Ask Dr. Etingin: Planetary Health Diet; Resveratrol
What is the Planetary Health Diet?
The Planetary Health Diet (PHD) is a dietary plan that is equally healthy for humans as well as for the planet. It combines healthy eating with sustainability and comes from a yearlong study conducted by the EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health.
Scientists predict that if we stay on our current trajectory, the amount of people who will need to be fed (10 billion) will eventually outpace the amount of food available to feed everyone (called food insecurity). The Commission’s report suggests that if the G20 (the 20 largest countries that account for 90 percent of manufacturing production and 75 percent of the population) live on a primarily plant-based diet and produce healthful foods sustainably, we can feed the world, improve health, save lives, lower the planet’s temperature, and repair environmental damage.
The PHD is based on 2,500 calories a day, with half your plate consisting of non-starchy fruits and vegetables. Of the other half, one-third should be whole grains. In the remaining half, two-thirds should be plant proteins and unsaturated plant oils, with the remaining one-third allotted for minimal amounts of animal proteins, starchy vegetables, dairy foods, and added sugars.
The PHD requires a significant reduction in meat consumption—just 28 grams a day are recommended. Right now, meat consumption is at 500 percent above the optimal intake level, according to the Commission’s standards. Also, consumption of nuts, fruits, legumes, vegetables, and fish are currently below optimal intake levels and should be increased.
For mores information on the Planetary Health Diet, go to page 17 of the EAT-Lancet Commission report at https://bit.ly/3fFytzA.
I want the benefits of resveratrol, but I don’t drink red wine. Are there any other healthy options?
Absolutely. Resveratrol, a polyphenol, is an antioxidant (disease fighter) that can be found in the skin of red grapes and dark grape juice. Other foods that have small amounts of resveratrol include peanuts and peanut butter, pistachios, cocoa, dark chocolate, and berries, such as blueberries, bilberries, and cranberries.
Resveratrol helps protect the heart and circulation. It has been linked with lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and helps prevent clots that can lead to heart attack and stroke. It also helps protect skin from inflammatory properties and gives it a healthy glow.
In laboratory testing, resveratrol has been linked with eliminating free radicals (damaging cells), lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, and curing certain cancers, but those results have not yet been proven in humans.
Resveratrol is best consumed from food, as studies have shown that supplements have low bioavailability (absorption). And if you don’t drink, it is not recommended that you start for the resveratrol, as you can get these nutrients elsewhere.
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