The Environmental Impact of Foods: Worst and Best Choices

What we eat impacts the planet as much as it impacts our health. From greenhouse gas emissions to water usage and deforestation, food production plays a significant role in environmental sustainability. Let's explore the foods with the highest environmental impact, those with the lowest impact, and how to make more sustainable choices.

Foods with the Highest Environmental Impact

The following foods have the largest carbon footprints and resource demands, primarily due to intensive farming practices, land use, and transportation needs:

1. Beef (39.2 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Producing beef requires vast amounts of land, water, and feed, resulting in the highest greenhouse gas emissions of all foods.
   Sustainable Tip: Opt for grass-fed, locally produced beef and reduce consumption by substituting with plant-based proteins.

2. Lamb (20.3 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Lamb has a significant carbon footprint due to methane emissions from sheep and inefficient feed conversion.
   Sustainable Tip: Treat lamb as an occasional luxury and support local, small-scale farms using regenerative practices.

3. Cheese (13.5 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Dairy production requires large amounts of feed, land, and water, making cheese highly resource-intensive.
   Sustainable Tip: Choose hard cheeses sparingly (they have a higher impact) and opt for locally made dairy products.

4. Prawns (12.0 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Farmed prawns contribute to deforestation for aquaculture and rely on energy-intensive farming practices.
   Sustainable Tip: Buy certified sustainable prawns (e.g., MSC-certified) or choose wild-caught options from regulated fisheries.

5. Chocolate (8.5 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Cocoa farming drives deforestation, and processing requires high energy, particularly for milk chocolate.
   Sustainable Tip: Choose fair-trade, organic, and dark chocolate, which often requires fewer resources than milk chocolate.

6. Coffee (7.0 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Coffee farming often leads to deforestation, with significant emissions from processing and transport.
   Sustainable Tip: Purchase shade-grown, sustainably certified coffee and reduce waste by composting coffee grounds.

7. Farmed Salmon (6.0 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Salmon farming impacts marine ecosystems, with high energy use for feed production and farm maintenance.
   Sustainable Tip: Buy wild-caught salmon from sustainable fisheries or reduce consumption by incorporating plant-based seafood alternatives.

8. Rice (4.0 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Paddy fields release methane during cultivation, making rice a surprisingly high-impact crop.
   Sustainable Tip: Opt for sustainably grown rice varieties like SRI (System of Rice Intensification) or consider lower-impact grains like quinoa.

9. Palm Oil (3.8 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Palm oil drives large-scale deforestation, particularly in Southeast Asia, with devastating effects on biodiversity.
   Sustainable Tip: Look for products with RSPO-certified palm oil and reduce reliance on processed foods containing palm oil.

10. Avocados (2.5 kg CO₂e per kg)
    Avocado farming requires significant water use, often in drought-prone areas, and has a high transportation footprint due to global demand.
    Sustainable Tip: Limit consumption, buy local or in-season when possible, and support farms that use sustainable water practices.

Foods with the Lowest Environmental Impact

These foods are primarily plant-based, require fewer resources to grow, and can often be produced locally, making them excellent choices for eco-conscious consumers:

1. Potatoes (0.3 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Potatoes are energy-efficient to grow and store well for long periods.
   Sustainable Tip: Choose locally grown potatoes and avoid frying them to minimize energy use.

2. Carrots (0.4 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Carrots require little water and grow well in various climates.
   Sustainable Tip: Buy loose (not pre-packaged) carrots and support local farmers' markets.

3. Cabbage (0.4 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Cabbage is nutrient-dense, long-lasting, and easy to grow without extensive resources.
   Sustainable Tip: Opt for local, organic cabbage and use it in salads, stir-fries, or fermented dishes like sauerkraut.

4. Spinach (0.8 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Spinach grows quickly, requiring minimal water and land resources.
   Sustainable Tip: Purchase fresh, local spinach and use it in raw or lightly cooked dishes.

5. Lentils (0.9 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Lentils are low-impact, requiring minimal water and land while enriching the soil with nitrogen.
   Sustainable Tip: Include lentils as a versatile plant-based protein in soups, stews, and salads.

6. Peas (1.0 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Peas are nitrogen-fixing crops, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.
   Sustainable Tip: Buy fresh or frozen peas locally and use them in plant-based recipes.

7. Broccoli (1.2 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Broccoli has a relatively small footprint and is nutrient-rich.
   Sustainable Tip: Buy in-season broccoli from local producers and avoid overcooking to preserve nutrients.

8. Berries (e.g., Strawberries, Blueberries – 1.5 kg CO₂e per kg)
   When grown locally in season, berries are low-impact and nutrient-rich.
   Sustainable Tip: Pick berries at local farms or buy from nearby growers during their natural season.

9. Tomatoes (2.1 kg CO₂e per kg)
   Fresh, in-season tomatoes have a low footprint when grown locally.
   Sustainable Tip: Purchase tomatoes from local farms during peak season and avoid imported out-of-season varieties.

10. Apples (0.5 kg CO₂e per kg)
    Apples store well and are often grown without excessive irrigation.
    Sustainable Tip: Buy local, in-season apples and reduce waste by consuming the entire fruit.

Understanding the Full Environmental Picture

When evaluating the environmental impact of foods, it's important to consider multiple factors beyond just carbon emissions. Water usage, land use, biodiversity impact, and transportation all play significant roles in a food's overall environmental footprint. For example, while avocados have a moderate carbon footprint, they require substantial water resources, which can be problematic in drought-prone growing regions.

Similarly, foods that seem low-impact in terms of emissions might have other environmental costs. Rice, for instance, has relatively low carbon emissions per calorie but requires significant water and can contribute to methane emissions from paddy fields. Understanding these nuances helps you make more informed choices that consider the full environmental picture.

Making Sustainable Choices Practical

The goal isn't to eliminate all high-impact foods from your diet—that's neither practical nor necessary. Instead, focus on reducing consumption of the highest-impact items and increasing your intake of lower-impact alternatives. Small changes can add up to significant environmental benefits over time.

For example, if you typically eat beef several times per week, reducing that to once or twice per week and substituting with plant-based proteins or lower-impact meats like chicken can substantially reduce your carbon foodprint. Similarly, choosing seasonal and local produce when available helps reduce transportation emissions while often providing better flavour and nutrition. Understanding your household food emissions can help you see the cumulative impact of these choices.

How Spendscan Helps You Make Sustainable Choices

Understanding the environmental impact of your food choices is the first step toward sustainability. Spendscan's AI-powered receipt analysis can:

• Highlight your purchases of high-impact foods, helping you make more eco-conscious decisions. By showing you which items contribute most to your carbon foodprint, Spendscan makes it easy to identify opportunities for change.
• Track your shift toward low-impact, sustainable foods over time. Seeing your progress can be motivating and help you stay committed to more sustainable choices.
• Provide insights into seasonal and local alternatives to reduce your carbon foodprint. Our platform suggests alternatives based on what's in season in your area, helping you make choices that are both environmentally friendly and often more affordable.

With Spendscan, you can align your grocery spending with your values and contribute to a more sustainable planet. The platform tracks your environmental impact over time, showing you how your choices affect your carbon foodprint and helping you identify the most effective ways to reduce your impact. Learn more about our features and supported countries.

For more insights, explore:

• The Climate Cost of Food
• Behavioral Science & Food Choices