Mountains of produce, including eggs, milk and onions, are going to waste as the COVID-19 pandemic shutters restaurants, restricts transport, limits what workers are able to do and disrupts supply chains. United States government work
By Emma Charlton
Gluts of food left to rot as a consequence of coronavirus aren't just wasteful – they're also likely to damage the environment.
<p>Mountains of produce, including eggs, milk and onions, are going to waste as the COVID-19 pandemic shutters restaurants, restricts transport, limits what workers are able to do and disrupts supply chains. And as that food decays, it releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.</p><p>Fresh milk and eggs have been dumped, and some ripe crops reploughed back into fields, according to reports in the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/closed-due-to-coronavirus-restaurants-clear-out-their-pantries-11586005203?mod=article_inline" target="_blank">Wall Street Journal</a> and the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/business/coronavirus-destroying-food.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a>. While consumer demand for some supermarket items has risen as a result of lockdowns, it's unlikely to offset steep declines elsewhere, such in restaurants and school and workplace canteens.</p>
Methane on the Rise
<p>Not only is this a tragic waste of food at a time when many are going hungry, it is also an <a href="https://donatedontdump.net/2014/07/07/the-effects-of-food-waste-on-the-environment-by-junemy-pantig/" target="_blank">environmental hazard</a> and could contribute to global warming. Landfill gas – <a href="https://www.epa.gov/lmop/basic-information-about-landfill-gas" target="_blank">roughly half methane and half carbon dioxide (CO2)</a> – is a natural byproduct of the decomposition of organic material.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQyOTEyMi9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwODYyODk1N30.AyyC8WbvDKRQeTPpTksAIkGT_Sy5qJqK3ok1_GiaNWc/img.png?width=980" id="49c22" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="48f85bf45b5f3ba2648a87bedab555bc" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Food decay leads to production of greenhouse gases, methane and carbon dioxide. EPA
<p>Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 28 to <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/SYR_AR5_FINAL_full.pdf" target="_blank">36 times more effective than CO2 at trapping heat</a> in the atmosphere over a 100-year period, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.</p><p>"Many export-oriented producers produce volumes far too large for output to be absorbed in local markets, and thus <a href="https://unctad.org/en/pages/newsdetails.aspx?OriginalVersionID=2333" target="_blank">organic waste levels have mounted substantially</a>," says Robert Hamwey, Economic Affairs Officer at UN agency UNCTAD. "Because this waste is left to decay, levels of methane emissions, a greenhouse gas, from decaying produce are expected to rise sharply in the crisis and immediate post-crisis months."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQyOTE3Ny9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYwNzYyMzEzNH0.ckRClc0SX50kOEZYHgLLx_OoFHMIxtPVF4BBc4eDoBo/img.png?width=980" id="3a11c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6fe3b382949cce9971508db403d0973d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Food supply chains are easily disrupted. UN FAO
<p>Dumping food was already a problem before the crisis. In America alone, <a href="https://www.refed.com/?sort=economic-value-per-ton" target="_blank">$218 billion is spent growing, processing, transporting</a> and disposing of food that is never eaten, estimates ReFED, a collection of business, non-profit and government leaders committed to reducing food waste. That's equivalent to around 1.3% of GDP.</p><p>Since the pandemic took hold, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-52267943" target="_blank">farmers are dumping 14 million liters</a> of milk each day because of disrupted supply routes, estimates Dairy Farmers of America. A chicken processor was forced to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/11/business/coronavirus-destroying-food.html" target="_blank">destroy 750,000 unhatched eggs a week</a>, according to the New York Times, which also cited an onion farmer letting most of his harvest decompose because he couldn't distribute or store them.</p>Food Prices Collapsing
<p>The excess has also seen prices collapse. The <a href="http://www.fao.org/worldfoodsituation/foodpricesindex/en/" target="_blank">FAO Food Price Index</a> (FFPI) averaged 162.5 points in May 2020, down 3.1 points from April and reaching the lowest monthly average since December 2018. The gauge has dropped for four consecutive months, and the latest decline reflects falling values of all the food commodities – dairy, meat, cereal, vegetable – except sugar, which rose for the first time in three months.</p><p>All this while the pandemic is exacerbating other global food trends.</p><p>"This year, some 49 million extra people may fall into extreme poverty due to the COVID-19 crisis," said António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN. "The number of people who are acutely food or nutrition insecure will rapidly expand. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGhLKAbNDiY&feature=youtu.be" target="_blank">Even in countries with abundant food, we see risks of disruptions in the food supply chain</a>."</p><div id="c20f1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9bd104b5fbd7a34965124f57f3c1357a"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1271747397002067968" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Our food systems are failing us. And #COVID19 is making things worse.
We must invest in the future & transform our… https://t.co/uV8Kkn78Q1</div> — FAO (@FAO)<a href="https://twitter.com/FAO/statuses/1271747397002067968">1592043182.0</a></blockquote></div><p>The World Economic Forum has launched its <a href="https://www.weforum.org/great-reset/about" target="_blank">Great Reset initiative</a>, which urgently calls for global stakeholders to cooperate in managing the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. It calls on policymakers to put the environment at the heart of plans to rebuild as we emerge from the pandemic.</p>
<p class=""><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/06/covid-19-food-waste-mountains-environment/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>From Your Site Articles
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Two of the salads impacted by a series of recalls linked to a Cyclospora outbreak. FDA
A Cyclospora outbreak linked to bagged lettuce has sickened 206 people in eight Midwestern states and sent 23 to the hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Friday. No one has died.
