Feasible solutions for sustainable diets with adequate protein intake Modelling diets for the Netherlands and Europe

Summary

The EAT-Lancet diet was introduced as the reference diet that would enable us to feed the world without exceeding planetary boundaries and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases. However, a global reference diet will likely not be culturally acceptable by any specific population. Additionally, shifting to sustainable diets often means replacing animal-based foods with plant-based foods. Since plant-based foods have lower protein quantity and quality, protein adequacy should be carefully monitored. Considering these challenges, this thesis aimed to propose various feasible solutions for sustainable Dutch diets, and
to assesses protein quality and adequacy of these and European diets. The feasible solutions for sustainable Dutch diets as proposed in this thesis all included increased amounts of plant-based foods, and decreased amounts of animal-based foods compared to current Dutch diets. Zooming in on protein, current and future
utilizable protein intakes are likely to be adequate for the healthy adult European population.