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The potential of future foods for sustainable and healthy diets

Author

Listed:
  • A. Parodi

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • A. Leip

    (Joint Research Centre)

  • I. J. M. Boer

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • P. M. Slegers

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • F. Ziegler

    (RISE Research Institutes of Sweden)

  • E. H. M. Temme

    (National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM))

  • M. Herrero

    (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO))

  • H. Tuomisto

    (University of Helsinki
    University of Helsinki
    Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke))

  • H. Valin

    (International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis)

  • C. E. Middelaar

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • J. J. A. Loon

    (Wageningen University & Research)

  • H. H. E. Zanten

    (Wageningen University & Research)

Abstract

Altering diets is increasingly acknowledged as an important solution to feed the world’s growing population within the planetary boundaries. In our search for a planet-friendly diet, the main focus has been on eating more plant-source foods, and eating no or less animal-source foods, while the potential of future foods, such as insects, seaweed or cultured meat has been underexplored. Here we show that compared to current animal-source foods, future foods have major environmental benefits while safeguarding the intake of essential micronutrients. The complete array of essential nutrients in the mixture of future foods makes them good-quality alternatives for current animal-source foods compared to plant-source foods. Moreover, future foods are land-efficient alternatives for animal-source foods, and if produced with renewable energy, they also offer greenhouse gas benefits. Further research on nutrient bioavailability and digestibility, food safety, production costs and consumer acceptance will determine their role as main food sources in future diets.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Parodi & A. Leip & I. J. M. Boer & P. M. Slegers & F. Ziegler & E. H. M. Temme & M. Herrero & H. Tuomisto & H. Valin & C. E. Middelaar & J. J. A. Loon & H. H. E. Zanten, 2018. "The potential of future foods for sustainable and healthy diets," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(12), pages 782-789, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:1:y:2018:i:12:d:10.1038_s41893-018-0189-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0189-7
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Marta Kozicka & Petr Havlík & Hugo Valin & Eva Wollenberg & Andre Deppermann & David Leclère & Pekka Lauri & Rebekah Moses & Esther Boere & Stefan Frank & Chris Davis & Esther Park & Noel Gurwick, 2023. "Feeding climate and biodiversity goals with novel plant-based meat and milk alternatives," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Paul Fesenfeld, Lukas & Maier, Maiken & Brazzola, Nicoletta & Stolz, Niklas & Sun, Yixian & Kachi, Aya, 2023. "How information, social norms, and experience with novel meat substitutes can create positive political feedback and demand-side policy change," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Rachel Mazac & Hanna L. Tuomisto, 2020. "The Post-Anthropocene Diet: Navigating Future Diets for Sustainable Food Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-15, March.
    4. Yue Wang & Imke J. M. Boer & U. Martin Persson & Raimon Ripoll-Bosch & Christel Cederberg & Pierre J. Gerber & Pete Smith & Corina E. Middelaar, 2023. "Risk to rely on soil carbon sequestration to offset global ruminant emissions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    5. Ken E. Giller & Thomas Delaune & João Vasco Silva & Katrien Descheemaeker & Gerrie Ven & Antonius G.T. Schut & Mark Wijk & James Hammond & Zvi Hochman & Godfrey Taulya & Regis Chikowo & Sudha Narayana, 2021. "The future of farming: Who will produce our food?," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 13(5), pages 1073-1099, October.
    6. Elias Ganivet, 2020. "Growth in human population and consumption both need to be addressed to reach an ecologically sustainable future," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 4979-4998, August.

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