The need to change our diet in response to climate change and population growth
According to the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization), sustainable diets are those with low environmental impact that contribute to food security, nutrition, and healthy living. “Sustainable diets protect and respect biodiversity and ecosystems, are culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair, and affordable; nutritionally adequate and healthy.”
As Dr. Tony Jupiner points out, “most of us may think it’s our choices in energy or transportation that cause the most severe environmental damage. In fact, it’s our food system that has the biggest impact.”
Indeed, the primary reason why we need to change our diet is the environment. 75% of the genetic diversity of agricultural plants has been lost in 100 years. This is because our diet is not varied enough. The report shows that 75% of the world’s food comes from only 5 animal species and 12 plant species. Rice, corn, and wheat account for more than 60% of the calories from plants in the entire human diet.
By 2050, the global population is expected to reach 10 billion people. To combat hunger, we should focus on a more viable diet. The foods suggested in the report have yields higher than current crops. In short, not necessarily eating less, but eating better.
Many sources of nutrients are excluded from our diet. Indeed, we do not consume enough vitamins and minerals. In this sense, the WWF report tries to promote positive change by offering consumers more food choices.
With the future climate also being uncertain, the report highlights possible crops in arid conditions, capable of withstanding extreme heat or, conversely, great cold for example.
For all these reasons, WWF has identified the 50 foods of the future that we should use and abuse. These foods have less impact on the planet than animal-based foods, are affordable and accessible, and taste good.
The 50 Foods of the Future according to The Future 50 Foods
The report is divided into 10 categories of foods. Let’s discover them!
Seaweed
Nutrient-rich, seaweeds are essential to our existence on the planet (notably because of their oxygen contribution). The report highlights two particular types of seaweed: Porphyra umbilicalis (nori) and Undaria pinnatifida (wakame).
Nori seaweed is usually used for sushi rolls. It is rich in vitamin C and does not require pesticides or fertilizers. Wakame seaweed, on the other hand, has been cultivated for a long time in Korea and Japan. It is one of the few sources of omega 3 fatty acids, usually found in fatty fish. It is also a source of a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.
Beans and legumes
Their cultivation is good for the environment. Moreover, they are sources of fiber, protein, and B vitamins.
Specifically, they include Japanese red beans, basic beans, faba beans, broad beans, and bambara groundnut.
Cacti
Due to its development in arid climates, cactus is an interesting source of nutrition in the event of future climate hardening. These cacti contain a lot of vitamins C and E, carotenoids, fibers, and amino acids. The report, for example, recommends the consumption of prickly pear cacti.
Cereals and seeds
This category already represents our main source of food. But it is important to vary these consumptions, by favoring foods like amaranth, buckwheat, finger millet, fonio, and quinoa, to provide better nutritional value and improve soil health.
Fruits and vegetables
Although this category seems obvious, we still do not consume enough fruits and vegetables. They are rich in vitamin C and fiber while being low in calories. The report highlights squash and tomatoes.
WWF notably emphasizes that leafy vegetables, such as broccoli rabe, moringa, or spinach, are the most versatile and nutritious of all vegetables.
Mushrooms
These foods grow in places where other foods couldn’t. Mushrooms, like saffron milk cap, hen-of-the-woods, and velvet foot, are rich in vitamins B and D, protein, and fiber.
Nuts
Often called “the best foods,” nuts have high protein, vitamin E, and fat content. The report specifically mentions flaxseed, sesame, and walnut.
Root vegetables
These correspond to the underground organs of a plant. Their cultivation is resilient during cool seasons, and their conservation is long after harvest. Root vegetables, like Spanish salsify, parsley root, and daikon radish, contain a lot of vitamins and minerals.
Sprouts
Although they pose a risk of bacterial proliferation, their nutrient content is extremely high. Chickpeas and cultivated alfalfa are part of this category.
Tubers
Consuming less common tubers makes our food system more resilient. Foods like sweet potato or Oriental lotus are rich in carbohydrates.
This is indeed only a non-exhaustive list. Moreover, some of these foods are still difficult to find at the moment. But this report shows us that it is possible and necessary to eat differently, in a richer and more sustainable way.
