For example, for the first time, “legumes and products made from them” are included as a separate category in the recommendations, as are those for vegetarian diets. The connection between nutrition and the climate crisis was also taken into account.
“We don’t want to dictate or prohibit anything to people, but rather raise awareness,” Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) was quoted as saying in a press release on Thursday. Nutrition experts consider three portions of pulses per week to be ideal, but they have suggested reducing the amount of meat, fish, milk and dairy products consumed. For the first time, there are also recommendations for a vegetarian diet. The most important components of a balanced diet remain drinking water (six portions per day), vegetables and fruit (five portions per day), and grains and potatoes (four portions per day).
“Protects health and climate”
Health Minister Rauch says he is focusing on education: “A healthy diet protects our health and our climate equally.” Up to 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in Austria are therefore attributable to diet – the production and transport of animal products in particular releases a lot of CO2. With these products, it was argued that particular attention should be paid to regionality in order to keep transport routes short. With fruit and vegetables, seasonality should be taken into account. Fresh, seasonal food contains more nutrients and is cheaper because there are no high transport and storage costs.
The nutritional recommendations were decided by the National Nutrition Commission. Both health and climate aspects were taken into account. The new guidelines were developed by the Competence Center for Climate and Health of Gesundheit Österreich GmbH together with the Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES) and the Austrian Society for Nutrition.
The new “plate model” is intended to illustrate the optimal composition of a meal as a supplement to the food pyramid; this representation is internationally recognized. The brochure “Eat healthily, good for the climate” is intended to provide inexpensive and healthy meals on this basis. It is also used in projects run by the Ministry of Health. The revised food pyramid will be published in the autumn.