<p>The outbreak has led to several <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/food-recall" target="_self">recalls</a> of salads made at a Fresh Express production facility in Streamwood, Illinois that were sold at major retailers Walmart, Hy-Vee, Aldi and Jewel-Osco, <a href="https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/food/2020/06/27/salad-recall-2020-walmart-aldi-fresh-express-cyclospora-outbreak/3269765001/" target="_blank">USA TODAY reported</a>.</p><p>"[O]bviously there was some breakdown in the quality chain," Rutgers University <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/food/" target="_self">food</a> microbiologist Donald W. Schaffner told <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/28/us/salad-recall-cyclospora-cdc.html" target="_blank">The New York Times</a>. He said the size and spread of the outbreak suggested "some rather significant sanitary breakdown in the production of this food."</p>
<div id="fb281" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7aa537d7cd54a0b7e4daab92fd873ca6"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1277355504633810949" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">FOOD RECALL: Fresh Express recalled products with iceberg lettuce, carrots, and red cabbage due to Cyclospora. Prod… https://t.co/mi3qsBhvXz</div> — CDC (@CDC)<a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov/statuses/1277355504633810949">1593380259.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The parasite <em>Cyclospora cayetanensis </em>causes an infection called cyclosporiasis when humans eat or drink contaminated food or water, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/index.html" target="_blank">CDC</a>. The main <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cyclosporiasis/gen_info/faqs.html#what_cyclo" target="_blank">symptom</a> is watery diarrhea, but it can also cause stomach cramping, appetite loss and fatigue. It can last from a few days to longer than a month and is typically treated with antibiotics.</p><p>The first major foodborne cyclosporiasis outbreak was in the mid-1990s, Schaffner told The New York Times, and no one knows exactly what caused it. The current outbreak marks the third year in a row that there has been an outbreak of the illness during the warmer months.</p>
<p>"It's likely due to the quality of the water used to irrigate the produce, and it probably has something to do with human fecal contamination of that water, but of course there's a whole lot of unknowns," Schaffner said. "Very often with these fresh produce outbreaks, we never learn the definitive cause."</p><p>Illnesses from the current outbreak have been reported in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin between May 11 and June 17, the CDC said. So far, the CDC and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation has uncovered a Fresh Express bagged salad mix containing iceberg lettuce, carrots and red cabbage as the likely culprit.</p>
<p>The outbreak has already prompted a number of recalls.</p><p>1. Brand: Marketside brand Classic Iceberg Salad</p><p>Store: Walmart</p><p>States: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin</p><p>Bag Size: 12 to 24 ounces</p><p>Use By: 05/19/2020 through 07/04/2020</p><p>2. Brand: Little Salad Bar brand Garden Salad</p><p>Store: ALDI</p><p>States: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin</p><p>Bag Size: 12 ounces</p><p>Use By: 05/01/2020 through 06/29/2020</p><p>3. Brand: Hy-Vee brand Garden Salad</p><p>Store: Hy-Vee</p><p>States: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin</p><p>Bag Size: 12 ounces</p><p>Use By: All dates</p><p>4. Brand: Jewel-Osco Signature Farms brand Garden Salad</p><p>Store: Jewel-Osco</p><p>States: Illinois, Indiana and Iowa</p><p>Bag Size: 12 ounces</p><p>Use By: 05/16/2020 through 07/04/2020</p>
<div id="4fec0" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7fb2bfad3993ac3a4aa894438ec0d3ba"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1276534588588908545" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Jewel-Osco Voluntarily Recalls Bagged Signature Farms Garden Salad Due to Possible Cyclospora Contamination… https://t.co/nqaUR2DeXr</div> — U.S. FDA Recalls (@U.S. FDA Recalls)<a href="https://twitter.com/FDArecalls/statuses/1276534588588908545">1593184537.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Then, on Saturday, Fresh Express <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fresh-express-issues-a-precautionary-recall-of-products-containing-iceberg-red-cabbage-and-carrots-produced-at-its-streamwood-il-facility-due-to-a-potential-cyclospora-risk-301084706.html" target="_blank">issued</a> a voluntary recall of all the salads made at its Streamwood facility that contain iceberg lettuce, red cabbage or carrots. The recall only impacts salads with a "Z" at the beginning of the Product Code in the upper-right-hand corner of the front of the package. The recalled salads have a Product Code of Z178 or lower.</p><p>"Our immediate thoughts and concern are for those consumers who have become ill due to the outbreak," Fresh Express said in a statement Saturday reported by USA Today. "Out of an abundance of caution, we have issued a voluntary recall of both branded and private label salad products that were produced at the Streamwood facility and contain those ingredients."</p><p>The Fresh Express recall came after the FDA began an investigation of the Streamwood plant and raised concerns that some products not already recalled might be impacted, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/outbreaks-foodborne-illness/outbreak-investigation-cyclospora-bagged-salads-june-2020" target="_blank">according to the FDA</a>.</p><p>"Consumers should not eat, and restaurants and retailers should not sell or serve any Fresh Express products currently on the market that were made in the Streamwood, Illinois, production facility and contain either iceberg lettuce, red cabbage, or carrots," the agency recommended.</p>
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Keeping your lungs healthy is essential to feeling your best. Yet, common factors, including exposure to cigarette smoke and environmental toxins, as well as eating an inflammatory diet, can take a toll on this pair of important organs.
