 70% decline in agricultural emissions due to adoption of vegetarian diets
- 44% to 48% decline in agricultural emissions due to adoption of flexitarian diets.
2. Cleaner air
The presence of two components of
air pollution — particulate matter and ozone — goes down thanks to plant-based diets, the study says. Particulate matter consists of tiny solids or liquids in the air that be inhaled and trigger health problems.
For particulate matter, global exposure decreases:
For ozone, global exposure decreases:
- 4% for vegan diets
- 3% for vegetarian diets
- 2% for flexitarian diets
3. Beefed-up economic benefits
The authors also determined that turning to more plant-based diets could boost global economic output by 0.5% to 1.1%, resulting in billions or even trillions of additional dollars being pumped into the economy.
The study indicates that improvements in air quality could lift labor productivity, which affects economic activity. Adoption of vegan diets could correspond to up to $3 trillion more in global GDP (gross domestic product, a measure of economic success) in 2023, according to the study, with flexitarian and vegetarian diets each accounting for as much as an additional $1.1 trillion in global GDP.
4. Fewer premature deaths
Perhaps the most stark benefit of an increase in plant-based diets, according to the study, is the reduction of premature deaths. The study estimates that this diet swing could prevent as many as 236,000 premature deaths. This includes up to 21,000 premature deaths in North America.
The study’s authors calculated that vegan diets could avoid as many as 236,000 deaths; vegetarian diets, up to 188,000 deaths; and
flexitarian diets, as many as 108,000 deaths. They said that agriculture-intensive, high-population regions like North America and Europe could gain the most in terms of a decrease in air pollution spurred by embracing plant-based diets.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="172792" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1707518146925{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/attitude-natural-air-purifier-pink-grapefruit"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="172789" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1707518167738{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/now-essential-oils-clear-the-air-purifying-blend"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="172791" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1707518186068{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/attitude-natural-air-purifier-green-apple-and-basil"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
