Carbon costs on the Menu: The environmental and nutritional impact of Chinese dishes

Food consumption in China, particularly animal-based products, has risen with population growth and increasing income, resulting in significant environmental impacts. While previous research has mainly focused on the environmental effects of individual foods, Chinese dietary habits typically involve a mix of ingredients, necessitating a holistic assessment of entire dishes. This study examines the nutritional and carbon footprint impacts of 126 representative dishes from eight major Chinese cuisines and seven key ingredients. We compile a nutritional database using authoritative recipe data, calculate carbon footprints for both cooking and non-cooking stages, and develop a new indicator to reflect the carbon footprint per unit of nutritional value. Results show that the carbon footprint per 100g of dish ranges from 0.01 to 23.5 kg CO₂ eq, with 25.9 % of emissions attributed to the cooking stage. Significant differences in carbon footprints were found across cuisines and ingredients, influenced by factors such as the dish's ingredients, cooking methods, and seasoning ratios. Beef and mutton dishes have the highest carbon footprints and thus great potential for emission reduction, while vegetable dishes exhibit a dominant cooking stage footprint in some cases, accounting for up to 90 % of total emissions. The amount of seasoning used in dishes also affects the results, and the carbon emission of seasoning in Shandong cuisine account for 17 %. Aquatic dishes have the potential to become a win-win diet that combines low carbon and high nutrition, but need to be combined with staple foods or starchy dishes and reduce the use of seasonings. This study provides a scientific basis for assessing the carbon footprint of Chinese dishes and offers insights for adjusting dietary structures in China.