Top scientists just revealed the Planetary Health Diet. Here's the menu

In a landmark new report, top scientists have laid out the dire consequences of our current eating habits – and designed a new Planetary Health Diet (PHD) for the world.

If adopted globally, the diet could save up to 11 million lives a year while helping bring humanity back within the planet’s safe operating limits.

What’s on the plate?

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the PHD is mostly plant-based. It does, however, allow for modest portions of meat, dairy, and fish.

The diet calls for cutting red meat to just one burger a week, adding a handful of nuts a day, and doubling fruit and veg intake.

The report's authors insists the PHD doesn’t have to mean deprivation. Instead, it calls for small, practical shifts that add up. For example, make plant-based swaps once or twice a week, such as bean stews, lentil curries, or chickpea pasta dishes.

Here's the breakdown:

Scientists say the diet can be adapted to many cultures, from Mediterranean cooking to traditional Asian and African diets, making it less of a strict prescription and more of a framework for healthier choices.

The report, published in the Lancet today, was produced by 70 leading experts from 35 countries and six continents. The report's lead author, Johan Rockström, is the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and one of the world's foremost earth scientists.

Alarming numbers

The report highlights just how far current eating habits have drifted from what’s healthy – for people and the planet.

• 11 million premature deaths a year could be avoided if everyone ate within the Planetary Health Diet.
• 5.6 billion people consume too much sugar, driving obesity in 2.5 billion adults and 360 million children.
• Agriculture alone is responsible for breaching six of nine planetary boundaries that keep Earth stable – including climate, biodiversity, and water use.
• The richest 30% of people account for over 70% of the environmental impact of global diets, while nearly half the world still can’t afford healthy food.

Without radical change, the report warns, even a full shift away from fossil fuels won’t stop food systems alone from blowing past the Paris climate goals.