Tag: Biodiversity

According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), palm oil is found in nearly 50% of all packaged products sold in supermarkets, from snacks and spreads to cosmetics and detergents. Given its ubiquity, many are asking, "is palm oil really bad for us?" The answer is complex, involving health effects and significant environmental and social concerns.

According to a 2021 review, serious adverse events like organ abnormalities and reproductive issues were reported in animal studies linked to certain genetically modified (GM) foods, raising questions about the negative side of genetically modified foods. These findings fuel ongoing debates surrounding the long-term safety and broader ecological impact of engineered crops.

Experts estimate that while there are between 20,000 and 30,000 plant species considered edible by humans, we regularly consume only a tiny fraction of them. This stark reality is key to understanding how many edible plants do humans eat and the reliance on a limited global food basket.

Since 1996, the global area of land under cultivation with genetically engineered crops has increased dramatically. However, this rapid growth has been accompanied by significant concerns surrounding GMOs, particularly regarding their long-term effects on human health, the environment, and the global food system.

Globally, over two billion people suffer from micronutrient insufficiency, a condition that provides a microcosm of a world without essential sustenance. If there were truly no nutrients, the complex web of life would unravel, triggering a domino effect of cellular failure, mass starvation, and ecosystem collapse.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), over 3 billion people globally cannot afford a healthy diet, a challenge directly linked to the degradation of our food environment. Understanding what role does the environment play in nutrition is crucial, as the health of our planet is inextricably linked to the nutritional quality of the food we consume and our overall well-being.

Conventional farming has released 50-70% of the carbon stored in the world's soils, driving interest in more sustainable approaches. While both organic and regenerative farming have emerged as alternatives, a combined approach known as "regenerative organic" is now gaining attention for its potential benefits.

In the United States, over 90% of maize, cotton, and soy are grown from genetically modified (GM) seeds, yet significant controversy surrounds this technology. For many critics, this prevalence is a primary reason why we should ban genetically modified food due to growing concerns about safety and sustainability.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), around 26% of the Earth's terrestrial surface is used for livestock grazing. The long-standing practice of letting livestock graze freely on pastures is far more complex and advantageous than it appears, offering a multitude of benefits for both the land and the animals.

Native to tropical regions across Asia and Africa, the Indian almond berry is the fruit of the large Terminalia catappa tree, also commonly known as the sea almond or tropical almond. This versatile fruit contains a kernel that is edible raw or roasted and is packed with nutritional benefits, despite being a lesser-known food source.