Most people would have little trouble naming their favourite colour, song or food, but what would you rate as your favourite protein? Now think about how it would score in terms of healthiness and environmental friendliness?
A Cambridge researcher has put 20 protein sources to the test in terms of their benefits to humans and the planet, and tofu has come out on top. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first six items on a list that included meat and dairy were all plant-based. You can find the full list of proteins at the bottom of this article (popular products such as tempeh and seitan weren’t included).
The foods were given a BPI (Better Protein Institute) score by behavioural scientist Professor Chris Macdonald. His new metric combines a “people” rating – i.e. nutritional content (sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol, essential amino acids) and cost – with a “planet” rating: environmental impact in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and how much land and water is required to produce 100g. Tofu won with an unassailable BPI of 36. Cheddar let itself down badly with a paltry 13.
When assessed solely according to its environmental credentials, tofu came out with the maximum “planet” score of 16, followed by chia seeds, beans and quinoa. While creating 100g of tofu requires 2.16 square metres of land and results in 0.61kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, beef needs 211.38 square metres and is literally a hundred times more carbon-intensive, at 64.19kg per 100g. Mozzarella, pork and cheddar were also rated poorly for their environmental credentials.
Tofu also topped the “people” ranking with 20 points – as a complete protein, it actually contains all nine of the essential amino acids the body cannot make on its own and must therefore come from our diets. The top four were once again all plant-based: tofu, beans, lentils and chia seeds. When it came to cost, lentils were the cheapest protein per 100g.
Macdonald said in his paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, that further iterations of the BPI Score could take animal welfare into account, but added: “Ultimately, beyond the spreadsheets and scores, lies a fundamental reckoning: our protein choice is a referendum on the compassion we are willing to show to the planet and to future generations.”
The best and worst protein sources according to their BPI score
Tofu ⭐️
Chia seeds
Beans
Quinoa
Sunflower seeds
Lentils
Chicken breast
Tuna
Peanuts
Chickpeas
Walnuts
Brazil nuts
Salmon
Eggs
Pork chops
Cod
Beef steak
Lamb chops
Mozzarella
Cheddar
Check out our delicious tofu recipes