biodiversity for healthy food systems
/Biodiversity is a topic that has been brought to our attention in various forms in the last few months and each year the UN holds an International Day for Biological Diversity, held on the 22nd May, so we thought it would be the perfect time for us to share our recent learnings on the topic and how it concerns us as a food retailer but also as consumers of food.
Sadly, human activity has altered almost 75% of the earth’s surface, squeezing wildlife and nature into an ever-smaller corner of the planet. Today’s dominant industrial agricultural model, focused on large scale, uniform crops and livestock with limited genetic diversity has been found to be the primary cause of land conversion and biodiversity loss. Of the 30,000 edible species available we’ve come to rely on just 12 plant and animal species for approximately 75% of our food needs, at the expense of many traditional crops and livestock, local varieties and breeds, and associated indigenous and ancestral knowledge.
When you picture the great expansive aisles of the supermarkets its hard to understand that we’re actually only being offered a very narrow, limited range of plants and animals for our diet and that this is damaging not only the health of our planet but also our own health. Over 80% of the human diet is provided by plants and of the thousands of plant species cultivated for food, fewer than 200 contribute substantially to global food output, with just four crops globally accounting for around 60% of our calories - wheat, rice, potatoes and maize.
With fewer plant varieties being cultivated and fewer breeds raised, the large scale global food system is producing less diverse, less healthy diets causing escalating public health and nutrition problems as well as environmental and climate change impacts.
The theme for this years 2021 International Day for Biodiversity is “We’re part of the solution” and this got us thinking as to how we are involved in the food system that is causing so much damage to the biodiversity of the planet. We’ve recently been following the work of The Chefs Manifesto, a group of chefs looking to make a positive impact on the food and agricultural industries as key players between farm and plate. And we think its not only chefs that can play their part. Food retailers can do their bit by investing in biodiverse agricultural practices and then of course as consumers we can also help dictate the market by demanding better variety and better agricultural practices. We are all stakeholders of the food system. As waste leader Tristram Stuart said in a Chefs Manifesto talk ‘we eat the solution or the problem everyday’.
So, how as a business are we doing with regards to supporting biodiversity and a healthy food system?
When checking our product list we became aware that of the 27 beans, grains and cereals offered, half fell into the rice, wheat or maize category, so while we do offer some choice by offering varieties that support biodiverse agricultural practices and diets such as quinoa, buckwheat and lentils, we could probably do a little more to provide our customers with more diverse food choices to empower positive change. Looking to swap or include different species or varieties will not only mean giving our customers products with better nutritional value but it will also contribute to a demand for agrobiodiversity, making our food system more resilient.
In our research we came across the Future 50 Foods project that has been supported by The Chefs Manifesto. Experts in food sustainability, agriculture and nutrition collaborated to identify 50 foods for a resilient future food system. The guiding principles when selecting the 50 chosen foods where that they promoted agrobiodiversity and dietary diversity, stimulated a shift towards plant-based foods, considered environmental impacts of farming practices, focused on nutrient content of raw, unprocessed foods and optimised nutrient balance across food groups.
We were pleased to see some familiar items on there as well as some new ones which may well end up in the van in the future!
Would you like to join us on our biodiverse journey?! By diversifying what we put on our plates (and what we offer as a retailer) we will send a clear market signal that crop diversity is in demand. Here are some top tips for an earth supporting biodiverse plate:
Add nuts and seeds to dishes. They serve as plant-based sources of protein and fatty acids which can support a transition away from meat-based diets while ensuring optimum nutrition. They can be added to a wide variety of dishes for extra crunch and a nutrient boost. Great added to cereals, stir fries, curries, puddings and baking. Try a nut or seed milk, cream or yoghurt instead of dairy. Check out linseed (a well rounded nutritious food source, that has been widely cultivated from early civilisation), sesame (highly resilient crop, considered an excellent source of copper and magnesium) and walnuts (possibly the oldest tree food known to humans with records dating back 10,000 years! Often claimed one of the most nutritious nuts containing protein, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E).
