Eshel, G., Stainier, P., Shepon, A., Swaminathan, A. 2019. Environmentally Optimal, Nutritionally Sound, Protein and Energy Conserving Plant Based Alternatives to U.S. Meat. Nature, Scientific Reports. 9, Number 10345.

Agriculture, Animal agriculture, Cropping systems, Farms, Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Nutrients, Sustainability, Water quality, Wheat, Land use, Water supply, Agricultural BMPs

In addition to evaluating the nutritional composition of plant-based alternatives to meat, this study provides comparisons of land requirements, nitrogen fertilizer usage, water usage, and greenhouse gas emissions of traditional meat vs. plant-based meat alternatives. The results indicate that a widespread transition to plant-based alternatives to meat would offer a large-scale, multifaceted reduction in resource use.