Scientists have released a plan for a diet they say is perfect for both human beings and for the environment. While a great deal of diets focus on the health of the human body, not many factor in the environment where that food is made. Food production does create waste in the form of green house gases and garbage, all of which is inevitably absorbed by the environment.

Eating a sustainable diet could benefit your health and the planet.

The new diet doubles the amount of fruits and vegetables a person should eat and cuts the amount of meat and sugar in half. With the population expected to grow to 10 billion people by 2050, scientists have been scrambling for a way to feed that expected population in a way which is sustainable. But, many say a massive
change needs to occur in the eating habits of the people and in food production. For example, greenhouse emissions per gram of protein for beef and lamb are about 250 times those of legumes, pork, chicken, dairy, and fish, foods which create much lower emissions to produce.

Twenty servings of vegetables have lower emissions than one serving of beef. Fishing with trawlers, which are usually diesel powered vessels can emanate up too three times the emissions of fish caught by traditional methods. If this current trend continues unchecked, 2050 will have an 80 percent increase in global greenhouse gas emissions from food production. In addition, there will be a great deal of damage and destruction to the land as more is cleared out for food production. In addition, they found these diets will increase the prevalence of type II diabetes, coronary heart disease and some cancers.

Many chronic illnesses are linked to poor diets. And if a poor diet is not responsible for the chronic illness, a poor diet will only make it worse. Diabetes is one which can also lead to chronic kidney disease. Cardiovascular diseases are another as well as several types of cancer. In fact, current data shows unhealthy diets are responsible for more death and disease worldwide than unsafe sex, alcohol, drug and tobacco use combined. Scientists said, aside from preventing chronic disease more than 11 million premature deaths could be prevented each year, greenhouse gas emissions would be significantly reduced while more of the environment is preserved.

Generally speaking this would me a 50 percent cut in the consumption of red meat and sugar. Meanwhile, people should be eating nuts, fruits, vegetables and legumes at a rate of twice the current amount.