<p>What's more, common conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary fibrosis, can significantly affect your quality of life.</p><p>However, research has shown that lifestyle modifications, including following a nutrient-rich diet, can help protect your lungs and even reduce lung damage and symptoms of disease.</p><p>What's more, specific nutrients and foods have been identified to be particularly beneficial for lung function.</p><p>Here are 20 foods that may help boost lung function.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lung-cleansing-foods" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p>
1. Beets and Beet Greens
<p>The vibrantly colored root and greens of the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-beets" target="_blank">beetroot</a> plant contain compounds that optimize lung function.</p><p>Beetroot and beet greens are rich in nitrates, which have been shown to benefit lung function. Nitrates help relax blood vessels, reduce blood pressure, and optimize oxygen uptake.</p><p>Beetroot supplements have been shown to improve physical performance and lung function in people with lung conditions, including <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/copd" target="_blank">COPD</a> and pulmonary hypertension, a disease that causes high blood pressure in the lungs.</p><p>Additionally, beet greens are packed with magnesium, potassium, vitamin C, and carotenoid antioxidants — all of which are essential to lung health.</p>2. Peppers
<p>Peppers are amongst the richest sources of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods" target="_blank">vitamin C</a>, a water-soluble nutrient that acts as a powerful antioxidant in your body. Getting enough vitamin C is especially important for those who smoke.</p><p>In fact, due to the damaging effects of cigarette smoke on your body's antioxidant stores, it's recommended that people who smoke consume an extra 35 mg of vitamin C per day.<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>However, many studies show that smokers may benefit from higher doses of vitamin C and that smokers with high vitamin C intake have better lung function than those with lower vitamin C intake.</p><p>Consuming just one medium-sized (119-gram) sweet red pepper delivers 169% of the recommended intake for vitamin C.</p>3. Apples
<p>Research has shown that <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-apples" target="_blank">regularly eating apples</a> may help promote lung function.</p><p>For example, studies show that apple intake is associated with a slower decline in lung function in ex-smokers. Additionally, consuming five or more apples per week is associated with greater lung function and a reduced risk of developing COPD.</p><p>Apple intake has also been linked to a lower risk of asthma and lung cancer. This may be due to the high concentration of antioxidants in apples, including flavonoids and vitamin C.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3183591/" target="_blank"></a></p>4. Pumpkin
<p>The brightly colored flesh of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pumpkin" target="_blank">pumpkins</a> contains a variety of lung-health-promoting plant compounds. They're especially rich in carotenoids, including beta carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin — all of which have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.</p><p>Studies show that having higher blood levels of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/carotenoids" target="_blank">carotenoids</a> is associated with better lung function in both older and younger populations.</p><p>People who smoke may significantly benefit from consuming more carotenoid-rich foods like pumpkin.</p><p>Evidence suggests that smokers may have 25% lower concentrations of carotenoid antioxidants than nonsmokers, which can harm lung health.</p>5. Turmeric
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-turmeric" target="_blank">Turmeric</a> is often used to promote overall health due to its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Curcumin, the main active component in turmeric, may be especially beneficial for supporting lung function.<span></span></p><p>A study in 2,478 people found that curcumin intake was associated with improved lung function. Plus, the lung function of smokers who had the highest intake of curcumin was significantly greater than smokers who had low curcumin intake.</p><p>In fact, high curcumin intake in smokers was associated with 9.2% greater lung function, compared with smokers who did not consume curcumin.</p>6. Tomato and Tomato Products
<p>Tomatoes and tomato products are among the richest dietary sources of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lycopene" target="_blank">lycopene</a>, a carotenoid antioxidant that has been associated with improved lung health.</p><p>Consuming tomato products has been shown to reduce airway inflammation in people with asthma and improve lung function in people with COPD.</p><p>A 2019 study in 105 people with asthma demonstrated that a diet rich in tomatoes was associated with a lower prevalence of poorly controlled asthma. Plus, tomato intake is also associated with a slower decline in lung function in ex-smokers.</p>7. Blueberries
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-blueberries" target="_blank">Blueberries</a> are loaded with nutrients, and their consumption has been associated with a number of health benefits, including protecting and preserving lung function.<span></span></p><p>Blueberries are a rich source of anthocyanins, including malvidin, cyanidin, peonidin, delphinidin, and petunidin.</p><p>Anthocyanins are powerful pigments that have been shown to protect lung tissue from oxidative damage.</p><p>A study in 839 veterans found that blueberry intake was associated with the slowest rate of decline in lung function and that consuming 2 or more servings of blueberries per week slowed lung function decline by up to 38%, compared with low or no blueberry intake.</p>8. Green Tea
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea" target="_blank">Green tea</a> is a beverage that has impressive effects on health. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a catechin concentrated in green tea. It boasts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to inhibit fibrosis or scarring of tissues.<span></span></p><p>Pulmonary fibrosis is a disease characterized by progressive, lung-function-compromising scarring of lung tissue. Some research shows that EGCG may help treat this disease.</p><p>A small 2020 study in 20 people with pulmonary fibrosis found that treatment with EGCG extract for 2 weeks reduced markers of fibrosis, compared with a control group.<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32160670/" target="_blank"></a></p>9. Red Cabbage
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-cabbage" target="_blank">Red cabbage</a> is an affordable and rich source of anthocyanins. These plant pigments give red cabbage its vivid color. Anthocyanin intake has been linked to a reduced decline in lung function.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4733262/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>What's more, cabbage is packed with fiber. Studies show that people who consume more fiber have better lung function than those who consume low amounts of fiber.</p>10. Edamame
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/edamame-benefits" target="_blank">Edamame</a> beans contain compounds called isoflavones. Diets rich in isoflavones have been associated with a reduced risk of numerous diseases, including COPD.<span></span></p><p>A study in 618 Japanese adults found that people with COPD had much lower intakes of dietary isoflavones, compared with healthy control groups. What's more, isoflavone intake was significantly associated with better lung function and reduced shortness of breath.<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/mnfr.200900316" target="_blank"></a></p>11. Olive Oil
