A Review of Environmental Life Cycle Assessments of Diets: Plant-Based Solutions Are Truly Sustainable, even in the Form of Fast Foods

This paper’s purpose is to shed light on the current understanding of environmental benefits vegetarian and vegan diets, considering inclusion a significant share processed foods, such as plant-based burgers. We review recent Environmental Life Cycle Assessments three main diet types, omnivore, vegetarian, vegan, then assesses impacts adding two commercial brands burgers diets. The literature confirms that compared omnivore diets adhering same dietary guidelines, reduce land-use by 50–86%, water use 22–70%, greenhouse gas emissions 21–70%, while achieve reductions 27–84% in land use, 15–69% 24–56% emissions. are not affected consumption highly Consumers between 87% 96% choosing Beyond or Impossible burger instead regular beef patty. These results robust uncertainties associated with variety production systems; there no indication situation condition may make more environmentally friendly than these alternatives, addition meats their benefits.