Just a small change in diet can save up to 800 euros per year

Marco Springmann, a researcher at the University of Oxford and University College London, explains that a vegan diet is the cheapest way to save money. He emphasizes that a plant-based diet in countries like Germany can reduce food costs by up to 28 percent. Springmann’s analysis is based on data from the World Bank, which examines the costs of over 400 products worldwide.

Expert: Vegan nutrition saves costs – and has health benefits

He emphasizes that animal products such as meat and fish are significantly more expensive compared to plant-based alternatives. According to Springmann, foods like beans and lentils not only offer health benefits, but are also unbeatable in terms of price. “Animal products such as meat and fish are generally more expensive than plant-based alternatives such as beans and lentils,” he says, according to ZEIT.

Savings of 800 euros per year per person through a vegan diet

Springmann and his team have developed several scenarios based on the recommendations of the EAT-Lancet Commission. This commission is researching how it is possible to feed ten billion people a healthy, environmentally friendly diet in the future. According to Springmann, a person in Germany can save up to 800 euros a year by following a vegan diet.

He adds that making plant-based meals yourself can significantly reduce costs. This makes a noticeable difference, especially in high-income countries like Germany. However, Springmann warns that vegan substitutes can be more expensive than the original. “According to our study, vegan burgers, sausages and bacon were more than a third more expensive, and plant-based dairy products were on average twice as expensive,” he explains.

A vegetarian diet also reduces costs by up to 25 percent

If you are not prepared to give up animal products completely, you can also achieve significant savings with a vegetarian diet. Springmann finds that vegetarians spend up to a quarter less on food compared to meat eaters. Depending on the proportion of fruit, vegetables and whole grain products, the savings potential is around 21 to 25 percent. Even a flexitarian diet, in which you partially avoid meat and dairy products, reduces costs by around six percent.

To reach the full 25 percent, he recommends increasing your consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes. Specifically, you should eat five to six portions of fruit and vegetables as well as one to two portions of nuts and legumes every day. He also advises limiting consumption of dairy products to one serving per day.

External costs for meat not included in market prices continue to rise

Springmann points out that current market prices for meat products do not include the external costs of environmental and health damage. These additional costs could be up to a third of today’s market prices. “The prices would have to be a third higher to be fair,” he explains. He estimates that these external costs could rise to almost 70 percent by 2050.

Although the data used is from 2017, he believes the trend remains the same: meat has probably become even more expensive, while the savings from a vegan diet are probably even greater today.

According to Springmann, the discussion about avoiding meat and veganism on the Internet remains heated. He reports that he is criticized for his research by both vegans and meat eaters. Vegans who prefer highly processed substitutes don’t like his emphasis that unprocessed, plant-based products are better for reducing costs, health and environmental impact. Meat eaters, on the other hand, would have difficulty recognizing the additional costs of their diet caused by climate damage and health impacts.

What you should remember about your diet:

• Marco Springmann explains that a vegan diet can reduce food costs by up to 28 percent and save up to 800 euros per year, although avoiding heavily processed substitute products is particularly beneficial.
• A vegetarian diet also offers savings potential of up to 25 percent by increasing the consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, while even a flexitarian diet can reduce costs by around 6 percent.
• The market prices of meat products do not include the external costs of environmental and health damage that these products cause. These could increase by up to 70 percent by 2050.

By the way: A vegan diet is not only more cost-effective, but can reduce biological age by 0.63 years in eight weeks. For vegans, a well-stocked shelf in the supermarket is a reason to be happy. Many people eat certain foods incorrectly without knowing it. Prominent example: Oatmeal – don’t make the same mistake.

After a week of a vegan diet: This is what happens to your body

A vegan diet can have a positive effect on the body – but it is important to pay attention to and avoid deficiency symptoms. It is therefore essential to be well informed before making the change. You will find out what short-term and long-term effects occur here.