The Privilege of Plant-based Diets

The food that we eat has an environmental impact and this impact is based on the processes involved in the various levels of production of food. The lowest level of food production would be primary production, which is the growing of plants and raising of livestock. At this level, some food choices are impacted, and this is based on the energy and resources required to produce food and the pollution associated with their production.

Foods known to the energy-intensive and large contributors to pollution are foods produced by things high on the food chain, animals. Raising livestock requires large amounts of resources including fertilizer, irrigation water, land, and labour. The acquisition and use of these resources also have a high rate of emissions, especially if forest land or previously undisturbed environments are cleared for grazing land. [2]

Seafood is also of concern, particularly in terms of overfishing which impacts ocean ecosystems. Fishing fleets also rely heavily on fossil fuels. Other foods with large environmental footprints include highly processed foods and imported foods for their associated emissions because of processing and transport. [2]

When aware of all the environmental effects of agriculture, it is clear that the consumer could play a role in reducing emissions by making more conscious food choices. From this stems the choice to avoid foods with great ecological implications and to eat plant-based diets.

The plant-based diets with the lowest environmental impact are vegan and vegetarian diets. This conclusion was reached through a study by Springmann et al. (2018) which took into consideration the footprints of agricultural activities such as fresh water use and nitrogen and phosphorus (fertilizer) application. The greenhouse emissions and crop land use associated with production of food within the diet also impacted the ranking achieved.

Due to their known low environmental impact, plant-based diets have become more popular, however, there are some disadvantages to adopting these diets, mainly concerning cost. Vegan products are known to be difficult to access and are often expensive in comparison to less healthy and less environmentally-friendly options. [4]

The switch to vegan or vegetarian food systems in low-income countries could pose a larger threat to food security as these will require increased resources [6]. For countries like South Africa, with limited soil availability and water resources [5], vegan and vegetarian food systems seem far from sustainable.

Although, production of livestock is clearly not environmentally friendly, it is a practical option in South Africa due to its minimum level of land use and the ease with which meat products can be accessed by majority of the population. [5; 3]

With minimum wage set at around R3 500 per month [1] and the estimated cost of a healthy, non-vegan diet at R2 524, it is impractical to expect majority of the population to safely make the switch to a plant-based diet [5].

Long term vegan diets require close monitoring of nutrient intake, specifically protein. Most South Africans obtain their protein from meat, largely processed. The consumption of these processed foods has already sent a third of South African population into food insecurity due to malnutrition, while a quarter of the population go to bed hungry. [5]

It is evident that South African issues with food security surpass the realm of diet choice. Priority should be given to feeding every South African before being concerned with the contents of our plates. Adopting a plant-based diet would remain an optimal choice, however, it is important to be conscious of the realities of most South Africans before shaming or judging people for their food choices.

Live green, see green

Shannon

References

1. Expatica. (2021). Minimum wage in South Africa: how much should you earn? Expatica [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.expatica.com/za/working/employment-law/minimum-wage-in-south-africa-982321/ (Accessed 04/08/2021).

2. Grobbel, K. (2016). How Food Choices Affect the Environment. Gordon Food Service [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.gfs.com/en-us/ideas/how-food-choices-affect-environment (Accessed 03/08/2021).

3. Hlatshaneni, S. (2018). The cost behind not going vegan in SA. The Citizen [ONLINE] Available from: https://citizen.co.za/news/opinion/2201801/the-cost-issue-behind-not-going-vegan-in-sa/ (Accessed 04/08/2021).

4. Lawler, M. (2019). How the 11 Popular Diets Affect the Environment. Everyday Health [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/best-worst-diet-plans-environment/ (Accessed 03/08/2021).

5. Snyman, A. (2019). The good, the bad and the vegan. Mail & Guardian [ONLINE] Available from: https://mg.co.za/article/2019-12-13-00-the-good-the-bad-and-the-vegan/ (Accessed 03/08/2021).

6. Springmann, M., Wiebe, K., Mason-D’Croz, D., Susler, T. B., Rayner, M. and Scarborough, P. (2018). Health and nutritional aspects of sustainable diet strategies and their association with environmental impacts: modelling analysis with country-level detail. Lancet Plant Health, 2: e451-61.