Key Takeaways
Moving from a meat-based diet to a low-fat vegan diet reduces a person's carbon footprint, new research shows
Making the switch cuts down on individual greenhouse gas emissions and energy demand on the planet
People are increasingly viewing diets as having an impact on the environment, not just their personal health
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 26, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The equivalent of a 4.3-mile trip in a gas-powered car: That’s the amount of greenhouse gas emissions the average person spares the planet each day when they switch to a healthy, low-fat vegan diet, new research shows.
“We know whole food, plant-based diets are better for our health and the environment. This analysis shows us just how impactful our daily food choices are,” said study author Dr. Hana Kahleova, who directs clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
The group describes itself as “a nonprofit organization that promotes preventive medicine.” It has long advocated for plant-based diets as being healthier for people and the planet.
The new data comes out of prior Physicians Committee research that found that low-fat plant-based diets are effective in helping people shed excess pounds and help control blood sugar, as compared to fattier diets containing meat.
Kahleova’s new analysis looked at the environmental impact of switching to a vegan diet. They linked data from two datasets — the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Commodity Intake Database and the Database of Food Impacts on the Environment for Linking to Diets.
The analysis found a 51% daily reduction in personal greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) once a person made the switch — the daily equivalent of preventing carbon dioxide emissions from a more than 4-mile gas engine car trip.
As well, switching to the vegan diet spurred a 51% decline in what’s known as cumulative energy demand (CED) — the amount of energy used up in harvesting the raw materials consumed in a diet, as well as their processing, transport and disposal.
Much of these reductions were linked to folks forgoing meat, dairy products and eggs, the research showed.
According to Kahleova, plant-based diets are gaining popularity in the United States, with a recent survey showing that almost half of Americans take environmental concerns into account when thinking about switching away from meat.
“As awareness of its environmental impact grows, swapping plant foods for animal products will be as ubiquitous as reduce, reuse and recycle,” she said.
“Prior research has shown that red meat, in particular, has an outsized impact on energy use compared to grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables,” Kahleova added. “Our randomized study shows just how much a low-fat vegan diet is associated with a substantial reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, significant drivers of climate change.”
The study was published Nov. 17 in JAMA Network Open.
SOURCE: Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, news release, Nov. 17, 2025
What This Means For You
Switching away from meat and towards a vegan diet helps the planet, too.
