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Beef damages the planet more than any other food. A single 3-ounce beef patty produces nearly 5 pounds’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions (in carbon dioxide equivalents), according to the Environmental Database compiled by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. A top sirloin produces roughly 4 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, but that’s for just a 3 oz. serving. At many restaurants, a sirloin steak ranges from 6 to 12 oz. so it produces roughly 8 to 16 pounds of CO2 equivalents.

Beef is more damaging than pork, chicken, and turkey, which create about 1 pound of greenhouse gas emissions per 3 oz. serving. Seafood varies from tilapia (3.57) to clams or oysters (0.52) per serving. Most dairy foods create roughly 0.5 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per serving.

In contrast, most plant-based foods—like vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and grains—range from 0.41 to 0.01 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per serving. Exception: Juices (1 cup) range from 3.49 (cranberry) to 0.09 (prune).

To see emissions for roughly 120 foods, check out the charts below.

Topics

Which meats, poultry, and seafood create the most greenhouse gas emissions?

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Which dairy foods create the most greenhouse gas emissions?

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Which beans, nuts, and seeds create the most greenhouse gas emissions?

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Which grains create the most greenhouse gas emissions?

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Which drinks create the most greenhouse gas emissions?

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Which fruit and vegetables create the most greenhouse gas emissions?

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Which chocolate, oils, and sugar create the most greenhouse gas emissions?

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