In a time when the health food has suddenly become all the Insta-rage, the good folk over at CDA have a reminder for hipsters; just because it from the earth doesn’t mean it’s good for the earth.
Of course, having a healthy avo or balsamic vinegar salad with feta and kale is always going to be a healthier option than a carcinogenic-loaded BLT.
However, like anything that exists, mass demand means mass production- which is more destructive than you might be led to believe when forking out you’re hard earned $30 vegan brekky. Here are three healthy foods that, if used wrongly, are blurring the lines between ethical and trendy.
1) The Avocado
Obviously, this was the go-to and so had to make the top of the list. The planet currently consumes twice as many avos as 2001.
The problem?
Compared to other fruit and veg, avos use a hell of a lot more water. For instance, a standard avo will use 8x more water than a tomato. Given that avos are produced mainly in drought-sensitive areas, such as Mexico, the more avos are consumed en-mass the more the world water supply dwindles.
An avo farm in rural Australia
2) Quinoa
The secret ingredient in most salad’s, the ‘Peruvian Gold’ is gluten-free, low fodmap, high in fiber and an absolute staple of the modern health food trend. 95% is produced out of Bolivia and Peru- a huge export for the region.
So why stop eating it?
The popularity of Quinoa has caused prices to triple since 2006. While theoretically, this means more money for the growers, in reality, it’s pushed local farmers out of the marketplace- having a devastating effect on farmers that have been harvesting it for centuries.
3) The Soya Bean
A trick to getting your fix of all 9 amino acids, the bean is often referred to as the “wonder bean” due to the health benefits of such an easy to consume the product. Making the adjustment to soy milk is pleasantly easy as well!
And…?
347 million tonnes of soya beans are produced every year-90% of which goes into animal feed. This means that the general demand for cheap meat, one of the biggest environmental killers, is fuelling the expansion of the soya bean industry. Who’s paying for this demand? South American rainforests, unfortunately…
Animal feed is one of the biggest environmental killers- and soya beans are contributing to that
There’s always more…
The list of healthy foods and their damaging effects when produced en mass is a tad overwhelming.
Bananas produce a large carbon footprint as a result of the ethylene gas used to ripen them, as well as the distance which they travel when being shipped around the planet.
Coconut farming results in huge amounts of deforestation in order to meet consumer demand.
The dark chocolate industry is renowned as one of the biggest employers of children, almonds are second to beef cattle when it comes to water consumption, 300 hectares of rainforest is cleared every hour to make way for palm tree’s to produce palm oil essential for peanut butter….the list is unending.
So what to do? Truthfully, growing your own food is probably the least damaging option you could take, but even this comes with its downsides when it comes to spray, soil, etc.
The truth is, being a consumer in the west means having to push the boundaries of ethical integrity, to some degree. Thankfully, countless charities, activist groups, and NGO’s push for a more sustainable future for the planet. Cutting out what we don’t need and making sure things don’t go to waste are two easy areas to start- but don’t turn your nose up at your meat-eating friend the next time you pick the vegan salad. Chances are, both have equal impact.
Read more about the effect of ‘hipster’ foods here.
