The projected increase in global population to 10 billion people by 2050 and the unsustainability of existing food production and consumption patterns, calls for a great food transformation. This is critical for nurturing human health and environmental sustainability. Importantly, the two main pivots of a great food transformation are healthy diets and sustainable food production.
Within this context, a report titled “Future 50 Foods” was released on February 20, 2019. This is a collaborative effort between the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), German brand Knorr and Adam Drewnowski, director of The Center for Public Health Nutrition at the University of Washington.This report aims to provide people more food choices to empower positive change, in a world saturated with advice about what not to eat.
50 foods have been identified, to inspire greater variety in what is cooked and eaten. These should be eaten more because they are nutritious, have a lower impact on the planet and are affordable, accessible and tasty. The search for nutrient-dense plants led to a rediscovery of heirloom plant varieties, ancient grains and uncommon crops. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said that out of 20,000-50,000 edible plant species that have already been discovered, only 150-200 are regularly consumed.
According to April Redmond, Global Vice President at Knorr, “by joining together with our partners, we believe we can shift the way food is grown and the foods people choose to eat, delivering significant positive impact on the food system. Our mission is simple: make delicious, nutritious and sustainable food accessible to all.” At this point, not all 50 foods are easily accessible. However, collaborations between the partners can ensure these foods are commonly grown and widely eaten.
The 50 foods have been categorised into algae (2), beans and pulses (9), cacti (1), cereals and grains (9), fruits and vegetables (3), leafy greens (9), mushrooms (3), nuts and seeds (4), root vegetables (3), sprouts (3) and tubers (4). All the 50 foods can be used in savoury meals, since those contribute to most of the calories consumed.
The intention of this list is to enable three important dietary shifts. One, increasing intake of minerals, vitamins and antioxidants through a greater variety of vegetables. Two, reducing negative environmental impact by replacing poultry, meat and fish with plant-based sources of protein. Three, promoting agrobiodiversity with nutrient-rich sources of carbohydrates.
The report’s research is based on FAO’s data about crops that were grown in large-scale industrial farms from 1961 to 2014. The study revealed that while on a regional level, the varieties are increasing, they have dipped on a global scale after 1990. This shift has contributed to rising malnutrition and hidden hunger. According to the 2018 Global Nutrition Report, around 150 million children under the age of 5 are stunted, 50 million are wasted and 38 million are overweight.
The conscious choice of consuming these Future 50 Foods is a crucial step towards improvement in the global food system. Swapping staples like maize and white rice for fonio or spelt increases the nutrient content of a dish while contributing to greater agrobiodiversity, making our food supply more resilient. It also helps safeguard these ancient variants for future generations.
According to the report, “Future 50 Foods is the beginning of a journey and a way for people to make a change, one delicious dish at a time.”
Image and information sourced from report.
India Outbound
February 27, 2019
source https://indiaoutbound.org/future-50-foods-for-planetary-and-human-health/
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