Hurricane Harvey, Irma and Maria caused great damage to Texas, Florida and the Caribbean in 2017, paying more attention to climate change and its causes. What does this have to do with what you eat? Food production has a huge impact on the environment. Some of your dietary staples may produce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. The glimmer of hope for these recent storms is that people are increasingly talking about how the things we put on the plates have a huge impact on the world around us.
Read on to find out the five worst foods. Environment - and some smart exchanges you can eat.
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There are five worst environmental foods in common - they are all animal products. According to the findings of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the most harmful foods of the climate are so named because their regular production will emit the most greenhouse gases to our atmosphere. However, unless you are “free”, all your meals will have some impact on the environment.
“On a global scale, food production accounts for about one-third of all greenhouse gases. Therefore, when we make choices that affect climate change, transportation is there. “KG Geagan MS, RDN,” The author of Go Green Get Lean and the alliance member of the True Health Initiative global board of directors said. “In general, the decline in food is the smaller the carbon footprint when you eat.”It is a wise idea to exchange plant-based proteins instead of meat-based proteins, but there is no need to go to cold turkeys (pun Language) is a good environmental steward.
Credit: RossHelen / iStock / GettyImages Worst Food No. 1: Lamb
List the most harmful food planets, numero uno is definitely not what you want The place to find the food you like. Sorry, lamb! When asked why it includes lambRed meat is the number one reason for EWG's worst choice for greenhouse gas emissions. Geagan simply said: “You have to grow food to feed the animals and turn 'plant calories' into 'animal protein calories', 'you' more specifically Lamb is the most resource-intensive meat produced, mainly due to its feed needs as well as fuel, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and water requirements. Mutton is also a special high-pressure animal. Surprisingly, it has a carbon footprint 50% higher than beef! The positive news about lamb is that Americans tend to eat a small amount of meat. But if you are a lamb lover, what can you eat to help reduce the impact on the planet?
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Credit: Lisovskaya / iStock / GettyImages For chicken or lentils lamb
When shopping, the more environmentally friendly choice is always grass - feeding or organic lamb. Grass-fed animals eat organic grass, pasture and hay. Preparation Tip: Reduce the amount of meat and increase the amount of vegetables accompanying.
A more environmentally friendly option is to eat organic chicken thighs; chicken is more resource efficient than lamb.Preparation Tip: boneless, skinless chicken thigh string cube instead of lamb, for juicy, healthy kebab
The most environmentally friendly choice is to switch to vegetarian options, such as lentils This is very low food chain.Preparation Tip: Use moussaka as the mutton in the recipe, do not use cooked lentils - or use at least 100% grass-fed mutton and cooked lentils for a half-day eclipse.
Credit: nata_vkusidey / iStock / GettyImages Worst Food 2: Beef
When it comes to protein and calories, beef is the least effective source of food. one. According to the World Resources Institute, compared with beans, lentils and similar plant protein foods based on edible protein units, the output emits 20 times more greenhouse gases and 20 times the floor space.. “The main source of climate change impact from beef is methane production – this gas warms up 23 times faster than carbon dioxide,” Geagan said. But no beef is required. “A Mediterranean diet rich in plant and plant protein and a small amount of red meat helps to lose weight, reduce the risk of chronic diseases and hidden inflammation, and increase the amount of phytochemicals in the diet. Geagan says: “The carbon footprint is low, this is a Very simple information, it will change everything: your results, your influence. "
Credit: Liudmyla Dabizha / iStock / GettyImages Exchange beef ground Turkey or mushrooms
If you want to eat beef, always choose grass feed or organic varieties Preparation Tip: Like mutton, reduce the amount and increase the part of the accompanying vegetables.
The more green choice is organic turkey.Preparation Tip: Simply Eat a small turkey burger (hint: pile up with vegetables!) instead of a big beef burger, or top pasta with a few turkey meatballs.
Your most environmentally friendly choice is portobello mushrooms.]Preparation Tip: Instead of a fine steak, g use several giant Belo mushroom “steaks.” Instead of ground beef in a recipe like taco stuffing or chili, use fried chopped Mushrooms. Or go for a half-day, mix 100% grass-fed beef with cooked mushrooms.
Credit: loooby / iStock / GettyImages The worst food 3: cheese[ 123] Cheese is a carbon-intensive food. Because dairy products have experienced very similar to beef. Dyeing the production supply chain, which explains why cheese ranks third under the most severe environmental impact, second only to beef. Americans also like Italian and other imported cheeses, so their transportation contributes to their carbon footprint. Animal waste will also Causing a lot of water and air pollution, and also producing methane and nitrous oxide. But Americans have not slowed down their cheese consumption.