<p>Consuming olive oil may help protect against respiratory conditions like asthma. Olive oil is a concentrated source of anti-inflammatory antioxidants, including polyphenols and vitamin E, which are responsible for its powerful health benefits.</p><p>For example, a study that included 871 people found that those who had high <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-olive-oil" target="_blank">olive oil</a> intake had a reduced risk of asthma.<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/cea.13352" target="_blank"></a></p><p>What's more, the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, has been shown to benefit lung function in smokers, as well as people with COPD and asthma.</p>12. Oysters
<p>Oysters are loaded with nutrients that are essential to lung health, including zinc, selenium, B vitamins, and copper.</p><p>Studies show that people with higher blood levels of selenium and copper have greater lung function, compared with those with lower levels of these nutrients.</p><p>Additionally, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/oysters" target="_blank">oysters</a> are an excellent source of B vitamins and zinc, nutrients that are especially important for people who smoke.</p><p>Smoking depletes certain B vitamins, including vitamin B12, which is concentrated in oysters. What's more, studies show that higher zinc intake may help protect smokers from developing COPD.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2881897/" target="_blank"></a></p>13. Yogurt
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-yogurt" target="_blank">Yogurt</a> is rich in calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and selenium. According to research, these nutrients may help boost lung function and protect against COPD risk.<span></span></p><p>A study in Japanese adults found that higher intakes of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and selenium were associated with increased lung function markers, and those with the highest calcium intake had a 35% reduced risk of COPD.</p>14. Brazil Nuts
<p>Brazil nuts are amongst the richest sources of selenium that you can eat. A single Brazil nut may contain over 150% of the recommended intake for this important nutrient, though concentrations vary significantly depending on growing conditions.<span></span></p><p>Studies show that a high selenium intake may help protect against lung cancer, improve respiratory function in people with asthma, and enhance antioxidant defenses and immune function, which may help improve lung health.</p><p>Because <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/brazil-nuts-benefits" target="_blank">Brazil nuts</a> are such a concentrated source of selenium, it's recommended to keep your intake to just one or two nuts per day.</p>15. Coffee
<p>In addition to boosting your energy levels, your morning cup of joe may help protect your lungs. Coffee is packed with caffeine and antioxidants, which may be beneficial for lung health.</p><p>Research shows that <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee" target="_blank">coffee</a> intake may help improve lung function and protect against respiratory diseases. For example, caffeine acts as a vasodilator, meaning it helps open blood vessels, and it may help reduce symptoms in people with asthma, at least in the short term.<a href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD001112/AIRWAYS_the-effect-of-caffeine-in-people-with-asthma" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Additionally, a review of 15 studies found that long-term coffee intake was associated with positive effects on lung function and a reduced risk of asthma.<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/crj.12662" target="_blank"></a></p>16. Swiss Chard
<p>Swiss chard is a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/leafy-green-vegetables" target="_blank">dark leafy green</a> that's high in magnesium. Magnesium helps protect against inflammation, and it helps bronchioles — tiny airways inside your lungs — stay relaxed, preventing airway restriction.</p><p>Higher magnesium intake has been associated with better lung function in a number of studies. What's more, low magnesium levels are associated with worsening symptoms in people with COPD.</p><p>Additionally, many studies have linked greater intake of leafy green vegetables like Swiss chard to a reduced risk of lung cancer and COPD.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627281/" target="_blank"></a></p>17. Barley
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/barley-benefits" target="_blank">Barley</a> is a nutritious whole grain that's high in fiber. High fiber diets rich in whole grains have been shown to have a protective effect on lung function and may reduce the risk of mortality from lung-related diseases.<span></span></p><p>The antioxidants found in whole grains like flavonoids and vitamin E also promote lung health and protect against cellular damage.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627281/" target="_blank"></a></p>18. Anchovies
<p>Anchovies are tiny fish that are packed with anti-inflammatory <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-omega-3-rich-foods" target="_blank">omega-3 fats</a>, as well as other lung-health-promoting nutrients like selenium, calcium, and iron.<span></span></p><p>Eating omega-3-rich fish like anchovies may be particularly beneficial for people with inflammatory lung diseases like COPD. A 2020 study found that a higher intake of omega-3 fats was associated with reduced COPD symptoms and improved lung function.</p><p>What's more, consuming an omega-3-rich diet may help reduce symptoms in people with asthma.</p>19. Lentils
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lentils" target="_blank">Lentils</a> are high in many nutrients that help support lung function, including magnesium, iron, copper, and potassium.<span></span></p><p>The Mediterranean diet, which has been associated with promoting lung health, is high in legumes like lentils.</p><p>Research has shown that following a Mediterranean dietary pattern can preserve lung function in people who smoke. Plus, eating fiber-rich lentils may help protect against lung cancer and COPD.</p>20. Cocoa
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cacao-vs-cocoa" target="_blank">Cocoa and cacao</a> products like dark chocolate are high in flavonoid antioxidants and contain a compound called theobromine, which helps relax the airways in the lungs.<span></span></p><p>Cocoa intake has been associated with a lower risk of allergic respiratory symptoms and may help protect against lung cancer.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6412630/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Additionally, a study that included 55,000 people found that those with higher flavonoid consumption from foods, including chocolate products, had better lung function than people who had diets low in flavonoids.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793323/" target="_blank"><span></span></a></p>The Bottom Line
<p>Consuming a diet high in nutritious foods and beverages is a smart way to support and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/understanding-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis/ways-to-keep-your-lungs-healthy-and-whole" target="_blank">protect lung health</a>.</p><p>Coffee, dark leafy greens, fatty fish, peppers, tomatoes, olive oil, oysters, blueberries, and pumpkin are just some examples of foods and drinks that have been shown to benefit lung function.</p><p>Try incorporating a few of the foods and beverages listed above into your diet to help support the health of your lungs.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Tj Samuels / EyeEm / Getty Images
By Danielle Nierenberg and Gabby Lozano
Throughout the United States and around the world, millions of people gather in June for Pride Month, a time to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and honor their contributions to the world.
