3 Ways to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint With Your Diet

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Today is Earth Day, a day we celebrate how beautiful and important our planet, our home truly is.  I know global warming is a concern of yours and it's something I take very seriously as well.

To better protect our planet, we all know we should recycle, turn the lights off, drive less etc.  But what about our food choices?  What impact do they have on climate change?  It turns out that our food system, what we eat, has a greater climate-change impact than the transportation sector (1), (2), (3).

So this Earth day, I’m giving you 3 ways you can reduce your food carbon footprint by 60%, from the book 'How Bad Are Bananas?  The Carbon Footprint of Everything' (4).  

Now just a heads up, when I say carbon footprint, I’m referring to the carbon footprint equivalent (CO2e).  That is, the total impact of all the greenhouse gases caused by an action and expressing it as the amount of carbon dioxide that would have the same impact of all the greenhouse gases combine.  It's a more comprehensive measurement than just carbon dioxide. 

How to decrease your food carbon footprint

1.  Eat what you buy

Eradicating your waste can reduce your carbon footprint by 25% (4).   

In Western or privileged countries, “we are thought to waste about ¼ of the edible food we buy” (4).  Wow!                                           

Make sure your food doesn't go to waste by storing it properly.  Then, make sure you eat it!

2.  Avoid animal products

The author states that “sensible” reductions in meat and dairy can reduce your food carbon footprint by another 25% (4).

He says “food from animals turns out to be more greenhouse gas intensive than food from plants.”  It’s far more efficient for humans to eat plants directly so all the plant's energy goes to us humans, not the animal.

In addition, the average water footprint per calorie for beef is twenty times larger than for cereals and starchy roots (5).  

Beef and lamb are especially high in carbon because they are belching ruminants.  2.2 pounds (1 kg) of beef equates to about 37 pounds of CO2e!  Dairy foods have the same emissions problems as beef because the product is still coming from a belching ruminant animal.  2.2 pounds (1 kg) of cheese equates to about 29 pounds of CO2e.  

To implement this guideline, consume no more than 2-3 ounces of organic meat per week or, none at all!

And tip #3 for reducing your food carbon footprint...

3.  Go seasonal

This can help you reduce your food carbon footprint by another 10% (4).

You want to avoid foods grown in hothouses that are artificially heated.  You also want to avoid foods that have traveled via planes.

Ships can carry food around the world 100 times more efficiently than planes (4).  Ships are also more efficient at shipping food than food that has traveled 1000s of road miles like from one side of the U.S. to the other.  These road miles are roughly as carbon intensive as plane miles (4).  

“As a guide, if a food has a short shelf life and isn’t in season where you live, it was probably grown in a hothouse or traveled via plane.  In the U.S. in the winter time, examples include lettuce, asparagus, tomatoes, strawberries, and cut flowers.  Apples, oranges, bananas on the other hand, almost always travel on a boat" (4). 

 

There you have it.  Three ways you can reduce your food carbon footprint by 60% -- eat what you buy, avoid animal products and go seasonal.  

If you’re interested in learning more about food and the environment, here is a paper I wrote on the environmental impact of food that is filled with scholarly references.  

Now I want to challenge you to put this information into action into your personal life.  Today’s Take Control Now Challenge is….

Take Control Now Challenge

Don't eat any dairy or meat products for one day -- tomorrow, in honor of Earth Day.  

Do you think you can do this?  

Put your answer and experiences in the comments section below this video.

If you liked this video, please email it to your friends and family.  Send them to www.TrishaMandes.com to sign-up for email updates and receive a free resource guide with THE BEST books, recipe websites and more for achieving permanent weight-loss and disease reversal.  

Thank you so much for joining me this Earth Day for Take Control Tuesdays.  Get educated, make a change and get support.  You can get the healthy body of your dreams.  

Why You Don't Need Animal Foods for Protein

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The funniest things happen when I eat lunch in my university's cafeteria.  My plate is normally filled with potatoes, rice or pasta with an abundance vegetables on-top.  This can be quite intriguing for some people... I'm not eating hot dogs, meatballs, cheesy pasta and washing it down with a glass of milk.  Naturally, people ask me questions about my diet.  

The most common question I get... yes, you guessed it… “where do I get my protein?”  If you're eating a plant-based diet, where do you get your protein from?  Well, plants!  

