What’s the Best Diet for the Climate?

What does your dinner have to do with the climate crisis? In this episode of Your Diet Sucks, Zoë Rom and Kylee Van Horn dive into the links between diet, climate change, and athletic performance. From beef’s massive carbon footprint to the never-ending debate of almond milk vs. oat milk, we break down what really matters for runners, endurance athletes, and anyone who wants to fuel well without wrecking the planet.

We dig into the history of meat, dairy, and industrial agriculture, uncover why food waste is one of the biggest hidden drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, and ask whether so-called “grass-fed” beef or “sustainable seafood” actually live up to the hype. Along the way, we unpack the politics behind U.S. dietary guidelines, expose the oil industry’s role in popularizing the carbon footprint myth, and even laugh about why Fox News insists that “burgers are freedom.”

Spoiler: we’re not here to take away your mozzarella or your post-run burrito. We’re here to cut through the diet-culture guilt trips, bring the best nutrition and sustainability science to the table, and show how small, realistic food choices—especially by athletes—can add up to big climate wins.

References

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Springmann, M., Clark, M., Mason-D’Croz, D., Wiebe, K., Bodirsky, B. L., Lassaletta, L., … Willett, W. (2018). Options for keeping the food system within environmental limits. Nature, 562(7728), 519–525. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0594-0

Stehfest, E., Bouwman, L., van Vuuren, D. P., den Elzen, M. G. J., Eickhout, B., & Kabat, P. (2009). Climate benefits of changing diet. Climatic Change, 95(1), 83–102. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-008-9534-6

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Reports & Organizations

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). (2006). Livestock’s long shadow: Environmental issues and options. Rome: FAO. https://www.fao.org/agriculture/animal-production-and-health/en/

Seafood Watch. (2021). Seafood Watch: Sustainable seafood recommendations. Monterey Bay Aquarium. https://www.seafoodwatch.org/

Sustainable Fisheries UW. (2019). How many fisheries are overfished? University of Washington. https://sustainablefisheries-uw.org/how-many-fisheries-are-overfished/

World Resources Institute. (2019). Improving productivity and environmental performance of aquaculture. World Resources Institute. https://www.wri.org/research/improving-productivity-and-environmental-performance-aquaculture

News / Media Sources

Belluck, P. (2019, March 8). Hamburgers, cows and climate change: The politics of the Green New Deal. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/08/climate/hamburgers-cows-green-new-deal.html

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Plumer, B. (2019, February 6). Congress holds first climate change hearings in years. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/06/climate/congress-climate-hearings.html

The New York Times. (2021). Expiration dates explained: What do “best by,” “sell by,” and “use by” really mean? https://www.nytimes.com/article/expiration-dates.html

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U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service. (2015). Food product dating. Washington, DC: FSIS. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/food-product-dating