The Problem With Protein
Protein is an important macronutrient, it is the building blocks of our tissues, bones, skin, blood, and so much more. However, the current production of protein is unsustainable and cannot keep up with the quickly growing human population. Carbohydrate and fat has continually been grown as plant sources, but protein has almost exclusively been provided as animal products. It is no wonder why: meat is very nutrient dense, has all essential amino acids, and is very high in protein. Despite the high nutrients meat offers us, animal agriculture is energy inefficient and unsustainable. The population on Earth is increasing every year as people live longer and medicine advances, however, there is no plan in place to provide protein to all these people. If we want this planet to support the growing population we must consume more plant protein and less animal protein as the current consumption trends will not last.
By 2050, the human population is expected to grow to a soaring 9.7 billion. It is expected that our diet in 2050 will contain much more meat and dairy than current levels. Part of the reason for this is that there will be a shift from people in lower socioeconomic status to higher socioeconomic status who will desire to eat higher quality protein, such as beef and dairy and will have the money to do so. The other reason is that multinational industries and government policies are increasingly influencing more consumers to eat Westernized diets that are high in meat and low in plant foods. Considering these changes, beef production alone is expected to grow 95% by 2050. Beef production is unstable for a multitude of reasons, the priority being deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
A staggering 30% of Earth’s dry land is used for livestock production and this number is increasing as more rainforests are cleared. Beef cattle hold the record for causing the most deforestation worldwide. The Amazon rainforest in Brazil has experienced the worst with 70% of deforested land being used for cattle pastures and nearly all of the remaining 30% being used for crop agriculture to feed the cattle. Agriculture emits more greenhouse gas than does transportation worldwide, outlined in the graph below. Much of this is linked with deforestation as excess vegetation is burned and machines are used to cut the trees down which increases the amount of carbon released into the environment. Additionally, deforestation is a major cause for the loss of biodiversity; we are living through the sixth mass extinction in the earth’s history and the first extinction caused by a living organism, humans.
Although beef is the leading cause of deforestation and a high contributor to greenhouse gasses, cows are not all to blame. Other animal products are not much better when compared to plants. The figure below shows the amount of gasses emitted and land and water used for each common food source per a ton of protein consumed. Beef skyrockets above other animal products and plant products use the least resources. Earth’s resources are limited and humans are irresponsibly using them at an alarming rate. A higher consumption of plant protein and smaller consumption of animal protein is the food future if we want to support nearly 10 billion people by 2050. It is never easy to make changes, but in order for humans to survive on this planet much longer, we need to be conscious and sustainable about the food we eat. The United States consumes the most meat out of any other country in the world, closely followed by Australia, Spain, and Argentina. Americans are also consuming much more protein than they actually need, meaning there is plenty of room to decrease the consumption of animal protein and increase plant protein.
Not all animal products need to be cut out to make a difference, the primary proposal by the World Resource Institute is to decrease meat consumption, rather than eliminate it all together. Despite the rumors that shadow vegetarians and vegans, getting protein from plants is not difficult. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics confirms that most vegetarians and vegans consume enough protein and all nine essential amino acids throughout the day if all caloric needs are met and the diet is varied. However, if you are still worried about getting all of the amino acids, you can complement beans and veggies with grains, nuts, or seeds. You do not have to eat all amino acids in one meal either; as an example, you could have whole wheat pancakes (grains) for breakfast, then hummus (beans) and carrots for a snack and will have encountered all essential amino acids before lunch. As you can see, it is not difficult to get protein from only plant foods. If you want to eat some animal products, consider eating animal products that use less of the earth’s resources. Eggs are one of my favorite go-to foods as they are cheap, easy to prepare, and are high in protein. If you eat meat every day, try making one day of the week meat free and keep beef for only special occasions or don’t eat it at all.
Besides the environment, there are other personal benefits to decreasing your meat consumption. As a stereotypically broke college student, my favorite benefit is the money I save by not buying meat. Beef, seafood, and chicken are quite expensive! This money could be better put towards your hobbies and other interests rather than towards meat consumption. Another benefit to decreasing your meat consumption is health, vegetarians and vegans are known to have less risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, some cancers, and obesity. Lastly, choosing to eat less meat opens a window to try new recipes and varies your diet with new fruits and vegetables that you may not have eaten otherwise.
The purpose of this article is not to persuade you to adopt veganism, although that would make the most difference. The purpose is to raise awareness about the overconsumption of calories, namely protein, and the effect this has on our environment and our future. You can still eat animal products and contribute to sustainability by choosing energy efficient foods and eating less meat. I encourage you to try eating more vegetables and less animal products. It’s good for you, it’s good for the environment, and the animals would no doubt appreciate your efforts.
