You might be thinking: “How can someone like me change the looming outcome of climate change?”. Well, an easy way you can help the environment is to develop a healthy diet.
Food production such as growing crops, raising livestock, fishing and shipping all the food contributes 20% to 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
But changing to an eco-friendly diet can reduce your carbon footprint in the long run.
Healthy food choices isn’t just good for your body, but also helps the environment.
Now that you know the impact of your meal choices on our planet, here are the top 7 eco-friendly food to get when shopping.
1.Beans
Beans are part of the legume family, packed with protein, fiber and nutrients.
They have a remarkably small carbon footprint and can be found in every supermarket.
You don’t have to worry about running out of options as beans come in different colours and sizes - red kidney beans, black beans, white beans, pinto beans, and more.
They are delicious with curries, soups and salads.
2.Pea Gin
The next time you’re looking for a drink, be sure to try gin made from fermented peas.
That’s right, you read it correctly. This innovative pea gin is beneficial to the environment and taste equally as delicious as the traditional gin made from wheat.
Unlike wheat, peas as crop can fix nitrogen from the air and does not require synthetic nitrogen that causes air and water pollution.
Pea gin can also prevent rainforest deforestation and reduce carbon footprint. One litre of pea gin reduces 2.2 kg of potential carbon dioxide emissions.
3.Tomatoes
A locally produced, plump ripe tomato has a low carbon footprint.
Tomatoes have deep roots that absorb moisture from the soil, making it refreshing for summer.
This flavourful fruit makes a nutritious meal, you can cook them into soups, sauces or simply add it to sandwiches.
4.Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the most climate-friendly vegetables. It produces less carbon than driving one mile in your car.
Not only does it prevent climate change from escalating by acting as a natural pesticide, it helps your body release carcinogens and other toxins that build up from polluted air.
5.Potatoes
Cutting down on meat and eating more plant based food is important for preventing threatening environmental problems in the future.
Whether baked, boiled, friend or mash, potato is a vegetable that is a great substitute for meat.
Potatoes produces natural pesticides and eliminates the need for synthetic chemicals and can be stored for a long time without going bad. That’s more reasons to love potatoes!
6.Nuts
Crunchy, chewy and healthy, nut is another low carbon food.
Every 100 grams of nuts eaten is similar to the carbon emissions of driving less than half a kilometre.
This healthy snack gives you the fat, fiber and protein that you need and prevents heart disease.
So go nuts for nuts! Keep in mind that peanut butter is not considered eco-friendly as the process adds more carbon emissions.
7.Seasonal Fish
Overfishing causes loss of billions of fish in places without strict regulations. The ocean wildlife is slowly hitting a dangerous level because of overfishing.
If you want to support sustainable practices and conserve the marine ecosystem, shop from sellers that can tell you the details of a fish’s origins.
Better yet, buy directly from fishermen who caught the fish during seasonal months.
The food you eat everyday can have a huge impact on the environment.
Before climate change robs our food security, buy local food with less toxic chemicals and eat less meat.
A small change in your lifestyle can preserve ocean resources, save the planet and humanity’s future.
댓글