Eating insects is better for the environment than vegetarian eating dairy products

Reuters September 17, citing Johns Hopkins Center for Living Prospective (USA), showed that eating insects, small fish and mollusks has as little impact on the environment as on a vegetarian diet, while being full. More nutritious.

Scientists have found that a diet in which meat, fish, and dairy products are eaten daily is less likely to cause climate change and consume water than a diet consisting of eggs and milk alone. .

This is because raising cows for milk, butter and cheese requires a lot of land, energy, pesticides, herbicides and the production of greenhouse gases that make the Earth warm.

Picture 1 of Eating insects is better for the environment than vegetarian eating dairy products
Eating ants, grasshoppers and silkworms may help fight cancer.(Photo: Nguyen Van Tam).

The study was based on the amount of clean water used and the amount of greenhouse gases emitted from nine different diets in 140 countries and territories. These diets range from one meat-free day a week, or no red meat, to a non-terrestrial animal-based diet and a plant-only diet.

Another study published in July showed that eating ants, grasshoppers and silkworms may help fight cancer. Tests have shown that these insects are rich in antioxidants and some species are 5 times higher than orange juice.

In the past, many scientists and activists called for a switch to a plant-based diet to curb climate change and reduce deforestation, as red meat production requires a lot of grass land and feed ingredients. .

According to a report last month by the United Nations Science Commission, agriculture, forestry and other land-use activities account for nearly a quarter of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions between 2007 and 2016.

Picture 2 of Eating insects is better for the environment than vegetarian eating dairy products
Insect foods are nutritious and good for the environment.(Photo: Nguyen Van Tam).

However, according to lead researcher Keeve Nachman at Johns Hopkins University, there is no standard model that is suitable for everyone.

In low- and middle-income countries like Indonesia, people need to eat a lot of animal protein to get enough nutrition.

The study concludes that greenhouse gas emissions and water use in poor countries may increase to reduce hunger and malnutrition, while high-income countries should reduce their consumption of meat, eggs and dairy products.

On average, the process of raising, processing to serve beef causes greenhouse gas emissions 115 times more for nuts and 40 times higher than for soybeans, the study noted.

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