What does a sustainable diet taste like, and can it still be delicious?
That’s a question challenging University of Queensland sensory scientist Professor Heather Smyth, as science works towards feeding a growing global population with dwindling resources.
“By definition, a sustainable diet has a low environmental impact which contributes to food and nutrition security, as well as a healthy life for present and future generations,” Professor Smyth said.
“Factors we need to consider include the health value of a diet, the efficiency of the energy and nutrient intake, but also food security and social responsibility.
“That means it’s impossible to use the same measuring stick for what a sustainable diet would be like in a western country that can afford access to food compared to a developing nation.”
Professor Smyth said there was very little research on the subject, but what there is suggests making change starts with children.
“Younger people certainly have an attitude of wanting to live in a more sustainable world,” she said.
“Being able to change the cultural habits of what you accept in your food vocabulary and what flavours you eat is fundamental to shifting a generation of consumers towards more sustainable eating habits.
“But when you lose the excitement of food, you lose the excitement of life, so we must make sustainable eating delicious.
“There is huge potential for further research to understand in cultural context, what is the flavour of a sustainable diet in Australia, in Indonesia, in New Zealand?
“The western diet is not the goal diet, that is very clear.
“Existing research shows westerners eat too much and waste too much food, making our diet one of the least sustainable.”
Professor Smyth says we could learn a lot from countries with a lot less.
“Like healthy diets, sustainable diets are also rich in plant-based foods.
“People from developing nations who already eat a lot of plant-based foods have ways to add the flavour sensations they are missing to make their staple foods tastier,” she said.
“They use spice blends and specific cooking techniques, not to increase sustainability, but because that is what they have access to.
“From a western perspective, we need to go back to eating some of the same foods and using existing solutions to add flavour and textural excitement rather than relying on processed food.
“And consider saving the wine and cheese, or whatever your favourite treat is for special occasions as part of a diverse and more sustainable diet.”
Images of Professor Smyth available via Dropbox.
Media contacts: Professor Heather Smyth, h.smyth@uq.edu.au, +61 468 732 394; QAAFI Communications, Natalie MacGregor, n.macgregor@uq.edu.au, +61 409 135 651.
The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) is a research institute at The University of Queensland established with and supported by the Department of Primary Industries.