What I'm about to say is very important and I never want you to forget it so please really 'listen.' "You do not need animal foods to get enough protein in your diet."  I'm going to 'say it' again because it is that important... "you do not need to eat animal foods to get enough protein in your diet."

Before I give your examples of plant protein, we have to answer one very important question and that is…  how much protein do we actually need?  

According to the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, we fulfill our protein needs with 10% of our total calories coming from protein (1). Just 10%!  

Now that we know how much protein we need in our diet, lets see how much protein is in some common plant foods.

                          Percentage of calories coming from protein (2)         Source

Kale:                                                35%                                                             (3)

Broccoli:                                         33%                                                             (4)

Black beans:                                  27%                                                             (5)

Wild rice:                                        16%                                                             (6)

Quinoa:                                          15%                                                             (7)

Potato:                                           11%                                                              (8)

Sweet potato:                                 9%                                                             (9)

It's important to understand that all plant foods have protein.  All of them!  Some, not as much as others, but when we eat a variety of different plant foods, the total amount of protein we consume balances itself out in the body.  You will get an adequate amount of protein as long as you're eating enough food (not starving) and varied types.  

So again, I want you to say this to yourself... “I do not need animal food to get enough protein.  Plant foods fulfill all my protein needs” and exhale.  Aww.  Much better.

Know that there can be harmful consequences from eating too much protein, especially animal protein.  If you want to learn more about the risks from eating too much protein, here is a well-referenced PDF from the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine titled 'The Protein Myth.'

And because Easter is coming up, here are two mouth-watering recipes for your holiday feast (if you're celebrating). Thank you Cathy Fisher for these great recipes!

Creamy Mushroom Gravy

Roasted Carrot and Fennel Soup

I want to challenge you to think about this protein information more. To get you started, I want you to answer this Take Control Now question and post your answer in the comments section at the end of this article.

Take Control Now Question


Do you know anyone with a protein deficiency?  

Are you concerned about getting enough protein in your diet?  If so, why?
 

If you liked this article (and I hope that you did!) please email and share it with your friends and family.  Send them www.TrishaMandes.com so they can get my Free Resource Guide for the best books, recipe websites etc. for disease reversal and permanent weight-loss.  

Thanks for joining me. Get educated, get support and take control. You can get the healthy body of your dreams.

4 Ways to Prevent Cancer from the World Cancer Research Fund

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Have you ever thought to yourself “jeeze Trisha’s nutrition recommendations seem a little bit extreme.”

I was having tea with a friend who is about to become a doctor.  She asked me “don´t you think a plant-based diet is a bit extreme?” as she washed down a piece of cake with a cup of coffee.

So, am I too "radical" with my diet?  

Well, my colleagues and I… Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Neal Barnard, T Colin Campbell, Dr. Pam Popper, Dr. Joel Fuhrman etc., we´re not the only ones recommending a plant-based diet.

The World Cancer Research Fund (the WCRF), also recommends a plant-based diet for the prevention of cancer.

The World Cancer Research Fund has a "special commitment to the most reliable science-based recommendations.”  They´re also publicly funded and independent of government.

So what does the World Cancer Research Fund recommend for the prevention of cancer?  Here are 4 of their recommendations.

WCRF'S Recommendations for Cancer Prevention

1.  Eat mostly foods of plant origin.

  • Plant foods should be the center of every meal
  • Whole grains and or legumes should be eaten with every meal

This is how you can ensure the 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables the WCRF recommends, as well as the recommended 25 daily grams of fiber.

2.  Avoid foods that promote weight gain.

  • Avoid calorie-dense foods
  • Avoid sugary drinks including fruit juices
  • Consume fast food sparingly, if at all

Calorie-dense foods that promote weight gain include oils, cheeses, meat, fast food and refined foods.

The report states that “diets with high levels of animal fats are often relatively high in energy, increasing the risk of weight gain.”  

3.  Limit and avoid meat

  • Limit beef, pork, lamb, goat and avoid processed meats
  • Avoid any meat that has been preserved via smoking, curing, salting or chemical preservation

4.  Be as lean as possible.

  • Be as lean as possible while maintaining a health, normal weight

The report states that "maintenance of a healthy weight... may be one of the most important ways to protect against cancer.  This will also protect against a number of other common chronic diseases."

