Planet-friendly foods

Sadly, some foods have a devasting impact on the environment. Here, we explore the fruits, vegetables and other foods that have the smallest environmental footprints

- Lisa Holmen

As far as sustainability goes, not all foods are created equally. Some of the foods we eat can have a devastating impact on climate change, which makes it important to make informed choices when it comes to consuming foods that are not only good for you, but good for the environment.

Globally, we rely on a small range of food, and monoculture farming (repeated harvesting of a single crop) is rife, with approximately 75 per cent of global food supply coming from only 12 plant and five animal species. In order to protect the planet, it’s essential to diversify and eat a variety of foods in our diet.

The first step to ensuring our diet has minimal impact on the environment is to shop smart. This involves knowing where your food comes from and eating locally, seasonally and consciously whenever possible. Local food is generally fresher since it has lower food miles, which helps minimise damaging fossil fuels and packaging used in transport. As far as fruit and vegetables are concerned, organic food is usually the best option since it reduces the amount of synthetic pesticides, chemicals and herbicides used on the plants and soil. It’s recommended to limit refined grains and processed foods as much as possible and opt for more plant-based foods and whole grains.

So which fruits, vegetables and other foods have the smallest environmental footprints?

Lentils