<p>Over the past several years, the U.S. has made significant <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/gay-rights/the-stonewall-riots" target="_blank">strides</a> toward equality for people of all genders and sexualities, with landmarks such as the legalization of same-sex marriage by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2015 and the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/danica-roem-will-be-vas-first-openly-transgender-elected-official-after-unseating-conservative-robert-g-marshall-in-house-race/2017/11/07/d534bdde-c0af-11e7-959c-fe2b598d8c00_story.html" target="_blank">election of Danica Roem</a>, Virginia's first openly transgender candidate, in 2017. And on June 15, 2020, <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/supreme-court-makes-historic-ruling-lgbt-employment-discrimination/story?id=71254749#:~:text=The%20Supreme%20Court%20issued%20its,to%20gay%20or%20transgender%20people." target="_blank">the U.S. Supreme Court</a> ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.</p><p>Despite this progress, LGBTQ+ people continue to experience discrimination that negatively impacts their physical and mental wellbeing. Transgender and gender-nonconforming people in the U.S., particularly Black transgender women, remain at increased <a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/violence-against-the-trans-and-gender-non-conforming-community-in-2020" target="_blank">risk of fatal violence</a> and <a href="https://vawnet.org/sc/serving-trans-and-non-binary-survivors-domestic-and-sexual-violence/violence-against-trans-and" target="_blank">sexual assault</a>. Studies also show that LGBTQ+-identifying folks—especially people of color—face higher rates of <a href="https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/wp-content/uploads/National-LGBT-Poverty-Oct-2019.pdf" target="_blank">food insecurity</a> than their straight and cisgender counterparts. And while many LGBTQ+ adults in the U.S. have access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), some food banks and pantries have <a href="https://www.hungerfreeamerica.org/blog/pride-highlights-work-left-be-done-lgbt-food-access" target="_blank">denied</a> services to people due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.</p><p>In the face of this discrimination, LGBTQ+ community leaders around the globe continue to fight for lasting change. In honor of Pride Month, Food Tank is highlighting collectives, farms, and other organizations that are working to strengthen LGBTQ+ representation in the food system and give back to their communities.</p>
<p><br/></p>
1. Chaseholm Farm, Pine Plains, New York
<p>Located in New York's Hudson Valley, Chaseholm Farm is a third-generation operation run by siblings Rory and Sarah Chase. While Rory oversees the creamery and cheesemaking operations, Sarah manages the farm and livestock. With her wife, nutrition therapist Jordan Schmidt, Sarah achieved Organic certification for the farm and moved to holistic management practices, including 100 percent grass feeding.</p>2. Cuir Kitchen Brigade, New York City
<p>Launched after Hurricane María hit Puerto Rico in 2017, Cuir Kitchen Brigade is a collective that works in solidarity with people impacted by climate change, oppressed by governments, and marginalized due to sexuality and gender identity. Cuir Kitchen Brigade provides food relief on a mutual aid model, runs solidarity and ancestral learning trips to Latin America, and hosts workshops on canning and fermentation to help queer, transgender, Black people, Indigenous communities, and people of color be more resilient to climate disasters.</p>3. Cultivating Change Foundation, San Francisco
<p>Through relationship-building events, partnerships, and discussions, Cultivating Change Foundation seeks to create a global network of LGBTQ+ agriculturists and their allies. Using advocacy and education, the foundation provides resources and materials to help LGBTQ+ farmers feel empowered and elevated within their communities and professional fields. In June, the Foundation typically holds a three-day global agriculture conference in Des Moines, Iowa, to bring together LGBTQ+ agricultural workers, diversity professionals, and other experts working toward a more equitable food system.</p>4. Diaspora Co., Oakland, California, and Mumbai, India
<p>Owned and managed by self-identifying queer women of color, Diaspora Co. is an organic spice business working to decolonize commodity crops from India, while uplifting small farmers. Diaspora Co. reduces the spice supply chain to only involve itself, small farmers, and the consumer. Doing so allows small farmers to earn more money and maintain control over the crops they grow. The company also works with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research to identify additional ways they can support farmers working with Diaspora Co.</p>5. Fierte Agricolé, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
<p>Fierte Agricolé is a nonprofit organization that works to unite LGBTQ+ people in agriculture. Through focus groups, the organization provides a safe space for individuals to discuss their experiences as LGBTQ+ farmers. The organization also works with stakeholders and other professionals to raise awareness on sexuality, gender identity diversity, and challenges that LGBTQ+ people in agriculture may face.</p>6. Finca Morada, North Miami, Florida
<p>Finca Morada is a cooperative ½-acre permaculture farm in North Miami, Florida, that is organized around the concept of "wild culture." They define "wild culture" in opposition to consumer culture, and in favor of interdependence with nature and traditional, Indigenous land management. "At our heart-center is environmental, racial, LGBTQ, gender, social, & food justice, inspired by nature's magic, radical interdependence & wild diversity," they write. Finca Morada means "purple farm" in Spanish, and the farm uses purple as a way to honor the land's previous owner and as a symbol of diversity, the royalty of nature, and the fluidity of binaries between red and blue.</p>7. GayFarmer, Germany
<p>GayFarmer is a professional association made up of over 500 individuals from the LGBTQ+ community who work in professions such as agriculture. The association is helping individuals in green sectors establish professional connections with corporations and other workers. GayFarmer also organizes specialized groups for people of specific LGBTQ+ identities to provide additional support for members. GayFarmer's website also promotes members' products to help them gain visibility in the marketplace.</p>8. Homestead Ranch, Oskaloosa, Kansas
