GREEN DIET

How to reduce your carbon foot print.

Do you know the meaning of environmentally-friendly, energy/carbon footprint, greenhouse gases, global climate and global warming? These modern terminologies express the new perspectives of the interconnected world we live in, a landmark in our sensitization of its environmental problems. The continuous destruction of the environment caused the climatic change, the serious and multifaceted consequences of which threaten to damage irreversibly our planet. The result will be a less viable planet, inhospitable to ways of living we took for granted. People who think “green” are already actively trying to prevent this.

By carbon footprint we mean the total amount of greenhouse gases released by a person, an organism, an event or a product. For example, the carbon footprint of a product measures the total amount of greenhouse gases released not only by its production and its storage but also during its life cycle until its final withdrawal.

.*source fitness nutrition specialist by NASM

A few examples of increase in the greenhouse gases are

Livestock

The release of greenhouse gases. Specifically, livestock is responsible for 37% of the total methane (23 times more than the amount released by human activities and is produced mainly by the digestive system of ruminants.

The waste of natural resources like water. To produce only one kilo of beef, a totally undue waste of natural resources and energy is necessary. In the western world, half the water consumed is for livestock. For 1 kg of beef 22000 liters of water are required, the ratio for 1 liter of milk is 990 liters of water whereas for the production of 1 kg of corn, it is 450 liters.

Fishing

Nowadays, only 1/100 of the planet’s seas are characterized as protected areas even though life in the seas and oceans is becoming extinct. The fishing industry, with its modern means of fishing and with the practice of overfishing, is literally on the verge of extinguishing the fish fauna. We only need to mention that in 2005, the fishing industry produced about 141 tons of fish. Scientists believe that the fishing industry has destroyed 90% of the large species of fish in the oceans.

*source oikologos.gr

Sea Landscape
Highly processed foods

Highly processed foods represent a large share of our modern diet. They often require huge amounts of oils from the moment of their preparation till the moment they show up on your plate, although very often their nutritional value is low. Your dietary choices are not only determinants of your health’s condition, whether present or future, they also constitute a large part of your whole energy footprint.

Green Diet

A few examples of processed foods

  • Highly processed white flour

  • Pop-corn prepared in a micro-wave oven

  • Artificial sweeteners

  • Alcohol

  • Fructose syrups, juices, fizzy drinks, sauces

  • Processed meats, such as sausages, other processed meats (cold cuts)

  • Smoked products, pickles and savories

  • Red meat

  • Chips

  • Fish farm salmon

  • Canned tomato puree

You are however lucky because there are many foods which are healthy, tasty and beneficial for your organism, and which are easy to choose, reducing at the same time the effects of your energy footprint on the environment.
Such as vegetables, unsalted nuts, whole meal bread, fruits, good fats such as olive oil and avocado and many other products you can discover in beNatura’s recipes.

Green Diet

A few propositions for a “green” diet

  • Eat less red meat. The quantity of beef you consume is one of the most determinant factors of the effect your life has on this planet.

  • Say no to bottled water. Liquids are among the heaviest goods to transport and the plastic bottles in which they are sold end up in landfills.

  • Choose healthy snacks. Do some good not only to the planet, but to you to. Avoid processed foods and choose healthy, untreated foods.

  • Shop efficiently. Reduce, inasmuch as possible, wandering around different shops, use the same bags again and again, and give preference to non-packed, bulk food.

  • Learn to “eat local”. Choose local (and regional) as well as seasonal products inasmuch as possible.

  • Make compost out of the remains of your food. The remains of food thrown away make up 12% of households garbage and emit powerful greenhouse gases in the landfills where they end up. By making the best use out of it, you will also make the ground healthier!

  • Cook more, eat less processed food. Food outside/from outside increases a lot the food’s energy footprint, especially when it is being packed.

  • Apply the “hara hachi bu” rule. The phrase hara hachi bu comes from Okinawa and means “eat until you feel eight tenths full”. Slowing down your eating speed gives more time to your stomach to send the signal to your brain that you’ve eaten enough.

  • Set a limit to buying individual snacks, foods and beverage packed for single use. Plough through the shops shelves in search of non-packed, bulk food.

*source FNS by NACM