Facilitating flexitarian approaches with plant-based meat analogs in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Environmental change and the projections for a growing population have shifted the way people think about food. Responsible for the rapid deterioration of ecological and human well-being, the Western diet requires a dramatic change to avoid both malnourishment and undernourishment. In recent years,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bogueva, Diana, Marinova, Dora
Other Authors: Ravishankar, GA
Format: Book Chapter
Published: Academic Press 2024
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/95090
Description
Summary:Environmental change and the projections for a growing population have shifted the way people think about food. Responsible for the rapid deterioration of ecological and human well-being, the Western diet requires a dramatic change to avoid both malnourishment and undernourishment. In recent years, flexitarian ways of eating represent efforts to cut meat intake and the unsustainable high-calorie diets in high-income countries while improving human health and responding to animal welfare. Plant-based meat analogs are emerging as transition foods toward more plant-rich diets for flexitarians, meat-avoiders, and the mainstream consumer. They also contribute to the ambitious global agenda of the United Nations through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Facilitating flexitarian approaches with plant-based meat analogs aligns with many SDGs, and the chapter explores these synergies while acknowledging the need for further research and improvement to respond to any societal concerns.