Our Plant-Forward Philosophy:
Background
We’re not eating enough plant-based foods. According to the Center for Disease Control, only 1 in 10 adults in the U.S. eat the recommended daily amount of fruits and vegetables.
We’re eating a lot of animal proteins. Alternatively, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an individual in the U.S., on average, eats more than 200 pounds of meat each year.
Our food choices have important effects on our health. Importantly, increased consumption of plant-based foods provides important health benefits:
· Promotes gut health, potentially reducing the risk of depression
· Better blood sugar control
· Lowers cholesterol
· Increases total fiber intake, promoting colon health
· Reduces risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and certain cancers
Our food choices have important effects on the environment. Globally, livestock production is responsible for 15% of all greenhouse gas emissions, and the effects of climate change—such as more severe and more frequent droughts, flooding, wild fires, and hurricanes—threaten human safety and wellbeing all over the world.
According to a 2016 study, business-as-usual emissions could be reduced by as much as 70% through adopting a vegan diet and 63% for a vegetarian diet (Springmann et al., 2016).
Duke Dining’s Pledge:
Duke Dining is committed to promoting the health of its community and the environment.
· Duke Dining commits to making plant-forward dining options available, visible, and appealing.
· Duke Dining commits to teaching the Duke community about the important impact that plant-forward diets have on human health and environmental health.
· Duke Dining commits to being accountable to these assurances by setting measurable goals for encouraging its community to adopt more plant-forward eating habits.