Those who choose vegetarian foodWhether part-time or full-time, you may find yourself using extra cheese instead of meat, but there are some plant-friendly ways to fight protein. “Most people are surprised that they are still able to fully reach their protein goals while moving to a more plant-based approach – without sacrificing taste,” Geagan said.
Credit:
Azure-Dragon / iStock / GettyImages [ 123] Swap Brie eats nut cheese or hummusLights cheese, chooses 100% grass-fed cheese Variety to limit your footprint.
Preparation Tips:
Choose aroma options such as spicy cheddar cheese or stinky gorgonzola, so you end up with less flavor. A more environmentally friendly alternative is a vegetable cheese substitute made from nuts and other ingredients. Ready Tips:
"Crumble" soft nut cheese, such as Treeline Treenut cheese, sandwich or wrap or salad or pasta.Your most environmentally friendly choice is hummus. It is made from chickpeas, which are far from the food chain but still provide plenty of protein. Preparation Tip:
Enjoy hummus and graham crackers or pita instead of cheese and crackers. Or take risks and make hummus tacos.Credit: KarinaUrmantseva / iStock / GettyImages
Worst Food No. 4: PorkPork may be "other white meat" compared to chicken, thin Meat, but pork is a technology ally is red meat. The good news is that it is more environmentally friendly than the "red" products of its kind (ie lamb and beef). The bad news is that according to the World Resources Institute, pork still needs three times as much land and emits three times as much greenhouse gas as beans! EWG research has shown that processing (including packaging and freezing) and cooking pork also contribute to overall emissions.
If you choose to keep pork in your diet plan, curb the intake of processed pork, such as bacon and ham. Preservatives and cancers in these processed traditional pork productsrelated. Source:
from_my_point_of_view / iStock / GettyImages
Changing leaf jackfruit or tofuGeag's advice is: "When you eat meat (including pork) Or when poultry, choose organics to support reclaimed agriculture, help absorb carbon from the atmosphere and put it back into the soil - and has been proven to produce a lower carbon footprint."
Preparation Tip:
As with beef and mutton, reduce the amount and increase the amount of vegetables accompanying. A fun, greener choice is jackfruit, a unique, sustainable fruit with a fleshy texture - but since it is imported at this time, it loses some "green" due to transportation. point. Preparation Tip:
Instead of pulling pork, burn the jackfruit into the next delicious potato sandwich.The most beautiful choice is organic tofu made from organic soybeans certified by the US Department of Agriculture. Preparation Tip:
Cut into thin slices or fine hazelnut smoked tofu, using a sandwich or pea soup instead of ham. Or cube barbecue tofu, then fry the pork instead of pork.Credit: bhofack2 / iStock / GettyImages
Worst Food No. 5: Farmed squidGo fishing - but selective! You can get healthy omega-3 fatty acids from salmon. But the fish that are good for you is not suitable for this planet. According to the EWG survey, the greenhouse gas emissions of most farmed salmon are derived from feed, electricity and farm fuel burning. (Note: Wild salmon is not included in this report.) However, fish lovers have no fear. Your ecological footprint is better than other animal proteins if you eat salmon as a dinner instead of lamb, beef or pork.
Credit: margouillatphotos / iStock / GettyImages
Exchange egg or vegetable pies for salmon farmingIf you want to lower the squidInto the amount, you can enjoy the exchange of low-mercury canned tuna: it emits about half of the greenhouse gas emissions of farmed salmon.
Preparation Tip:
Canned tuna is an easy-to-use salad that can replace salmon fillets. The more green choice is organic eggs. They emit only 40% of greenhouse gas emissions from farmed salmon. Preparation Tip:
Eggs are more than just breakfast - enjoy it at any time! Try to supply brown rice and steamed greens with two fried organic eggs on top and topped with Mary.Your most environmentally friendly choice is beans, seeds or whole-grain "burger" pies. Preparation Tip:
Grilled botanical burgers can be a unique exchange of grilled salmon. And you don't need to bake burgers in the buns. Instead, the top is a fruity salsa or guacamole.Credit: La_vanda / iStock / GettyImages
for some sustainable swapsinstead of completely eliminating lambs, beef and other environmentally unfriendly foods You can take small steps to achieve a greener diet based on your individual “sustainable sweet spots”. Geagan recommends eating less meat protein while offering higher quality options such as organic foods, 100% grass feeding and certified biodynamic options.
If you decide to go to a vegetarian or vegan, nature will be proud! Think of bean chili instead of chili sauce. However, as long as you move towards a plant-centered diet, it helps both the body and the earth. The choice of "mixedism", such as replacing half of the minced meat in a burger pie with fried chopped mushrooms, can be a delicious alternative. Credit:
ipopba / iStock / GettyImages
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