Peas, Beans and Soy Beat Meat and Dairy on Health, Environment and Cost, Oxford Study Finds

Humble peas, soybeans and beans are the best replacements for meat and dairy on every count, according to a new Oxford study that rated 24 alternatives on nutrition, health, environment and cost.

Dr. Marco Springmann of the University of Oxford's Environmental Change Institute and University College London published the multicriteria assessment, focused on high-income countries, in PNAS. Unprocessed legumes performed best across all domains. Processed products such as veggie burgers, traditional options like tempeh, and plant milks had smaller climate benefits and higher costs than unprocessed foods, but still offered substantial environmental, health and nutrition benefits compared with the animal products they replace. Lab-grown meat ranked worst.

Dr. Springmann said in the Oxford Martin School release:

Reducing meat and dairy in high-income countries is essential for limiting climate change, biodiversity loss, and improving health. Our study shows that a range of foods and food products exist that would have multiple benefits when replacing meat and dairy in current diets.

A tin of chickpeas or a bag of frozen peas is about as cheap and planet-friendly as protein gets.

Springmann also led the 2016 Oxford study finding that global adoption of a vegan diet would save 8 million lives and cut emissions by 66%, and last year Oxford found a vegan diet cuts climate impact by 75%.

Give peas a chance!