Animal Welfare – SAFE commends new Ministry of Health eating guidelines for promoting plant-based diets

The Ministry of Health has for the first time acknowledged the correlation between sustainable diets and the climate emergency. The Ministry’s new eating guidelines say there is an urgent need to promote diets that are healthy and have low environmental impacts.

SAFE Campaigns Officer Kylie Dale said it’s a step in the right direction.

“While it’s great the new guidelines stress the importance of sustainable diets, the new changes don’t go far enough,” said Dale.

“We’re disappointed that this update has increased the recommended number of daily servings of dairy products.”

Agricultural emissions make up the largest share of New Zealand’s climate emissions, and the dairy industry is a major contributor to these. Dairy is also one of the main sources of saturated fat in the average New Zealand diet.

“The new eating guidelines already recommend a mostly plant-based diet. In 2021 it’s never been easier to substitute dairy with healthier, climate-friendly alternatives.”

“We would like to see the eating guidelines incorporate the health and environmental benefits of choosing fortified non-dairy alternatives.”