Did you know that every food choice we make affects not only our health, but also the condition of the Earth? Today’s global food system contributes nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions and is also a major driver of deforestation, excessive water use, and biodiversity loss.

This is where EAT-Lancet comes in as one of the global guidelines attempting to address these challenges. It is not only about nutrition, but also about creating eating patterns that are more sustainable and fair for everyone.

At the same time, Indonesia already has its own simple dietary guideline through the Ministry of Health’s “Isi Piringku” (“My Plate”) campaign, which encourages people to build balanced meals. Interestingly, when examined more closely, its principles align closely with global frameworks like EAT-Lancet.

What is EAT-Lancet?

EAT-Lancet was first introduced through the concept of the Planetary Health Diet (PHD), an eating pattern designed to improve human health while staying within the Earth’s ecological boundaries. This diet emphasizes plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, while limiting animal protein consumption.

This approach does not mean completely eliminating animal products, but rather rebalancing our meals so they are dominated by plant-based foods. In practice, around 70–80% of food intake is recommended to come from plants.

By following these guidelines, we can help reduce deforestation, decrease excessive water use, lower the risk of non-communicable diseases, and still provide food for 10 billion people by 2050.

EAT-Lancet 2.0: Food Justice Matters

After extensive discussions, exchanges of ideas, and collaboration among organizations and experts, EAT-Lancet 2.0 was introduced as an updated framework centered around food justice.

Launched in Stockholm at the end of 2025 alongside 72 organizations worldwide, the initiative also released an action summary for healthcare professionals, one of the ten communities involved in the EAT-Lancet Action movement.

So, what’s new in this updated version?

In its latest development, EAT-Lancet 2.0 focuses not only on health and environmental sustainability, but also on food equity. This means that everyone should have access to healthy, affordable food that is appropriate to their local context.

This idea is highly relevant in Indonesia, where local foods such as tempeh, tofu, leafy vegetables, tubers, and legumes already strongly support healthy eating patterns without depending heavily on imported products.

In Line with “Isi Piringku”

The “Isi Piringku” program promotes a simple meal composition: half the plate should consist of vegetables and fruits, while the other half contains carbohydrates and protein sources.

This principle aligns closely with the Planetary Health Diet, which also places plant-based foods at the center of the plate. Vegetables and fruits become the foundation, while proteins—both plant and animal-based—are consumed in more balanced portions.

In other words, the healthy eating concept promoted globally is actually very close to the dietary guidance already familiar in Indonesia.

From Theory to Everyday Practice (The Indonesian Version)

This eating pattern can be applied very simply using everyday local foods.

For example:

• Breakfast could include mung bean porridge or rice with tempeh and vegetables.
• Lunch might consist of rice, vegetable lodeh soup or stir-fried water spinach, along with tofu or tempeh as protein sources.
• Dinner can follow a similar pattern, finished with fruits like papaya or bananas.

Traditional Indonesian dishes such as gado-gado, pecel, and urap are also excellent examples of balanced plant-based meals. In fact, many traditional Indonesian foods already reflect the principles of the Planetary Health Diet without people realizing it.

In this context, increasing plant-based food choices can also be done gradually. There is no need to completely change eating habits overnight. It can start with specific moments—for example, choosing meat-free meals one day a week.

Benefits for Health and the Environment

From a health perspective, diets rich in vegetables, fruits, and plant proteins can help reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

From an environmental perspective, this eating pattern can help lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce land and water use, and support ecosystem balance.

Returning to Familiar Traditions

Interestingly, this type of eating pattern is actually not something new. For generations, many Indonesian communities have traditionally consumed plant-based foods because of local ingredient availability and simple culinary traditions.

What is now called the Planetary Health Diet—or even global movements like Meatless Monday, which encourages reducing meat consumption regularly—has actually long existed in everyday Indonesian life, just without a specific label.

Small Steps, Big Impact

Ultimately, whether it is EAT-Lancet, “Isi Piringku,” or other global initiatives, they all share the same goal: helping people eat in a way that is healthier, more balanced, and more sustainable.

Change does not have to begin with something massive. From a simple plate filled with more vegetables, fruits, and plant-based choices, we are already taking small but meaningful steps—not only for our bodies, but also for the Earth.

References

• British Dietetic Association (BDA) United Kingdom. 2025. The EAT-Lancet Commission 2.0 on healthy, sustainable and just food systems: A Commission by The Lancet.
• EAT Forum. 2019. 2019 EAT-Lancet Summary Report.
• Lee, H. 2025. EAT-Lancet 2.0: A major transformation of the food system that simultaneously protects the health of the planet and humanity. Meat Free Monday Korea.
• Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. 2017. Balanced Nutrition Guidelines – Isi Piringku.