<p>Courtney Skeeba and her partner, Denise Whitesides, operate Homestead Ranch, a small family farm located in Oskaloosa, Kansas, that specializes in sustainable goat farming. The farm strives to reduce waste, nurture the land, and educate consumers on the source of their food. The farm sells goat milk-based shampoo, soap, and other body products online, at local farmers markets, and boutiques.</p>9. Hudson Valley Seed Company, Accord, New York
<p>In 2004, Ken Greene was working as a librarian when he started the country's first seed library, as a way to support local food systems. A few years later, his seed library became the Hudson Valley Seed Company, which he launched with his partner, Doug Mueller. They focus on heirloom, local, and organic seeds, and were one of the first companies to sign the Open Source Seed Initiative. Every year, the Hudson Valley Seed Company also commissions contemporary artists to design storytelling-oriented "art packs" for their seed varieties.</p>10. Humble Hands Harvest, Decorah, Iowa
<p>Humble Hands Harvest operates a small organic farm in Iowa using regenerative practices to grow organic vegetables. To support the LGBTQ+ farming community, the farm holds the <a href="https://humblehandsharvest.com/queer-farmer-convergence/" target="_blank">Queer Farmer Convergence</a>, an annual event uniting LGBTQ+ farmers to reduce the isolation felt by LGBTQ+ farmers and to combat racist and capitalist practices in agriculture. Additionally, the farm created the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/queerdirt/" target="_blank">Queer Farmer Network</a> to revolutionize the agriculture industry and rural community.</p>11. Interlocking Roots, United States
<p>Interlocking Roots is a network of self-identifying queer and transgender Black and Indigenous people of color (QT*BIPoC) who work as chefs, educators, farmers, and food justice advocates. The network organizes gatherings and uses digital platforms, like <a href="https://www.instagram.com/interlockingroots/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, to create safe spaces for QT*BIPoC people to connect. Interlocking Roots is currently working on a podcast to share stories about QT*BIPoC folks who are using food and agriculture to decolonize the agri-food industry.</p>12. Lesbian Natural Resources, Minneapolis, Minnesota
<p>Established in 1991, Lesbian Natural Resources (LNR) assists lesbians interested in maintaining community land and preserving rural ecosystems. LNR offers a variety of programs to combat food insecurity and racism and help members of their community access land. They also connect members to grants to help them sustain their work.</p>13. Mill Creek Farm, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
<p>Johanna Rosen and her partner, Jade Walker, run Mill Creek Farm. This educational farm and environmental center provides low-cost, chemical-free produce to local communities and people of color in need of assistance. Mill Creek Farm integrates sustainable practices, like crop rotation and companion planting. The farm also engages with the local community by hosting after-school gardening and cooking clubs, field trips, and internships and fellowships to help local youth.</p>14. Moxie Ridge, Fort Edward, New York
<p>Moxie Ridge is a farm and creamery in northeast New York State that specializes in pork, fully free-range chicken and eggs, and a selection of fresh and ripened goat cheeses from goats milked by hand. Moxie Ridge is run by Lee Hennessy, who came out as transgender last year and is committed to respecting land by using traditional management practices. On the farm, he accomplishes brush clearing with the help of the goats, pastures are "mowed" by grazing horses and sheep, and pigs act as tillers and root removers.</p>15. The Okra Project, United States
<p>The Okra Project is a collective addressing food insecurity within the Black transgender community. The collective delivers healthy and culturally appropriate meals prepared by Black transgender chefs to Black transgender people experiencing food insecurity. To lend support globally, the Okra Project developed the International Grocery Fund, which provides US$40 grants to Black transgender people around the world who are food insecure. The Okra Project also established the Byokra series, monthly wellness sessions for Black transgender people.</p>16. Queer Farmer Collective, Denver, Colorado
<p>Queer Farmer Collective is a community organization working to engage the LGBTQ+ community in agriculture, while removing barriers that prevent LBGTQ+ people from participating. Using organized events, the organization hopes to inspire its network to grow their own food and uses donations to provide financial support to various farmers. Queer Farmer Collective also shares resources and advice for their farmers on its <a href="https://www.facebook.com/queerfarmercollective/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</p>17. Rainbow Chard Collective, Canada
<p>The Rainbow Chard Collective is an organization made up of farmers, food activists, and students working to create awareness for LGBTQ+ farmers and promote sustainable agriculture. The Rainbow Chard Collective holds events and workshops, conducts research on sustainable living, and mentors youth individuals by leading workshops at camps. The Collective also advocates for increased government support for small farmers.</p>18. Rise and Root Farm, Chester, New York
<p>Karen Washington, a Black farmer and community activist, wants to build a different agricultural narrative, inclusive of all races, genders, and sexualities. Her farm, Rise and Root Farm, is ¾-owned by people in the LGBTQ+ community. Washington created Rise and Root Farm to be a place of healing for diverse and marginalized communities — particularly important today, as black farmers work to call attention to not only their own contributions to the modern food system but also the impact of the slave trade on the development of global food chains.</p>19. Rock and Steady Farm and Flowers, Millerton, New York
<p>The self-identifying queer- and women-owned cooperative Rock Steady Farm & Flowers uses sustainable agricultural practices and community partnerships to advocate for marginalized communities in the food system. The farm provides food to food pantries, social justice nonprofits, and local businesses, like florists and restaurants. The organization also <a href="https://gaycenter.org/" target="_blank">partners</a> <a href="https://callen-lorde.org/" target="_blank">with</a> LGBTQ+ resource centers to increase healthy food access for and educate youth about agriculture.</p>20. Sweet Digz Farm, Richmond, British Columbia
<p>Kareno Hawbolt and her partner, Kimi Hendess, founded and operate Sweet Digz Farm in Richmond, Canada, where they strive to implement sustainable farming methods to grow vegetables and herbs. Sweet Digz partners with other local farms to expand their market and operates a community supported agriculture (CSA) program. Sweet Digz also manages the SHAREit Forward Fund, an initiative which provides fresh produce to local neighbors in need.</p>21. TransGenerational Farm, New York City area
