Ana Fernández-Ríos, Jara Laso, Rubén Aldaco, María Margallo
{"title":"Environmental and nutritional performance of ‘superfood’-enriched diets: A comparative analysis of three dietary recommendations","authors":"Ana Fernández-Ríos, Jara Laso, Rubén Aldaco, María Margallo","doi":"10.1016/j.eiar.2025.107860","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Eating habits are continuously evolving, shaped by cultural convictions, socioeconomic factors, and new market trends. This study examines the rise in ‘superfoods' – ‘exotic’ natural foods with scientifically proven superior nutritional profiles – and their environmental interactions when used to fill nutritional gaps within common diets. Focusing on three well-established patterns - the Mediterranean (MD), vegan (VD), and Healthy Eating Plate (HEP) diets – the nutritional quality is measured using the Spanish Nutrient Rich Diet 9.2 (sNRD9.2) model, and environmental impacts are assessed through life cycle assessment (LCA) on a weekly per capita basis. Results show that ‘superfoods' boost nutritional quality by 3.5 %, 4.7 %, and 5.6 % for MD, VD, and HEP diets, respectively, yet increase environmental burdens in five to six of seven categories. However, a combined analysis of nutritional and environmental outcomes reveals contrasting effects: when nutritional improvements are factored in, environmental indicators show reductions of up to 28 % for water scarcity, 8.3 % for acidification, and 5.3 % for global warming. While these results suggest some benefits, heightened impacts in other areas call for further optimization of production systems. Challenges also persist in integrating unfamiliar foods into diets, underscoring the need for a balanced approach to sustainability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":309,"journal":{"name":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","volume":"112 ","pages":"Article 107860"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-02-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Environmental Impact Assessment Review","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195925525000575","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Eating habits are continuously evolving, shaped by cultural convictions, socioeconomic factors, and new market trends. This study examines the rise in ‘superfoods' – ‘exotic’ natural foods with scientifically proven superior nutritional profiles – and their environmental interactions when used to fill nutritional gaps within common diets. Focusing on three well-established patterns - the Mediterranean (MD), vegan (VD), and Healthy Eating Plate (HEP) diets – the nutritional quality is measured using the Spanish Nutrient Rich Diet 9.2 (sNRD9.2) model, and environmental impacts are assessed through life cycle assessment (LCA) on a weekly per capita basis. Results show that ‘superfoods' boost nutritional quality by 3.5 %, 4.7 %, and 5.6 % for MD, VD, and HEP diets, respectively, yet increase environmental burdens in five to six of seven categories. However, a combined analysis of nutritional and environmental outcomes reveals contrasting effects: when nutritional improvements are factored in, environmental indicators show reductions of up to 28 % for water scarcity, 8.3 % for acidification, and 5.3 % for global warming. While these results suggest some benefits, heightened impacts in other areas call for further optimization of production systems. Challenges also persist in integrating unfamiliar foods into diets, underscoring the need for a balanced approach to sustainability.
期刊介绍:
Environmental Impact Assessment Review is an interdisciplinary journal that serves a global audience of practitioners, policymakers, and academics involved in assessing the environmental impact of policies, projects, processes, and products. The journal focuses on innovative theory and practice in environmental impact assessment (EIA). Papers are expected to present innovative ideas, be topical, and coherent. The journal emphasizes concepts, methods, techniques, approaches, and systems related to EIA theory and practice.