One of the most memorable finds ofNew York Times'May reveal California's droughtis that almonds require almost a liter of water to produce just one small nut. But if you dig a little deeper into water use across the food system, you might be surprised to learn that almonds are hardly the thirstiest crops around.
In general, animal foods, such as meat and dairy, require many more resources than plant foods, because you have to feed the animal first before it can feed you. Here's how some of the most popular animal foods stack up:
- 1 ei: 18 liter water
- 2 oz turkey: (amount in a 6 inch sub): 25 quarts water
- 1 glass of milk: 36 liters of water
- 4 oz of beef (amount in a burger): 197 liters of water
By comparison, 2 slices of bread uses only 6.4 liters of water, and 2 oz of rice uses 15.1 liters. In other words: research shows that beef production uses 2.7 liters (10,19 liter) of water to produce just 1 calorie of food, compared to about half a gallon per calorie fruit, ⅓ gallon per calorie vegetables and ⅛ gallon – about two cups of water – per calorie-rich breakfast cereal. This means that grains can provide the most food calories using the least amount of water, an important advantage in times of drought and unstable resources.
Reduce drought with traditional grain-based diets
Many of the driest areas in the world, such as sub-Saharan Africa, rely on hardy grain crops such as millet when water is limited. After all, grains have been the core of traditional diets for thousands of years, even during periods of extreme drought.
If you want to reduce your contribution to California's drought, make hearty whole grains the foundation of your meals, and limit meat and dairy products to flavorful garnishes rather than making them the star of the recipe. Raising animals for meat production requires a significant amount of land and water, so plant-based diets (where meat, cheese and yogurt play only a supporting role) are best able to conserve resources such as water. Fruits and vegetables, while highly nutritious, do not have as much energy as grains and are more difficult to grow, transport and store so you can enjoy them all year round. To get the necessary calories from fruits and vegetables, much more food had to be grown and much more water had to be used.
Not surprisingly, whole grains are less wasteful and more sustainable than refined grains because you don't throw away the bran or germ. According to the Kansas Wheat Commission, 1 bushel of wheat yields 42 pounds of refined flour, which yields 42 (24 oz) loaves of white bread. The same bushel of wheat yields 60 pounds of whole wheat flour, which yields 60 loaves (24 oz) of whole wheat bread.
Although grains generally do not require as much water as other crops, many "old" and heirloom grains are often more tolerant of extreme weather patterns than their mainstream counterparts. For example, proso millet (the main type of millet sold in the United States) has the lowest water requirements of all grain crops, as does pearl millet (more common in Africa and Asia).most able to tolerate extreme heat and drought. Similarly, teff, an Ethiopian whole grain, thrives in drought.
Shifting diets from grains to more energy-intensive foods places an irresponsible burden on our planet's precious resources. Let's continue the tradition of many resource-challenged societies before us and let tasty and hearty whole grains be the cornerstone of our meals. Plant-based diets with whole grains are the best way to reduce our water footprint, and I couldn't imagine a more delicious solution!(Kelly)
Emily Steiner
21 december 2019
I have switched to a plant-based diet. It goes well. Only requires preparation and recipes until it is a habit.