5.  Limit alcoholic drinks.

  • Men - no more than two drinks/day if you drink
  • Women - no more than one drink/day if you drink

"The evidence on cancer justifies a recommendation not to drink alcoholic drinks.  Based solely on the evidence on cancer, even small amounts of alcoholic drinks should be avoided."

6.  Aim to meet nutritional needs through diet alone, not supplements.  

"Dietary supplements are not recommended for cancer prevention.  The evidence shows that high-dose nutrient supplements can be protective or can cause cancer."

7.  Limit salt.

  • "Limit consumption of processed foods with added salt to ensure an intake of less than 6 g (2.4 g sodium) a day."

"The strongest evidence on methods of food preservation, processing, and preparation shows that salt and salt preserved foods are probably a cause of stomach cancer, and that foods contaminated with aflatoxins are a cause of liver cancer."

When you eat a plant-based diet, you drastically reduce the amount of salt you are consuming by eliminating fast foods, refined foods and many animal products from your diet.  When you do this, you can add table salt to your food and still meet this recommendation (plus, you might make your veggie meals taste even better!).  

8.  Make physical activity a part of your daily life.

"Be moderately physically active, equivalent to brisk walking, for at least 30 minutes every day.  As fitness improves, aim for 60 minutes or more of moderate, or for 30 minutes or more of vigorous, physical activity every day.  Limit sedentary habits such as watching television." 

A Special Recommendation for Cancer Survivors

  • Follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.

So there you have it, the World Cancer Research Fund´s recommendations to eat a plant-based.  They state that "people that eat some form of a vegetarian diet are at low risk of some diseases including cancer."

When my doctor friend asked me if I thought a plant-based diet was extreme, my response was I thought getting open heart surgery or extracting cancerous organs from my body from eating a Western diet, was more extreme than eating potatoes and salad every day, and the WCRF agrees.  

Now it´s time for you to put this information to use in your daily life.  To get you started, I want you to answer this Take Control Now question and put your answer in the comments section below this video.

When you're finished, please email/share this video and article to a friend or family member.  Have them sign-up for free email updates and they'll receive a FREE Healthy Diet Resource Guide delivered right away to their inbox.  

Take Control Now

Do you think eating a plant-based diet is too extreme?  What do you think of the WCRF's recommendations to eat a plant-based diet?

Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective. World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research. 2007.  Accessed online April 2014.

4 Guidelines for Eating Soy and the Surprising Science Behind Them

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Last week I had my first plant-based meal prepared for me by a Finnish friend and it was delicious!  We feasted on a veggie stir-fry over rice, creamy spinach and of course, I made some sweet potato fries too (I couldn't help myself).  My friend cooked up some tofu special, just for our meal, but explained how normally, he tries to avoid soy foods.  He's concerned about the hormonal effects it may have on his body.

And he is absolutely not the first person I´ve met who tries to avoid soy.  Another women at a cooking demo of mine and was told by her physician to avoid soy like the plague because she had breast cancer.

 

What does the totality of research soy about soy?  Do you really need to be worried about eating soybeans?

Here's the outcomes from six different studies:

1.  A meta-analysis found that soy foods and isoflavone supplements do not affect testosterone levels in men.  This review included 15 placebo-controlled trials, and was published in Fertility and Sterility (1).

2.  The consumption of soy foods were associated with a reduction of prostate cancer risk of about 26%.  The consumption of tofu and soy milk was associated with an even lower risk of about 30%.  This study was a meta-analysis which included 14 studies and was published in the Americn Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2).

3.  In this meta-anlysis, the lowest risk of breast cancer was found in people consuming the highest level of soy foods.  This review reviewed eight different studies, and was published in the British Journal of Cancer (3).

4.  Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, found an inverse association between soy food intake and breast cancer mortality and reoccurrence.  In other words, those eating the highest amount of soy had the lowest rates of mortality from breast cancer and breast cancer reoccurrence (4).

5.  The Singapore Chinese Healthy Study found a statistically significant reduction in hip fractures of approximately 30% in women consuming at least 1/4 cup of tofu a day (5).

6.  Amy Lanou, PhD concluded in her review on soy foods and bone health, that soy as part of a dietary pattern, supports bone health, while isolated soy extracts have shown mixed results.  Dr. Lanou analyzed 13 different studies in this review (6).

