Diet: plant-based proteins for a positive impact

Proteins are one of the pillars of our diet, essential for our daily energy intake. Furthermore, they contribute to the proper functioning and building of muscle and bone tissues while ensuring the proper functioning of our immune system. Whether we are athletes or not, proteins are crucial and are present in a huge number of foods. To consume them in an eco-responsible way, let's put meat aside and look into plant-based alternatives, which are much less harmful to the planet.

Habits Bound to Change 

Nowadays, we are increasingly aware of the dramatic consequences of our meat consumption. Among them are significant greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, animal cruelty, etc. Indeed, the CO2 emissions generated by animal farming are immense. Livestock farming alone is said to be responsible for 14.5% of greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, over the past fifty years, meat consumption has continued to increase in households, with North America seeing the highest growth. Following this trend, we observe that beef and lamb are the two animals that emit the most CO2, at nearly 75%. Conversely, we find pork and chicken, which are responsible for 9.50% and 8.70% of GHG emissions respectively. However (and fortunately), it is these latter two animals that are consumed the most, leaving cattle in third position. Cost factors and purchasing power naturally come into play. 

Despite this general awareness, the curve continues to rise (at least until 2014, the date of the study available here). However, we must not stop our efforts and must continue to change our consumption habits. Because change, even when we are aware of it, is harder to implement when it disrupts our habits...