EAT-Lancet · Planetary Health Diet
A dietary model developed by 37 scientists from 16 countries — for human health and for the future of the planet.
A way of eating that simultaneously protects human health and does not burden the environment — developed by one of the largest scientific commissions in history.
The planetary diet is not a meal plan — it is a flexible nutritional framework. Each food group has a recommended daily amount and allowable range.
| Food Group | Recommended g/day | Range | kcal/day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🌾 Whole grains (rice, wheat, maize) | 232 | — | 811 |
| 🫘 Dry legumes | 75 | 0–100 | 284 |
| 🌰 Nuts | 50 | 0–75 | 291 |
| 🥦 Vegetables (non-starchy) | 300 | 200–600 | 78 |
| 🍎 Fruits | 200 | 100–300 | 126 |
| 🥛 Dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese) | 250 | 0–500 | 153 |
| 🫒 Unsaturated fats (olive, rapeseed) | 40 | 20–80 | 354 |
| 🧈 Saturated fats (butter) | 11.8 | 0–11.8 | 96 |
| 🍗 Poultry | 29 | 0–58 | 62 |
| 🐟 Fish & seafood | 28 | 0–100 | 40 |
| 🥩 Red meat | 14 | 0–28 | 30 |
| 🥔 Tubers & starchy vegetables | 50 | 0–100 | 39 |
| 🍬 Added sugars | 31 | 0–31 | 120 |
Not all carbohydrates are equal. Quality matters, not just quantity.
Livestock farming is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases. By changing your plate, you genuinely change your carbon footprint.
European Green Deal — EU strategy for climate neutrality by 2050. Goal for 2030: reduce pesticides by 50%, fertilisers by 20%, 25% of farmland under organic farming.
Legumes contain as much or more protein than meat. The key is proper food combining.
Legumes lack methionine, grains lack lysine — combining them provides complete protein.
Lentils + wholemeal bread / Hummus + pita / Beans + rice
Nuts complement the amino acid profile of legumes, adding methionine and healthy fats.
Lentil soup + pumpkin seeds / Chickpea salad + almonds
Health benefits of plant protein:
Anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, hypotensive, cholesterol-lowering, antioxidant effects. Legumes contain no saturated fats or cholesterol — they are a rich source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc and fibre.
Fourth edition of the national Medonet survey (2025). The results are clear: the Polish diet needs fundamental change.
Polish diet vs EAT-Lancet recommendations
58% of Poles do not plan to reduce meat consumption — only 4% are determined to do so.
Reasons for eating meat: 55% "I like it", 26% "it's more filling", 21% believe most meals should contain meat.
Legumes are consumed daily by only 6% of Poles. 40% do not exercise at all. Average BMI: 26.2 kg/m².
Poland is one of the first countries in Europe to introduce mandatory planetary diet principles in school canteens. This is a historic change in the nutritional education of children and young people.
No. It is a flexible flexitarian model. It allows poultry (up to 58 g/day), fish and seafood (up to 100 g/day) and dairy (up to 500 g/day). However, it limits red and processed meat (beef, pork: 0–28 g/day). The most important change is significant reduction, not complete elimination.
Yes. Legumes contain as much or more protein than meat: yellow lupin 42 g/100g, soy 35.1 g/100g, lentils 32 g/100g — compared to 21.5 g/100g of chicken. The key is combining legumes with grains (hummus + pita, lentils + wholemeal bread) — this combination provides complete protein with all essential amino acids.
On a well-balanced plant-based diet you may need: vitamin B12 (absent from plants), vitamin D3 (particularly in Poland from October to March), omega-3 DHA/EPA fatty acids (from marine algae), iron (combined with vitamin C for better absorption) and possibly iodine. Calcium can usually be obtained from fortified plant-based drinks.
No. Legumes (lentils, peas, beans, chickpeas) are among the cheapest sources of protein. Ready-made meat substitutes (e.g. Beyond Meat, Quorn) can be more expensive, but they are not necessary. A diet based on raw legumes, grains and vegetables is genuinely cheaper than a typical Polish meat-based diet.
The planetary diet is recommended from age 2. For children under 2, individual dietary advice with B12 supplementation is essential. For adults the model is safe without age restrictions — older people may need higher protein and calcium intake.
Small steps principle: (1) Replace one meat dish per week with legumes. (2) Switch to wholemeal bread instead of white. (3) Add a handful of nuts to your daily diet. (4) Increase vegetables to min. 300 g/day. (5) After a month, reduce red meat to 1–2 times per week. The body adapts to fibre gradually — sudden change can cause digestive discomfort.
Directly. The European Green Deal and Farm to Fork strategy aim by 2030 to: reduce pesticides by 50%, cut fertilisers by 20%, and have 25% of agricultural land under organic farming. The planetary diet is a nutritional model aligned with these goals — producing legumes and whole grains has a many times lower carbon footprint than meat production.
The European Green Deal is an EU strategy aimed at zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. In the context of food, this means transforming the agri-food production system. Consumers can support these goals precisely through dietary change — reducing red meat is one of the individual actions with the greatest impact on CO₂ emissions.
The food carbon footprint is the sum of greenhouse gas emissions generated during production, transport, processing and disposal of a product. Producing 1 kg of beef generates 60 kg CO₂ eq — 67 times more than 1 kg of peas (0.9 kg CO₂). You can estimate your carbon footprint using online calculators or nutrition apps that include emission data.
Yes. The new guidelines being implemented from September 2026 in Polish schools are based precisely on the principles of the planetary diet. Research shows that children fed according to the flexitarian model have similar (or better) nutritional status than peers on a traditional diet. The key is balancing school meals for iron, calcium and protein.