Looking for guilt-free foods to fill your basket? Here are some suggestions for starters
Looking for guilt-free foods to fill your basket? Here are some suggestions for starters
In eco-friendliness and value for money, the simple spud is hard to beat. A single baked potato can provide nearly
12 percent of your daily recommended fibre intake as well as being a great source of storable protein, vitamins and minerals – including 60 different kinds of phytochemicals and vitamins just in their skins. Wholegrains are another top staple, but potatoes offer more nutrition and a smaller footprint than refined wheat-based carbs (such as white bread or pasta). Unlike rice, potatoes are locally grown and water efficient. For every cubic metre of water applied in cultivation, potatoes yield 150g of protein, double that of wheat and maize, and 540mg of calcium, double that of wheat and four times that of rice.
When it comes to the nutritional value of fruit and veggies, the general rule is that fresh is best, followed by frozen and then tinned. Weighing up the relative eco-merits of canned versus frozen is a little complicated (think carbon footprint required in handling and storage of frozen and fresh foods versus the relative simplicity of tins).
Quick tips? Always check where veggies are grown; increasingly, frozen or tinned veggies are processed here but grown overseas. If fresh, make sure they’re seasonal and local. If tinned, check what else you’re inadvertently buying (such as salt, sodium and sugar) and be sure to recycle your empties to offset the energy required in the can’s manufacture.
Seasonality is an important guiding principle, but so is eating nutritious, locally grown veggies. Peas are an example of where frozen can sometimes be best, because they can be tricky to grow and expensive to buy fresh. The frozen variety is cost-effective, packed with nutrients and easy to throw into risottos, casseroles, omelettes and the like – just check they’re the locally grown variety.
