Protein is one of the most important macronutrients necessary to maintain a healthy body. Unfortunately, it’s also the kind of food that is associated with the most environmentally damaging production practices, whether through unsustainable fish farms or cruelly packed chicken cages.

What are the main sources of protein?

First of all, what foods contain protein and which of these are potentially unsustainable? Protein is found in a wide range of different foods, from different sources.

Protein-rich foods include pretty much all meats, eggs, milk and cheese, nuts, grains and legumes. It’s found in lower quantities in other foods as well, but these are the main ones that contain significant quantities.

Of these, the majority (meats, eggs, milk, cheese and nuts) can be highly unsustainable, especially when produced using the right techniques and practices.

 

Reduce consumption of less sustainable proteins

The most effective way of eating sustainably is to cut out certain protein sources like meats altogether. However, for many people, a more balanced approach will be preferable. Instead of going veggie or vegan, you can reduce the amount of red meat you eat with each meal, for example, or have one or two totally meat-free days.

These kinds of protein sources are important, but they don’t have to be the only place you get your hit from. You can diversify a little, also eating legumes, grains, eggs and nuts. This is often also a healthier approach, as each of these foods will have different nutrients, minerals and vitamins in them!

 

Seek out genuine environmental commitments

If you are going to eat foods that are intrinsically less sustainable, then it’s important that you source them properly. Over the past decade or so, the prevalence of greenwashing has spread further and further, saturating most businesses and their approach to branding.

While pro-environmental commitments are seeing a bit of a downturn at the moment, this general trend has made it difficult to find brands that are genuinely committed to sustainable practices. As a result, you need to be extra diligent, making sure not to take these kinds of commitments at face value.

When researching potential protein-rich food producers, try to find options with a genuine, tangible commitment to sustainability like John West. Look for outlines on how they’re meeting those commitments, along with a broad range of strategies that focus on aspects like packaging as well as food sourcing.


Trying to source sustainable protein containing foods isn’t just good for the environment; it can be good for your health as well. It will make you more conscious of what it is that you’re putting in your body, likely resulting in a healthier, more balanced diet. It can take a long time to get things just right, but in the end, it’s absolutely worth it.