The Swedish Food Agency has developed a greener version of the Food Circle. In the new version, plant-based alternatives are more present than before, but dairy still plays an important part.
The first model of the Food Circle was developed by the Institute of Public Health in the 1960s. But time has changed, and the supply of plant-based foods has grown and has become a natural part of the Swedish diet.
The new Food Circle has therefore been supplemented with, among other things, vegan drinks, nuts, and seeds. Also, legumes are given a much more prominent role.
Åsa Brugård Konde, nutritionist at the Swedish Food Agency, is one of the people behind the modernization of the Food Circle.
– To protect both health and the climate, we need to eat in a different way in the future. Many people want to eat more vegetarian, and regardless of whether you eat meat or not, you can now eat from all parts of the Food Circle.
For instance, the dairy part of the Food Circle has been extended with plant-based gurts and drinks.
– It is important to point out that only the enriched vegetarian products can approach the nutritional value of the traditional dairy products. Therefore, those who only eat vegetarian need to choose, for example, an oat drink that is enriched with calcium and vitamin D, Åsa Brugård Konde says.
Read the full press release HERE