By Vanita Rahman, MD, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
The summer 2022 heat wave, which caused problems as inconvenient as canceled outdoor events to tragedies as significant as deaths due to heat stroke, was just one recent example of how climate change is impacting daily life. Climate change and its associated problems can seem overwhelming to the point that we are left wondering whether altering our daily routines by recycling or taking a train rather than a car will ultimately make a difference.
There is one very practical measure people can take each day that we know will help reduce emissions of at least one significant heat-trapping greenhouse gas—methane.
Methane is one of the most significant contributors to global warming, yet it is also relatively short-lived. It remains in the
atmosphere for a shorter time compared with carbon dioxide. However, during this short time, it makes a significant impact on warming the atmosphere because it’s more efficient at trapping heat than carbon dioxide is.
A byproduct of fermentation, methane in the food and agriculture world comes from ruminants or grazing animals and other animals in concentrated farmed environments, aka factory farms. When animals, even fish, are kept in high numbers, and close quarters, their waste concentrates and causes a release of methane.
Consuming more plant-based foods rather than animal products helps reduce the emission of methane gas into the environment. But that is not the only positive outcome.
As a physician with years of experience, I have seen firsthand the dramatic changes that occur when people choose to follow a plant-based diet, and numerous scientific studies tell the same story. A plant-based diet can help people reverse diabetes, lower blood pressure, improve heart health, and maintain a healthy weight. This same eating pattern also benefits the planet because livestock produces methane, a heat-trapping gas, while plants produce oxygen.
What is less well known, however, is the positive impact of a plant-based diet on the environment. As it turns out, high-methane-emitting animal products tend to be the worst for our health. Here’s a list of the top methane-emitting foods and low-methane alternatives that are healthier for humans and the planet.
Hamburgers: When it comes to food, beef is the highest greenhouse gas emitter, and half of that is methane. Red meat, like beef, is also associated with heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. These health risks are mainly related to the high content of saturated fat, cholesterol, and heme iron in the meat, which causes damage to blood vessels and cells. Instead, try bean burgers, a great replacement for a hamburger. Beans emit no methane gas in their production. Beans are also low in fat, are free of cholesterol, and are known to balance blood sugar and reduce cholesterol.
Dairy Products: Because cows produce so much methane through their digestion, dairy farms can be a significant problem for greenhouse gas emissions. Products like milk and cheese are the No. 1 source of saturated fat in the American diet. Saturated fat and cholesterol from dairy can contribute to heart disease, and milk and cheese are also linked with prostate, breast, and ovarian cancers. Try oat milk instead. It is a delicious, creamy alternative that is growing in popularity. It does not have any of the same health concerns as dairy milk and can be used on cereals, in coffee, or in cooking. The process of growing oats is sustainable and does not emit methane.
Prawns and Fish: Farmed prawns and fish cause methane release and are generally unsanitary when kept in these conditions. They can also impact the environment through damage to coastal mangrove swamps. Fish and shellfish accumulate toxins, including mercury, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), chlordane, dioxins, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which can be harmful to the body. Seaweed, by contrast, is relatively free of the toxins accumulated in other seafood. A seaweed salad or vegetarian sushi can be a great way to satisfy a seafood craving and will also be a good source of iodine.
Pork: Concentrated pig farms are a source of methane due to the pigs’ waste breaking down into slurries and liquids. Pork is commonly eaten as processed meat like sausage or bacon, foods classified as carcinogenic to humans by the World Health Organization. For every 50 grams of processed meat (a couple of slices of bacon), a person eats each day, their risk of colorectal cancer increases by 18%. Try tempeh bacon instead. It is a smoky and healthy alternative to pork bacon. Tempeh is made from whole, fermented soybeans. In contrast to traditional bacon, tempeh bacon (soy) is actually associated with a reduced risk of certain cancers, especially breast cancer.
Lamb and Goat: Just like cows, these grazing animals release methane in the process of digesting food. Since lamb and goat are red meats, they carry similar risks to beef. When heated to high temperatures, the meat can form heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which may lead to cancer. Seitan, a minimally processed food made from concentrated gluten, is a healthful alternative. Try seitan in a teriyaki bowl with vegetables and brown rice.
In addition to these individual changes, there is a nationwide, promising trend underway that could benefit people’s health while reducing heat-trapping emissions. Many farmers are voluntarily phasing out animal agriculture to grow high-demand plant protein crops. Dairy farmer Paul Jereczek is planting hazelnut trees because, as he told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, “five or 10 years from now, I don’t think we will be milking cows anymore, realistically.”
According to Modern Farmer, sales of plant-based food products grew 27% in 2020—twice as fast as overall food sales. The subcategory of plant-based meat grew by 45%, and the top makers of plant-based meat use crops grown by U.S. farmers.
Methane emissions are a significant part of the climate crisis. By reducing the intake of high-methane-emitting foods, we can reduce overall methane emissions and make an immediate improvement in the short-term consequences of climate change. With healthier alternatives, making these simple swaps is the best option for both the environment and our bodies.
When doing our weekly grocery shopping, we can remember the benefits to both our own health and that of our environment and reduce our consumption of meat and other animal products. In fact, eating a plant-based diet is by far the most powerful action we can take to restore our health and the health of our planet.