<p>Founded and operated by Jayne Henson, a transgender woman, the TransGenerational Farm near New York City is using agriculture to connect the LGBTQ+ community and educate them on the agri-food industry. The farm employs regenerative practices, like reusable landscape fabric, and operates a CSA program. TransGenerational Farm is currently in the process of establishing a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/queer-csa-scholarship?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_cf%20share-flow-1&fbclid=IwAR1jX92SLO0HGUMZlVETAHKYK-XBytGy7_I9q0fOkOJD5N4rK6AljTmzJR8" target="_blank">CSA scholarship program</a> for individuals who want to join the CSA program, but are financially unable to do so.</p>22. Truelove Seeds, Philadelphia
<p>Truelove Seeds is a Philadelphia-based seed company that partners with over 20 urban and small-scale rural farms to produce rare, open pollinated, and culturally important seeds. Several staff members and growers Truelove works with identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community. Truelove Seeds aims to support community food sovereignty, Indigenous cultures, and regenerative agriculture by including growers as integral decision-makers for seed-keeping.</p>23. Urban Oasis Project, Miami
<p>The Urban Oasis Project works to increase access to local, fresh food in South Florida. The organization runs farmers markets, provides free Food Justice Veggie Boxes to families in need, plants gardens, and more. President Art Friedrich, who identifies as a queer man, told Food Tank that LGBTQ+ identity is important to his work; at times 40 percent of the stalls at their main farmers market are run by LGBTQ+ vendors, many of whom are also people of color.</p>24. Westside Urban Gardens, Los Angeles, California
Nate Looney, a Black transgender farmer and veteran, is the founder and CEO of Westside Urban Gardens, an urban agricultural start-up farm located in Los Angeles, California. Westside Urban Gardens helps members of the LGBTQ+ community by hiring them and teaching viable skills for future employment. Through the use of hydroponic cultivation and aquaponics, the farm uses approximately 90 percent less water than soil-based outdoor farms.Related Articles Around the Web
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Eating too much sugar is really bad for your health.
It has been linked to an increased risk of many diseases, including obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
<p>Many people are now trying to minimize their <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-sugar-per-day" target="_blank">sugar intake</a>, but it's easy to underestimate how much you're actually consuming.</p><p>One of the reasons is that many foods contain hidden sugars, including some foods that you wouldn't even consider to be sweet.</p><p>In fact, even products marketed as "light" or "low fat" often contain more sugar than their regular counterparts.</p><p>The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women limit their <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/does-sugar-make-you-fat" target="_blank">added sugar</a> intake to 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day, while men should limit their intake to 9 teaspoons (37.5 grams).<a href="https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/sugar/added-sugars" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Here are 18 foods and drinks that contain way more sugar than you'd think.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/18-surprising-foods-high-in-sugar" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p>
1. Low Fat Yogurt
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-benefits-of-yogurt" target="_blank">Yogurt</a> can be highly nutritious. However, not all yogurt is created equal.</p><p>Like many other <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-unhealthy-low-fat-foods" target="_blank">low fat products</a>, low fat yogurts have sugar added to them to enhance flavor.</p><p>For example, a single cup (245 grams) of low fat yogurt can contain over 45 grams of sugar, which is about 11 teaspoons. This is more than the daily limit for men and women in just a single cup of "healthy" yogurt.</p><p>Furthermore, low fat yogurt doesn't seem to have the same health benefits as full fat yogurt.</p><p>It's best to choose full fat, natural, or Greek yogurt. Avoid yogurt that has been sweetened with sugar.</p>2. Barbecue (BBQ) Sauce
<p>Barbecue (BBQ) sauce can make a tasty marinade or dip.</p><p>However, 2 tablespoons (around 28 grams) of sauce can contain around 9 grams of sugar. This is over 2 teaspoons worth.</p><p>In fact, around 33% of the weight of BBQ sauce may be pure sugar.</p><p>If you're liberal with your servings, this makes it easy to consume a lot of sugar without meaning to.</p><p>To make sure you aren't getting too much, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-read-food-labels" target="_blank">check the labels</a> and choose the sauce with the least amount of added sugar. Also, remember to watch your portions.</p>3. Ketchup
<p>Ketchup is one of the most popular condiments worldwide, but — like BBQ sauce — it's often loaded with sugar.</p><p>Try to be mindful of your portion size when using ketchup, and remember that a single tablespoon of ketchup contains nearly 1 teaspoon of sugar.</p>4. Fruit Juice
<p>Like whole fruit, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fruit-juice-is-just-as-bad-as-soda/" target="_blank">fruit juice</a> contains some vitamins and minerals.</p><p>However, despite seeming like a healthy choice, these vitamins and minerals come with a large dose of sugar and very little <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-is-fiber-good-for-you/" target="_blank">fiber</a>.</p><p>It usually takes a lot of fruit to produce a single glass of fruit juice, so you get much more sugar in a glass of juice than you would get by eating whole fruit. This makes it easy to consume a large amount of sugar quickly.</p><p>In fact, there can be just as much sugar in fruit juice as there is in a sugary drink like Coke. The poor health outcomes that have been convincingly linked to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-ways-sugary-soda-is-bad-for-you/" target="_blank">sugary soda</a> may also be linked to fruit juices.</p><p>It's best to choose whole fruit and minimize your intake of fruit juices.</p>5. Spaghetti Sauce
