MeatOut Day

Environmental research shows that any reduction in high-impact animal products, especially beef and lamb, lowers a person’s food-related greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use.

Studies comparing dietary patterns find that people who follow “low meat” or flexitarian diets already have substantially smaller environmental footprints than those eating typical meat-heavy Western diets, while fully vegetarian and vegan diets tend to have the lowest impacts overall.

This means that shifting along a spectrum, even without going completely vegan, still provides meaningful environmental benefits.  

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and suitable for all stages of life, and may provide health benefits for prevention and treatment of certain diseases.

Similar positions from organizations such as the British Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada emphasize that plant-based eating can meet nutritional needs when it includes a variety of foods and attention to key nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, iodine, and omega‑3 fats.  

When people reduce or remove meat, dietitians typically highlight protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, iodine, calcium, vitamin D, and omega‑3 fatty acids as nutrients to plan for.

These can come from combinations of legumes, soy products, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fortified plant milks and cereals, and, in many cases, fortified foods or supplements for B12 and sometimes vitamin D or iodine.

Health authorities recommend focusing on overall dietary pattern rather than a single food, making sure that plant-based meals are varied and include some reliably fortified products.  

Health outcomes depend on overall diet quality, not just whether someone eats meat.

Large cohort studies show that plant-based patterns rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts are linked with lower risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, but “plant-based” diets that rely heavily on refined grains, sugary drinks, and ultra-processed foods do not show the same benefits.

Similarly, small amounts of lean meats or fish within a generally healthy, minimally processed diet can fit within patterns that support good health.  

Analyses from climate and agriculture agencies find that livestock supply chains account for a notable share of global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane from ruminants and nitrous oxide from manure and feed production.

Animal-based foods, especially beef and lamb, tend to require more land and resources and generate more emissions per gram of protein than plant-based sources like beans, peas, and soy.

Shifting some protein intake from ruminant meat to plant proteins or lower-impact animal foods generally lowers a person’s dietary climate impact.  

Research into flexitarian and “low meat” patterns finds that people who intentionally limit meat intake, even without eliminating it, usually consume more fiber-rich plant foods and less saturated fat than those with unrestricted meat-heavy diets.

Environmental modeling also shows that moderate reductions in red and processed meat, replaced with legumes, grains, and vegetables, can significantly cut diet-related greenhouse gas emissions and improve population health outcomes, particularly with respect to heart disease and colorectal cancer risk.  

Patterns of plant-based eating vary widely by culture. In parts of South Asia, many Hindu, Jain, and some Buddhist communities have long traditions of vegetarian diets centered on lentils, dairy, grains, and vegetables.

Mediterranean and East Asian food cultures often emphasize vegetables, legumes, and modest portions of animal products rather than complete exclusion.

In contrast, many high-income Western countries historically built diets around large servings of meat, although interest in vegetarian, vegan, and flexitarian patterns has grown.

These differences affect how easy or difficult it feels for individuals to reduce meat within their own culinary traditions.