External research notice: This article summarises third-party nutrition research published at the time. Any statements about health or environmental impacts relate to the cited research and do not constitute claims about every Ingredient Solutions product.
This article summarises a review published in the Nutrition Bulletin concerning the relationship between dairy foods, nutrition and environmental impact. The findings and conclusions described below belong to the authors of that research.
The review discussed the challenge of balancing nutritional requirements with environmental considerations across the food system. It examined a range of environmental indicators, including greenhouse-gas emissions, land use, water use, nitrogen and phosphorus use.
The authors noted that environmental results can vary significantly according to the food product, production system, geographical location and assessment method used.
The review considered the possible effects of replacing dairy foods with alternative products. It reported that nutritional outcomes and environmental results can vary depending on the substitute selected, its nutrient profile and the environmental indicators being measured.
The review also examined foods outside core dietary recommendations and discussed their contribution to energy intake, land use and greenhouse-gas emissions. These findings relate to the research methodology used in the cited study.
The authors concluded that dietary recommendations should consider both nutritional adequacy and environmental impact. They also highlighted the importance of using appropriate modelling and product-level evidence when comparing different dietary patterns.
When sustainability is the central issue of dietary recommendations the diet that is generated is so different from the current diet of higher-income nations that it is unlikely to be adopted. Nutrient bioavailability is also unlikely to be considered as a factor. Bioavailability is typically superior in animal-derived foods compared to some plant-derived foods. A Dutch optimisation study found that it was possible to derive diets with 50% lower Greenhouse emissions and reduced cost while meeting nutrient recommendations.
The report recommended that future dietary and environmental assessments should consider the following points:
- More analysis of the environmental impact at a micro level within food groups should be considered.
- Food systems and diet need to be considered at a local level as well as at a global level
- The bioavailability of essential nutrients should be considered, particularly in terms of dairy foods.
- Proposed dietary changes should be achievable and easy for the general population to adopt.
- Analysis of the food systems in more detail should be completed, e.g. frozen vegetables create less waste and preserve nutrients but processing, packaging and refrigeration has negative environmental impact
- Non-core foods should be included in dietary assessments.
This article summarises external research and does not provide medical, nutritional or environmental advice. It does not constitute a health or environmental claim about Ingredient Solutions or its individual products.