There's much more that could be said about each of these studies and the 'why' behind whole soy foods having a health promoting effect.   For now, the take home message is... the weight of the evidence supports whole soy foods as being beneficial for breast cancer, prostate cancer, bone health and doesn't affect testosterone levels in men.  So, if you like soy foods, eat them!  

If you want more information on soy and health, here's a PDF from the Physician's Committee for Responisble Medicine.  It references 21 different studies, is easily understandable and you can show it to your doctor if need be.  

 

So how do you put this information to use in your daily life? 

Here's 'Four Simple Guidelines for Eating Soy Foods.'

1.  Choose whole, soy foods like edamame or soy beans, tofu, soy milk, miso, tempheh or bean curd.

2.  Avoid isolated/processed soy products such as isolated soy protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, highly processed soy burgers, soy bean oil and soy protein shakes. 

3.  Eat soy as a condiment.  About 40% of soy's calories come from fat so don't sit down and munch on tofu chunks and soy foods all day long.  Simply add some tofu to a stir-fry or some soy-milk to your oatmeal.  This way you'll get the nutritional benefits without eating too much fat and extra calories.  

4.  If you hate soy foods, don't eat them!  Although the evidence supports whole, soy foods, you can still eat a health promoting diet without soy.  

Basically, eat soy like an Asian!  Eat whole, soy foods and treat them as condiments.

Now it´s time for you to put this information into action because what is knowledge if you don´t do anything with it?  Useless!

Answer this week´s Take Control Now question and put your answer in the comments section below.

Take Control Now 

What is one plant-based meal that includes a soy food you could enjoy?

If you like this article and video, please share it with your friends and family or have them sign-up for a free resource guide at www.TrishaMandes.com

The Vegan Food NO ONE Should Eat

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You might be surprised to hear me say that vegan food sucks.  

This is fake vegan food I’m talking about.  C.R.A.P. food.... calorie rich and processed as Jeff Novick, RD, MS commonly says.  Not the whole plant foods I cherish... potatoes, beans, whole-grains etc.  

C.R.A.P. foods like french fries, corn chips, alternative meats that are highly processed; fake cheese, vegan bar food, mock sour creams, vegan ice-cream bars, fake french onion dip and the list goes on.  

Many people beginning to implement a plant-based diet, will still eat these foods because they're vegan, assuming they're okay or good for your health.

However, these foods are disasterous for your body and won’t help you lose or maintain a healthy weight.  They’ll do just the opposite!

You don't have to be vegan to eat these foods either.  Meat lovers are definetly munching on tortilla chips, french fries (vegan) and other C.R.A.P. foods too.

This is one reason I don’t resonate calling myself vegan -- the term vegan is only defined by what you don’t eat and not at all by what you do eat.  Although I rarely eat animal foods, I’m eating whole plant foods at least 95% of the time and I rarely eat C.R.A.P.!  

The term 'vegan' doesn't differentiate my clean eating habits from the 'junk food vegan' who's eating C.R.A.P. everyday.

When you look at the nutritional profile of most C.R.A.P. foods, they’re even worse for you than animal foods.  However, both the refined C.R.A.P. vegan foods and animal products aren't nearly as health promoting as whole, plant foods.  So this isn't an excuse for you to eat animal foods!  Remember that.

Tofutti's 'Better Than Sour Cream' is an example of how disasterous some vegan C.R.A.P. food can be.  Take a look at the ingredient list.  What whole, plant foods can you identify?

The only whole food in this product is tofu, but who cares!  It's covered in trans fat (which we should not eat any of) and chemicals.  Seventy-five percent of the calories of this 'food' are coming from fat too.  

This food is not good for you!  Even though it's vegan, it's still C.R.A.P.!  

(If you want another example, watch the above video... you'll see what's in the famous 'Boca Burger' and it's not good).

To decipher through the C.R.A.P. always remember...

1.  Vegan doesn't necessarily mean healthy.   

2.  Always read the ingredient list of any product you're buying.  It's the only way you'll know what's in your food.

So stop eating C.R.A.P. my friends and choose whole, plant foods instead!

It’s time for you to put this knowledge into action because what is knowledge if you don't do anything with it?  Useless!  Answer this Take Control Now question and put your answer in the comments section below.  You can answer this question whether you're vegan or not!

Take Control Now

What kind of C.R.A.P. food is currently in your house?  Remove that C.R.A.P. from your house, report back and tell us what you threw out.  

Put your answers in the comments section below.  Awesome job taking action.

 
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