The Unsung Environmental Heroes: Naturally Sustainable Foods.
While labels can help guide your grocery shopping, there are some foods that are inherently more environmentally friendly. The following is a list of everyday foods that have properties which make their production less resource intensive and more sustainable.
Beans and legumes:
Besides being an affordable protein alternative to meat, beans and legumes don’t require nitrogen based fertilizers which are derived from fossil fuels. They are nitrogen fixers which means they take inert gases from the environment and convert them to ammonium which enriches the soil. Beans also have a remarkably low water footprint and are high in fiber and nutrients in addition to protein.
Tomatoes:
Tomatoes grow deep root systems that absorb moisture from deeper soil which reduces the need for water in hot summer months. But maybe even more importantly, you can’t find a summer treat more tasty than fresh tomatoes that have ripened on the vine.
Broccoli:
This nutrient rich vegetable can be grown without pesticides. Broccoli produces a compound called isothuicyanate which acts as a natural pesticide driving tissue eating attackers away. There is also evidence that isothiocyanates have anti-cancer properties at the concentrations found in food (1).
Amaranth:
Amaranth is an ancient grain that is full of protein and nutrients. The plant itself is incredibly resistant, requires little water, and can be grown in almost any soil conditions. It is even thought of as a tool for combatting food insecurity in developing countries. Nutritionists recommend amaranth for women who are breastfeeding and for management of diseases such as tuberculosis, diabetes, marasmus, and live complications.
Wild Alaskan Salmon:
There are many environmental issues associated with the production of farmed Atlantic salmon. In fish farms thousands of fish are crammed into small areas leading to the accumulation of feces and the easy spread of disease. Waste spills out of the ocean based farms into the surrounding waters and disease can spread to the wild fish population. Chemicals and hormones which are fed to the fish can also leak into the waters via fish excrement. Wild Alaskan salmon, on the other hand, is not overfished and catching it does not negatively impact the salmon population or the biodiversity of the ocean.
Mussels:
Mussels are one of the cheapest and most environmentally friendly sources of animal protein. They require no feed since they obtain plankton and other nutrients through the water. They don’t require antibiotics since they have few diseases and because their shells are made of calcium carbonate they absorb carbon from the environment. Even though this is true of other shellfish, mussels contain the highest percentage of carbon per dry weight in their shells and soft tissue (2).
There are countless delicious dishes that incorporate these foods, for example this black beans and amaranth recipe from the New York Times: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012811-black-beans-with-amaranth
Consumer demand influences production so the more these foods are prioritized by consumers the more regenerative our food systems become.
- George, Helga, and Michelle Arevalo. “What Is Isothiocyanate?” WiseGEEK, Conjecture Corporation, 23 May 2018, www.wisegeek.com/what-is-isothiocyanate.htm.
2. LeVaux, Ari. “Mussels May Be the World’s Most Sustainable Meat, So Be Smart and Buy Fresh Ones.” Alternet, www.alternet.org/food/mussels-may-be-worlds-most-sustainable-meat-so-be-smart-and-buy-fresh-ones.
