Using Food Molecules to Live More Sustainably
Better for The Planet
Replace Drug Molecules with Food Molecules
By designing formulations of food molecules that cause the same or similar physiologic benefits as active pharmaceutical ingredients, everyone benefits.
Food formulations would employ ingredients that are
- Much more abundant
- Requires little consumer behavior change
- Far cheaper
- Ingested by humans for millenia
- Better for the environmental
- Less reliant on use of dangerous solvents
- Produce far fewer polluting chemicals
A Healthier Worldwide Population That Eats Less
Food formulations for weight loss can cut average food consumption by 30%.
This means 30% less water usage, less sugar, less meat production and less methane.
A reduction of disease also leads to disease prevention and healthy aging through weight loss.
The Impact
The current population of the USA is 331.9 million.
The average person taking modern weight loss drugs reduces calorie consumption by 30%. 15 million Americans will be taking weight loss drugs by 2030, according to Josh Schafer reporting on October 17, 2023 in Yahoo! Finance.
15 million is 4.5% of 331.9 million.
If 4.5% of Americans Were to eat 30% Fewer Calories
The potential environmental gains could be significant. Here are some general considerations:
Reduced Greenhouse Gas Emissions:
The production of food, especially meat, is associated with substantial greenhouse gas emissions. Eating fewer calories, particularly from high-impact foods, could lead to a decrease in emissions related to agriculture.
Lower Land Use:
Agriculture requires a large amount of land, and reducing calorie intake may result in decreased demand for agricultural land. This could contribute to land conservation and potentially slow down deforestation.
Decreased Water Usage:
Agriculture is a major consumer of water. Eating fewer calories could result in reduced water demand for food production, benefiting water conservation efforts.
Less Food Waste:
Eating fewer calories may lead to less food waste, as people are likely to buy and prepare only what they need. Food waste contributes to environmental problems, including methane emissions in landfills.
Lower Energy Consumption:
The production, processing, and transportation of food require energy. If fewer calories are consumed, there could be a reduction in the overall energy footprint associated with the food supply chain.
Health Benefits:
While not directly environmental, a population consuming fewer calories may experience health benefits, leading to potential reductions in healthcare-related environmental impacts.
Fewer Side Effects, Lower Cost
The idea of replacing active pharmaceutical ingredients with food molecules as mediated through ectopic receptors is truly disruptive. It holds the promise of many fewer side effects and much lower cost, opening large swaths of the globe currently poorly served by the Western Pharma model, to inexpensive alternatives for health and wellness.
