Foods with a Strikingly Low Impact on the Environment

Beet sugar and sugar from sugarcane sweetens many food products. Although both are identical chemically as sucrose, beet sugar and sugarcane sugar go through different refining processes. To obtain the sucrose, the beets are thinly sliced and juiced. Sugarcane sugar is processed with bone char, which is removed from the final product – an important distinction for vegans.

To make a great wine, all you need to do is pick the grapes, let them ferment, and bottle the final product. Easy right? Well, knowing when to harvest the grapes, aging the vintage for a great taste, and bottling the wine in the right container all take the knowledge and skill of an experienced winemaker. Today, winemakers have to contend with not only the delicate art of making a wine, but with climate change that is causing droughts and wildfires and changing which grape varieties can be grown where.

You’ve probably never heard of the term “other pulses” but you no doubt seen some of them in the grocery store. Edible seeds in the legume family, pulses include dry beans, dry peas, and chickpeas, among others. Because growing pulses requires less water than most other crops and decreases greenhouse gasses, pulses are considered a sustainable agricultural crop.

Maize meal is a ground-up version of dried corn kernels, also known as cornmeal, and can be found in a variety of food products. Maize meal is widely used in Southern Africa because it can be stored without refrigeration.

Wheat and rye are both cereal grains, but are put to different uses. Wheat is processed into flour for baking. Also used in baking, rye is a staple of animal feed and in whiskey distilling. Their tastes are different, too. Wheat has a neutral flavor, while rye has a sour taste.

You may think of grapes as distinct from berries, but the two fruits are actually both berries. Grapes belong to a family of plants known as Vitaceae; the plants within this family produce berry-like fruits. A berry is defined as a fleshy fruit without a stone produced from a single flower. Where the confusion comes is that some grapes have a hard pit.

If you hated tapioca as a kid, blame cassava. A starchy root vegetable, cassava is consumed in many parts of the world. As a drought-resistant vegetable, it can be grown in harsh conditions. Cassava is high in what is called resistant starch, a type of starch with properties similar to soluble fiber. However, processed cassava products such as tapioca contain less resistant starch.

Barley is another cereal grain; it’s frequently used for brewing beer and making alcoholic beverages. The grain is also said to lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels. In addition to an ingredient for beer, barley is planted for erosion control. Because its roots burrow deep into the soil, winter barley protects the ground from wind and rain that erode the soil.

Science magazine breaks out citrus fruits, berries (including grapes), apples, and bananas individually and categorizes everything else as “other fruits.” That encompasses everything from familiar ones like peaches, pears, and pineapple to more exotic varieties like dragon fruit (pitaya), prickly pears, and jackfruit.

A type of legume, peas are native to the Middle East – specifically Turkey and Iraq. Frozen peas are on the Environmental Working Group’s “Clean Fifteen” list, making them a safer choice for those who want to avoid pesticides. The Group also gives fresh peas a “low to moderate pesticide residue score.”

Looking for a non-daily alternative to cow’s milk? Made from soybeans, the soy milk found on grocery shelves is fortified with vitamins and minerals. U.S. farmers now produce more soy than corn. One glass of soy milk requires 18 gallons of water to produce, compared to 67 gallons for a glass of cow’s milk.

Strangely enough, bananas are actually a berry. Bananas provide a rich source of potassium and pectin, a form of fiber. The fruits are also packed with magnesium and vitamins C and B6. Because of their low carbon footprint, bananas are less harmful to the environment than many other fruits.

The family of vegetables encompasses so many more varieties than the commonplace peas and carrots. Artichokes, asparagus, okra, cauliflower, avocados, turnips, Brussels sprouts, and bean sprouts are just a few of the veggies you should be trying.

Brassicas, also called cruciform vegetables, are plants in the cabbage and mustard family (Brassicaceae). Among its varieties are kale, collards, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, turnips, bok choy, and choy sum. Kale and collards are on the Environmental Working Group’s “Dirty Dozen,” meaning that they retain high pesticide residue. Cabbage and cauliflower, on the other hand, are on the “Clean Fifteen.”

Onions and leeks both add flavor to cooking, with leeks providing a mild taste than sweet or pungent onions. Both are members of the Allium family, like garlic. Leeks are a cold resistant crop and can withstand many frosts. Dry onions can be stored for long periods. Onion production is relatively sustainable, with less impact on the water, air, land, and soil.

Americans can’t get enough potatoes! According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly 50 pounds of potatoes were available to be eaten per person in 2019. How good potatoes are for the environment is a subject of debate. One study out of England said the spuds have less environmental impact than pasta and rice. However, potatoes do use pesticides in production, so that is something to consider when munching on a french fry.

Nuts are classified as dry, single-seeded fruits with a high oil content. Strictly, speaking, chestnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, and walnuts are nuts while peanuts are actually legumes. Packed with protein, nuts generally have a lower carbon footprint than animal-based protein. Macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, and brazil nuts are a more sustainable crop than almonds, which use a lot of water to grow.

Apples are vulnerable to pests, fungal infections, and bacterial diseases, so pesticides are used in their production. However, organic or “low-spray” apples are readily available today. Apples grown in the state of Washington, where drier conditions make it possible to grow them chemical-free, are another alternative.

Potatoes, carrots, and onions are examples of root vegetables that sprout from the earth. Root vegetables can be low in calories, but high in carbohydrates. For instance, a baked russet potato contains 37 grams of carbs compared to 12 grams in a cup of chopped raw carrots.

Citrus fruits can either be sweet (oranges, grapefruits) or tangy (limes, lemons). Grown on flowering trees or shrubs, citrus needs a lot of water to produce. It’s best to buy and consume citrus fruits during the peak winter season for less environmental impact.