Environmental Metrics of World Cuisine Recipes' Plant-Based Substitutes: Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Water Footprint, and Land Use

Introduction/Objective: Evidence has shown that consuming plant-based foods instead of animal-based foods has positive effects on human and planet health. The current study aimed to compare animal-based recipes (ABRs) and plant-based recipes (PBRs) nutritionally and environmentally. Methods: Plant-based recipes (adapted from animal-based recipes) were obtained from the “Vegan Nutrition with Healthy and Delicious Recipes” book for inclusion in this study. Nutrient components, including energy content, energy density (ED), macro and micronutrient profiles, such as environmental metrics, which are greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE), water footprint (WF), and land use (LU), were calculated and compared between animal-based and plant-based recipes. Results: While dietary fiber and insoluble fiber were higher, protein, total fat, saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, vitamin B12, and zinc contents were lower in PBRs, compared to ABRs. With exceptions (magnolia, muffins, and vegan souffle), medians GHGS, WF, and LU of PBRs were lower than those of ABRs. Plant-based hamburgers and meatballs, whose main ingredients were fresh vegetables, had the lowest environmental impact. Conclusion: It is well known that human diet and food choices are among the main components that contribute to environmental impact. Although the ecological footprints of foods and recipes are essential in the diet, their nutrient densities should not be overlooked. Enriching the nutritional values of the foods used in PBRs may improve their dietary values. In addition, it should also be forgotten that using high amounts of non-nutritious foods, such as sugar, in PBRs due to their low ecological impact is incorrect.