ORGANIC PLANT-BASED FOOD
As the name
suggests, plant-based foods mainly focus on foods primarily coming from plants.
It would be wrong to think that plants are solely vegetables and fruits. It
also includes nuts, seeds, oils, whole grains, legumes, and beans. In general
terms, plant-based foods drive from plant sources. This food group does not
only appeal to vegetarians and vegans. It is a food group we should all choose
for a more sustainable environment.
According to
the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), taking up remarkably sustainable
diets at a global level is highly important. Sustainable diets should include
minimally processed products and limited consumption of animal products.
Besides that, environmentally friendly habits provide a tendency for increasing
the consumption of plant products. The demand for animal-based products is
increasing day by day. The livestock sector is one of the most significant
contributors to the most critical environmental problems. Those effects may
cause competition for natural resources, especially land and water, competition
between food and feed. Figure 1 may give an idea about the competition about
land between human consumption and livestock since we can see this highly
unequal distribution of land use between livestock and crops for human
consumption by examining this table. Moreover, we should also consider
greenhouse gases emissions for the planet. Briefly, greenhouse gases, such as
methane, trap the Earth’s heat and causes the increasing temperature, i.e.,
climate change. One of the largest producers of methane, 14.5% emitting from
livestock, is cow herds. Billions of animal products mean millions of livestock
animals such as cows. When we learn about the effects of animal-based products
on the environment, we should pay more attention to consuming plant-based
products to protect the planet.
Figure 1.
Studies show
that plant-based diets are related to lower rates of heart diseases, type-2
diabetes and some cancer types. However, there are some risks of solely eating
plant-based products. Diet, including only plant-based foods, will cause
inadequate protein, vitamin, and mineral intake. To prevent this, diets in
which animal-based and plant-based products are balanced can be preferred. On
the other hand, risks are readily overcome by choosing the right vegetarian
foods and, when necessary, supplements. For instance, soy, quinoa, and nuts are
good sources of protein, and iron intake can be yielded by consuming tofu,
lentils, and spinach.
Furthermore, there are studies to produce plant-based meats. As a first step, plant-based meats are designed for vegans and vegetarians. Its taste does not look similar to regular beef. However, there are companies, producing plant-based meats, and they claim that their products designed to taste, feel, and look like meat. Also, they produce for meat-eaters. Unfortunately, the truth is not as good as it is read. Plant-based meats are highly processed products. These products have been frozen, canned, dried, baked and pasteurized. Besides a lot of processes, they contain additives such as a lot of extra sugar, oil, salt and calories to obtain a real meat taste. On the other hand, all plant-based meats are not highly processed. There are also products based on plant/microorganism. Producers prepare a growth medium to grow muscle stem cells, and then, they produce plant-based meats in laboratory medium.
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