'India's Sustainable Eating Habits Could Save The Planet', Says WWF

India- considered one of the most populous countries in the world highlights the unique food practices and rich delicacies found throughout the country. According to a recent report released by WWF aka World Wildlife Fund or World-Wide Fund for Nature, Indian food habits or consumption patterns are climate-friendly that can support food production by 2050. The report states that India’s diet is believed to be the least harmful to the environment and if all the countries across the globe started adopting the food pattern followed by India, the world would require less than one Earth to support food production by 2050, making it a great model for sustainability.Also Read: India’s food culture is gaining global attention and the report reveals the traditional eating habits of India are believed to be a glimmer of hope. Studies increasingly showcase that our current food systems are straining the planet’s resources. The study suggested that Indian eating practices could keep global warming within the 1.5° Celsius limit. The report mentioned that “Any gains from more sustainable food production will count for little if we don’t also address food consumption. If everyone in the world adopted the current food consumption patterns of the world’s major economies by 2050, we exceed the 1.5°C climate target for food-related greenhouse gas emissions by 263%. There are also compelling public health reasons to address unsustainable diets.”

The Ray of Hope- ‘Millet’The report also highlighted India’s initiative to encourage climate-resistant millets into the diet. Well, who doesn’t know about the health benefits of the ancient grain, people are incorporating the ‘poor man’s diet’ aka millet into their diets for improved lifestyle. Crediting India’s National millet campaign, WWF talked about how promoting traditional foods can achieve healthy and nutritious diets. “In some countries, promoting traditional foods will be an important lever to shift diets.”

People are being cautioned to fix their eating habits since the overconsumption of fats and sugars is driving a worldwide obesity epidemic where more than 2.5 billion adults are overweight, including 890 million living with obesity.Also Read: It elaborated, “It’s possible to provide a growing global population with enough nutritious, healthy food – but it will require different dietary shifts depending on current levels of nutrition and consumption. For developed countries, dietary shifts need to include a greater proportion of plant-based foods and fewer animal products. At the same time, for countries facing significant burdens of undernutrition, hunger and food insecurity, achieving nutritious diets may require increasing consumption, including of animal-source foods.” As the world grapples with climate change, keeping resources in mind, it is important to add alternative sources like legumes, and plant-based meat and reducing greenhouse gas emissions can help promote sustainability.