Earth Day 2025: 10 health and environmental benefits of sustainable diets

Diet guide: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts is linked to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers (Image: Canva)

Earth Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness about environmental protection and create awareness to safeguard the planet. While tree planting and recycling often take the spotlight, one of the most powerful ways you can contribute to a healthier Earth is through what you eat.

Shifting to a sustainable diet, one rich in plants and low in red meat and processed foods, may support planetary health, and also boost personal well-being. According to a study in PubMed, food production accounts for more than 25 percent of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At the same time, unhealthy diets high in processed meat, refined carbs, and added sugar are fueling rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. However, the same dietary changes that improve human health can also help fight climate change.

Here are 10  health and environmental benefits of eating sustainably:

• Lowers risk of chronic diseases: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts is linked to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

Diet tips: Plant-based diets are often lower in calories and rich in fiber, helping people maintain healthier body weights and reduce obesity risk (Image: Canva)

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions: Transitioning to plant-based diets can cut food-related GHG emissions by 29–70 percent, according to studies published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) and The Lancet.

• Increases lifespan: People who follow vegetarian or semi-vegetarian diets have lower mortality rates. Even reducing meat consumption by small amounts daily can help lower early death risk.

• Conserves land and water resources: Meat and dairy production require far more land, energy, and water than plant-based alternatives. Adopting plant-rich diets eases pressure on these limited resources.

• Cuts air and water pollution: Animal agriculture produces significant waste, which pollutes air and water sources. A shift towards plants reduces harmful emissions.

• Helps maintain a healthy weight: Plant-based diets are often lower in calories and rich in fiber, helping people maintain healthier body weights and reduce obesity risk.

• Prevents premature deaths: A global transition to sustainable diets could prevent up to 11 million premature deaths per year, according to the Global Burden of Disease study.

• Reduces carbon footprint: Consuming less meat can drastically reduce a person's lifetime carbon footprint, helping combat climate change.

• Supports sustainable food systems: Sustainable diets contribute to resilient agricultural systems that can better withstand climate shocks and feed growing populations.

• Aligns with global health code: The EAT–Lancet Commission recommends dietary patterns that are both healthy and sustainable, offering a roadmap for global health and environmental sustainability.