The negative impact of processed food on our health has been well-established. But did you know such foods are also a threat to our environment?
Processed foods are items that are a result of a series of industrial processes. They include confectionery, soft drinks, chips, pre-prepared meals, and fast foods. They contain preservatives, food colouring and little or no whole food. Such products are the mainstay of a ‘globalised diet’ and are becoming dominant in the global food supply, with sales and consumption growing in all regions and almost all countries. This means that dietary patterns worldwide are becoming increasingly more processed and less diverse.
What are the environmental impacts?
• There are more than 7,000 edible plant species, but 90% of humanity’s energy intake comes from just 15 crop plants, and more than four billion people rely on just three of them: rice, wheat and maize, which are also the main ingredients in processed food. As the production of processed food increases, it places pressure on the environment in which the above-mentioned crops are grown. Moreover, animal-sourced ingredients used in many processed foods are often derived from confined animals that feed on the same crops.
• Loss of agrodiversity also impacts animals, birds and insects that depend on other crops.
• Some ingredients used in ultra-processed foods such as cocoa, sugar, and vegetable oil are strongly associated with biodiversity loss. For instance, demand for palm oil (a common ingredient in processed foods) is associated with deforestation in Southeast Asia.
• The processed food production uses large quantities of land, water, energy, herbicides and fertilizers; and causes environmental degradation from greenhouse gas emissions. Not to mention the plastic pollution caused by the packaging of processed food.
When you avoid processed food, you are taking care not only of your health, but also of the planet.
Picture Credit : Google
