The story of açaí begins in the depths of the Amazon rainforest, where local tribes regarded it as a precious source of energy and vitality. It’s no coincidence that the name “açaí” means “fruit that cries” in the Tupi language, referring to how the pulp flows from the fruit. For generations, Amazonian communities have harvested these smallContinue reading “The açaí berry: The journey from the Amazon rainforest to your table”
Category Archives: Nutrition
Beans and peas rank as best meat and milk replacement from nutritional, health, environmental and cost perspectives: New study
Beans and peas rank best as meat and milk replacement from nutritional, health, environmental, and cost perspectives, a new study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) has found. “They outperformed processed products like veggie burgers and plant milks, but also lab-grown meat which ranked worst.” (Springmann, 2024; Environmental InstituteContinue reading “Beans and peas rank as best meat and milk replacement from nutritional, health, environmental and cost perspectives: New study”
October 16: World Food Day 2024: Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future – Leave No One Behind
“This year’s #WorldFoodDay theme, “Right to foods for a better life and a better future” spotlights the importance of diversity, nutrition, affordability, accessibility as well as the safety and sustainability of foods, raising awareness about how a greater diversity of nutritious foods should be available in our fields, fishing nets, markets, and on our tables, for the benefit of all. Today, hunger is often worsenedContinue reading “October 16: World Food Day 2024: Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future – Leave No One Behind”
Biodiversity on our plate: The health and nutrition connection
“A diverse diet is a healthy diet. Research has shown that increasing the number of species and varieties we grow and consume can deliver a full range of nutrients and benefits to nourish human health. ” (Borelli and Hunter, 2024) “This is particularly urgent because our food systems fail to provide the nourishment we need. FoodContinue reading “Biodiversity on our plate: The health and nutrition connection”
Edible insects can contribute to sustainable food systems and global food security
Given the numerous positive attributes of edible insects, including a low environmental footprint, high food conversion ratio, rapid growth and nutritional values, a new review published in the journal Scientific Reports (2024) argues that consuming edible insects can play a vital role in promoting a more sustainable food system. Omuse et al. 2024 compiled andContinue reading “Edible insects can contribute to sustainable food systems and global food security”
World Obesity Atlas 2024: No area of the world is unaffected by the consequences of obesity
March 4, 2024 is World Obesity Day. This year’s Obesity Atlas, published by the World Obesity Federation, reveals that “No area of the world is unaffected by the consequences of Obesity,” and that: “Rising rates of obesity rates across the world reveal massive gaps in healthcare and nutrition, with poorest populations most adversely affected.” TheContinue reading “World Obesity Atlas 2024: No area of the world is unaffected by the consequences of obesity”
Plant-based food alternatives could support a shift to global sustainability: New research
According to a new study published in the journal Nature Communications, “Replacing 50% of meat and milk products with plant-based alternatives by 2050 can reduce agriculture and land use related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 31% and halt the degradation of forest and natural land.” (Kozicka et al., 2023) The authors note that, “additional climate andContinue reading “Plant-based food alternatives could support a shift to global sustainability: New research”
A recipe for change: The Cookbook In Support of The United Nations – For People and Planet
“Earlene Cruz is on a mission to make people hungry for climate action every time they sit down to eat. Cruz is the Founder and Executive Director of Kitchen Connection Alliance, an entity that seeks to improve systems for growing and distributing food worldwide. She was at COP27 last November to launch the Cookbook in SupportContinue reading “A recipe for change: The Cookbook In Support of The United Nations – For People and Planet”
Healthy food and health: The role of pollinators and urban gardening
In a recent study by Smith et al. (2022) published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers “calculated that 3%–5% of fruit, vegetable, and nut production is lost due to inadequate pollination, leading to an estimated 427,000 (95% uncertainty interval: 86,000, 691,000) excess deaths annually from lost healthy food consumption and associated diseases. Modeled impactsContinue reading “Healthy food and health: The role of pollinators and urban gardening”
Strategically located algae farms could increase global food production by 56% using just one-tenth of cropland: New research
According to research published in the journal Oceanography, there’s an opportunity to feed the world by farming fast-growing, low-resource, photosynthesizing algae on marginal coastal lands globally. Nutrient-rich algae, farmed along coastlines in pounds of seawater pumped up from the ocean, could produce enough food to feed 10 billion people in the next 25 years —Continue reading “Strategically located algae farms could increase global food production by 56% using just one-tenth of cropland: New research”
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