Mix up your grains and cereals. They have been a principle component of our diet for thousands of years and have played a vital role in shaping human civilisation. For both the health of the planet and ourselves there is a need to vary the types of grains grown and eaten. Try quinoa (a hardy crop that can grow in diverse climates and terrains. Nutritionally provides a good balance of protein, fat, minerals and vitamins) or buckwheat (short season crop that grows well in both acidic and under-fertilised soils and can be used as cover crop. A gluten free healthy versatile grain). Both great in salads or used instead of rice. If new to alternative grains you can slowly introduce by doing a mix of grains - they all taste delicious together! If you’re a pasta fan try alternative grains such as spelt (An ancient form of wheat with higher concentrations of minerals. It has a thicker husk that makes it easier to grow without the need for fertilisers or pesticides).
Add lentils and beans to your favourite meals. They convert nitrogen from the air for plants to use, enrich the soil they are grown in and support recovery of land as part of crop rotation. As well as being environmental superheroes they offer a rich source of fibre, protein and B vitamins. Great addition to pasta dishes and soups or great on their own as dahls, chilli’s or plant based burgers. Try our bean mix, red split lentils, dark speckled lentils or moong dal.
Add soya beans to your diet. Although soya beans are one of the 12 main crops that dominate current agriculture they were included in the future 50 foods list due to their high nutritional value and versatility. Soy is not without its negative press but its an ancient bean with a history spanning well over 9000 years, being cultivated by the ancient Chinese and regarded as a necessity for life! It was eaten as a source of protein and crushed for its oil. It provides more protein per hectare than any other crop and also contains a host of vitamins and minerals. 3/4 of all soy produced currently is not for human consumption but rather for animal feed which is where the problems lie. In its dried form it can be used to make soya milk and tofu.
Try a plant based meat alternative. Intensive animal farming is incredibly damaging to the environment and crops grown for food add to the damage. Lentil burgers, bean chilli and sunflower mince bolognaise are just a few of our favourites.
Sprout grains, beans and seeds and add to salads and soups. Sprouting dates back 5000 years when Chinese physicians used sprouts medicinally because of their extremely high nutrient content. The sprouting process doubles, and in some cases triples the nutritional value of the plant.
Use alternative or ancient wheat grain flours when baking and cooking, a few of our favourites include Doves Farm Ancient Grain , Shipton Mill Heritage and Hodmedods Flours. We’re always mixing various flours for our baking!
Shop at your local farmers market or farmers shop to pick up more unusual, locally grown produce. Globally small holders account for approximately 30% of food but up to 80% of micronutrients. The global food system, with its many harmful subsidies and structural barriers to diversification, largely prioritizes cheap, unhealthy food with a huge environmental footprint. By supporting small holders you are supporting more diverse and planet friendly farming techniques. As well as local you can also look into alternative ways to buy less local fruit and veg such as Crowd Farming that allows you to buy direct from farmers who grow responsibly. If you grow your own research into heritage varieties that you can grow instead of the usual suspects you’d find in a supermarket.
Forage for local wild foods rich in micronutrients (see our foraging guide) or support local businesses that use ancient foraging wisdom, such as some of our favourite Cornish preserve brands like Gathered Botanicals, Esti Byhan and Wild Pesto.
We hope you’ve found this useful and hopefully introduced you to a few new ideas for your shopping basket and meal plans. We’ll certainly be looking to improve our range so that it can further nourish people and planet, so keep checking back for new products! Lets collectively make a conscious impact with our plates, menus and ingredients!
Information gathered from:
International Day for Biological Diversity
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Biodiversity
Chefs' Manifesto London Action Hub Spring Gathering Video and Blog
Nourishing people, nurturing the environment, Danny Hunter, Eliot Gee and Teresa Borelli
“Diversified diets not only improve human health but benefit the environment through diversified production systems that encourage wildlife and more sustainable use of resources.”
Peter Gregory
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