A health plate that keeps the planet healthy and fit
In its completely revised dossier "Sustainability and Quality of Organic Food", the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) explains what a global health plate should look like. It shows that already reducing the consumption of animal products by one third promotes individual health as well as the fitness of the planet. The publication also addresses other important aspects of sustainable organic food production and presents facts on the subject.
Demand for organic food has risen sharply in recent months - but how does organic food differ from conventionally produced food and what does this mean in terms of sustainability? Consumers ask themselves many questions about the food they consume. The FiBL dossier "Sustainability and Quality of Organic Food", which has been completely revised and is now in its third edition, can provide answers to some of these questions. It was published in July 2021 and provides numerous facts on the subject of nutrition. FiBL researchers have summarized the results of the underlying scientific studies in an easy-to-understand way in a clear publication, offering answers to socially relevant questions such as:
- How can fruits and vegetables be produced without synthetic pesticides?
- To what extent are organic foods healthier than conventional foods?
- What criteria are taken into account when choosing packaging for organic food to keep it environmentally friendly and free of harmful substances?
- How does organic farming support animal welfare and what new concepts are being developed to do so?
- What would a global health plate look like that keeps not only us, but also our planet healthy and fit?
The example health plate
One chapter of the dossier deals with the question of what a global health plate should look like that keeps not only us but also our planet healthy and fit. Using the example of the Planetary Health Diet, it is shown that this plate would have to consist of half fruit and vegetables; the other half whole grains, vegetable proteins such as beans, lentils and nuts, unsaturated vegetable oils, modest amounts of meat and dairy products, and some added sugar and starchy vegetables. It also shows what this health plate could mean for the Swiss food system.
"A modest amount of meat in Switzerland, for example, would mean simply omitting one or two out of three sausages," explains Ursula Kretzschmar, an expert in food quality and processing at FiBL Switzerland. The co-author of the new publication is pleased that it has been made even clearer and more attractive thanks to fresh graphics and visualizations.
She emphasizes: "The Health Plate is a vivid example of how important scientific results can be communicated. At the same time, the dossier offers an enormous breadth of facts. For example, it also answers the question of why ten times as many additives are permitted in conventional foods as in organic foods. Or shows that there is plastic packaging that is biodegradable - all in an easy-to-understand way."
Press release FiBL
Click here for the dossier Sustainability and quality of organic food
