An updated version of the Austrian Nutritional Recommendations, commissioned by the country’s Ministry of Health, has recommended consuming more plant-based foods and fewer animal products.
A new “plate model” published as part of the guidelines suggests that 50% of a person’s diet should consist of fruits and vegetables. Another 25% should be made up of whole grains and potatoes, and the final quarter should consist of predominantly plant-based proteins.
For the first time, legumes and legume-based products (such as tofu and soy yogurt) have been given their own category in the new recommendations. Omnivores are advised to eat three servings of these products per week, while vegetarians should eat four. Meat-eaters are also advised not to eat more than three servings of meat and fish per week.
This autumn, a separate dietary pyramid for vegetarians will be published for the first time, though it appears that the recommendations will be catered to lacto-ovo vegetarians rather than those eating a fully plant-based diet.
“Healthy and environmentally conscious”
The updated recommendations take into account both health and sustainability, recognising that animal products have a high carbon footprint compared to plant-based foods. Austria is not the first country to take this approach; in March, updated guidelines from German nutrition society Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung recommended that diets should consist of at least 75% plant-based foods to benefit human health and the planet.
Similarly, the latest edition of the Nordic Nutrition recommendations advises consuming a mostly plant-based diet with minimal meat. These guidelines likely take inspiration from the EAT-Lancet Commission’s Planetary Health Diet, which emphasizes a plant-forward approach where whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes account for the majority of foods consumed.
“[The new guidelines] show people how to make their diets healthy and environmentally conscious. The conscious diet with a focus on vegetables, fruit, cereals, and legumes is not only good for the planet, we also live longer and healthier,” said Austrian Federal Minister Johannes Rauch.
