“Nourishment as a Right: Can We Make It a Reality?” This is the title of the speech given by Professor Frederic Leroy , professor of Food Microbiology and Biotechnology at the Faculty of Science and Bioengineering at the Vrije University of Brussels, at a conference on food safety organized by Renew Europe—under the patronage of Belgian MEP Benoît Cassart , a livestock farmer and co-president of the Intergroup on Sustainable Livestock—at the European Parliament (read EFA News).

In response to growing health challenges and often conflicting dietary advice, a group of scientists led by Professor Leroy has launched new scientific research (1) summarised in the Nourishment Table, an innovative framework designed to help people make informed food choices.

As many Global entities and governments push for a “Great Food Transformation” toward plant-based diets, believing that these are inherently a ‘healthier’ choice, the Nourishment Table advocates for a less restrictive        approach. It encourages each of us to consume “adequate” nutrition, by eating a wide range of animal and plant-based foods, with their own unique ingredients and complimentary nutritional profiles. The nourishment table emphasises individual preferences. The table sets out an evidence-based dietary framework, with a wide scope to adjust to regionally and culturally sensitive foods, allowing individuals to choose what they eat according to nutrient requirements, traditional diets and preferences.  

The Nourishment Table is a flexible tool that goes beyond current standardized dietary guidelines and introduces the concept of “adequate nourishment” as a key to lasting health and well-being. An evolution that goes beyond the common idea of a ‘healthy diet’, commonly considered to be such if based on plant-based foods and low in fat.

The Nutrition Fact Sheet is a flexible, evidence-based framework designed to offer a more personalized approach to nutrition. It focuses on two key factors: nutrient density—the balance of essential nutrients like protein and micronutrients relative to energy content—and the degree of food processing.

Combining these two parameters creates a visual and practical framework that shows which food combinations promote health and which compromise it. Research suggests that omnivorous diets, rich in minimally or moderately processed, nutrient-dense foods, represent a key route to adequate nutrition. This approach can meet a wide range of dietary needs, from traditional eating patterns to the specific needs of groups such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly.

Evidence from years of “traditional” and “ancestral” diets shows that a diet in which at least 25–30% of calories come from animal-based foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and dairy products tends to promote good health, avoiding deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12, iodine, and calcium, which are difficult to obtain from exclusively plant-based sources.

However, the approach remains flexible and inclusive, valuing local food cultures and personal preferences. The framework also recognizes the value of plant-based diets, which can be nutrient-dense but often require careful planning to ensure nutritional completeness. This may involve the inclusion of fortified foods or supplements.

The benefits offered by the Nourishment Table: - Reduction of global nutritional deficiencies and diseases caused by diets low in micronutrients. - Increased satiety and improved appetite regulation thanks to a return to real, natural, and minimally processed foods. - Flexibility and cultural inclusion, against "universal" or ideological dietary models. - Support for local production and culinary traditions as public health tools. - Nutrition education based on science, not marketing.

Conventional advice on a "healthy diet" often fails to effectively guide populations toward better nutrition. In wealthier countries, where consumers have access to a wide variety of foods, reliance on ultra-processed foods (UPF), often high in artificial additives, sugars, and fats, is increasing. These foods are associated with a higher risk of health problems, such as obesity and metabolic disorders. The WHO recently reported that obesity rates have more than doubled since 1990, now affecting approximately one in eight people globally.

Despite the abundance of choice in high-income countries, the United Nations reports that one in three people worldwide cannot afford a nutritionally adequate diet. This demonstrates that current dietary guidelines are not universally applicable and that the focus needs to shift to individual choice.

The new Nourishment Table starts from a simple premise: “Adequate nourishment is more than just a ‘healthy diet’—it’s a practical, scientifically-backed approach to understanding the foods that meet our physiological needs.” – said Prof. Frederic Leroy – “We aim to provide a framework that respects individual choice, making it easier for consumers to make nourishing food selections in their daily lives.”

The aim is to unite scientific rigor with common sense. Adequate nourishment comes from nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods, chosen freely and adapted to individual needs. According to the researchers, in a world divided between excess and deficiency, this approach offers a scientific proposal to policymakers that align with sustainability goals without sacrificing nutritional quality.

(1) Reference: Leroy, F. et al. A framework for adequate nourishment: balancing nutrient density and food processing levels within the context of culturally and regionally appropriate diets. Animal frontiers, 15(1), 10–23 (2025). DOI: 10.1093/af/vfae032

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