What if there was a way to make you a little leaner and the world a little greener? Well, it turns out, there is. And the answer is actually quite simple but scientists are grappling with how to put it into widespread practice. What is the answer? Plant-based diets.

Unhealthy diets create an immediate risk to human health, and the environment is being pushed to its limits to produce foods that aren’t sustainable. Because of this, researchers are calling for major changes to be made to the way we make and consume our food.

Experts have long advocated for a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and unsaturated oils. This diet would not only limit the intake of seafood and poultry, it would nearly eliminate red meat, processed meat, added sugar, refined grains and starchy vegetables.

To put it simply, researchers want people to focus on what we have always been told: Eat more fruits and veggies. Scientists call it a “planetary diet’’ because not only does it reduce a person’s risk of major health issues, it also lessens the adverse impacts on the environment.

Even with all of these facts on the table, the relentless appetite for unsustainable food is staggering. Unhealthy diets pose more health risks than other bad habits we have been warned about, such as unprotected sex, alcohol abuse and smoking.

Scientists are calling for a unification of researchers, political leaders, environmentalists and the public to change the way we see and eat food. So, consider adopting a planetary diet as your contribution to your health and as a way to help save Mother Earth.