<p>Added sugars are often hidden in foods that we don't even consider to be sweet, such as spaghetti sauce.</p><p>All spaghetti sauces will contain some natural sugar given that they're made with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/types-of-tomatoes" target="_blank">tomatoes</a>.</p><p>However, many spaghetti sauces contain added sugar as well.</p><p>The best way to ensure you aren't getting any unwanted sugar in your pasta sauce is to make your own.</p><p>However, if you need to buy premade spaghetti sauce, check the label and pick one that either doesn't have sugar on the ingredient list or has it listed very close to the bottom. This indicates that it's not a major ingredient.</p>6. Sports Drinks
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/sports-drinks" target="_blank">Sports drinks</a> can often be mistaken as a healthy choice for those who exercise.</p><p>However, sports drinks are designed to hydrate and fuel trained athletes during prolonged, intense periods of exercise.</p><p>For this reason, they contain high amounts of added sugars that can be quickly absorbed and used for energy.</p><p>In fact, a standard 20-ounce (591-mL) bottle of a sports drink will contain 37.9 grams of added sugar and 198 calories. This is equivalent to 9.5 teaspoons of sugar.<a href="https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/789758/nutrients" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Sports drinks are therefore categorized as sugary drinks. Like soda and fruit juice, they've also been linked to obesity and metabolic disease.</p><p>Unless you're a marathon runner or elite athlete, you should probably just stick to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day/" target="_blank">water</a> while exercising. It's by far the best choice for most of us.</p>7. Chocolate Milk
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/chocolate-milk" target="_blank">Chocolate milk</a> is milk that has been flavored with cocoa and sweetened with sugar.</p><p>Milk itself is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/milk-benefits" target="_blank">a very nutritious drink</a>. It's a rich source of nutrients that are great for bone health, including calcium and protein.</p><p>However, despite having all the nutritious qualities of milk, an 8-ounce (230-mL) glass of chocolate milk comes with an extra 11.4 grams (2.9 teaspoons) of added sugar.</p>8. Granola
<p>Granola is often marketed as a low fat health food, despite being high in both calories and sugar.</p><p>The main ingredient in granola is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-benefits-oats-oatmeal" target="_blank">oats</a>. Plain rolled oats are a well-balanced cereal containing carbs, protein, fat, and fiber.</p><p>However, the oats in granola have been combined with nuts and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-honey" target="_blank">honey</a> or other added sweeteners, which increases the amount of sugar and calories.</p><p>In fact, 100 grams of granola contain around 400–500 calories and nearly 5–7 teaspoons of sugar.</p><p>If you like granola, try choosing one with less added sugar or making your own. You can also add it as a topping to fruit or yogurt rather than pouring a whole bowl.</p>9. Flavored Coffees
<p>Flavored coffee is a popular trend, but the amount of hidden sugars in these drinks can be staggering.</p><p>In some coffeehouse chains, a large flavored coffee or coffee drink can contain 45 grams of sugar, if not much more. That's equivalent to about 11 teaspoons of added sugar per serving.</p><p>Considering the strong link between sugary drinks and poor health, it's probably best to stick to coffee <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/8-ways-to-make-your-coffee-super-healthy" target="_blank">without any flavored syrups or added sugar</a>.</p>10. Iced Tea
<p>Iced tea is usually sweetened with sugar or flavored with syrup.</p><p>It's popular in various forms and flavors around the world, and this means the sugar content can vary slightly.</p><p>Most commercially prepared iced teas will contain around 35 grams of sugar per 12-ounce (340-mL) serving. This is about the same as a bottle of Coke.</p><p>If you like tea, pick regular tea or choose iced tea that doesn't have any sugars added.</p>11. Protein Bars
<p>Protein bars are a popular snack.</p><p>Foods that contain <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-protein-per-day/" target="_blank">protein</a> have been linked to increased feelings of fullness, which can aid weight loss.</p><p>This has led people to believe that protein bars are a healthy snack.</p><p>While there are some healthier protein bars on the market, many contain around 20 grams of added sugar, making their nutritional content similar to that of a candy bar.</p><p>When choosing a protein bar, read the label and avoid those that are high in sugar. You can also eat a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-delicious-high-protein-foods/" target="_blank">high protein food</a> such as yogurt instead.</p>12. Vitaminwater
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/5-reasons-why-vitaminwater-is-a-bad-idea/" target="_blank">Vitaminwater</a> is marketed as a healthy drink that contains added vitamins and minerals.</p><p>However, like many other "health drinks," Vitaminwater comes with a large amount of added sugar.</p><p>In fact, a bottle of regular Vitaminwater typically contains around 100 calories and 30 grams of sugar.<a href="https://www.vitaminwater.com/products/vitaminwater/revive-fruit-punch" target="_blank"></a></p><p>As such, despite all the health claims, it's wise to avoid Vitaminwater as much as possible.</p><p>You could opt for Vitaminwater zero, the sugar-free version. It's made with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/artificial-sweeteners-and-weight-gain/" target="_blank">artificial sweeteners</a> instead.</p><p>That said, plain water or sparkling water are much healthier choices if you're thirsty.</p>13. Premade Soup
<p>Soup isn't a food that you generally associate with sugar.</p><p>When it's made with fresh whole ingredients, it's a healthy choice and can be a great way to increase your vegetable consumption without much effort.</p><p>The vegetables in soups have naturally occurring sugars, which are fine to eat given that they're usually present in small amounts and alongside lots of other beneficial nutrients.</p><p>However, many commercially prepared soups have a lot of added ingredients, including sugar.</p><p>To check for added sugars in your soup, look at the ingredient list for <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/56-different-names-for-sugar" target="_blank">names</a> such as:</p><ul><li>sucrose</li><li>barley malt</li><li>dextrose</li><li>maltose</li><li><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/high-fructose-corn-syrup-vs-sugar" target="_blank">high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)</a> and other syrups</li></ul><p>The higher up on the list an ingredient is, the higher its content in the product. Watch out for when manufacturers list small amounts of different sugars, as that's another sign the product could be high in total sugar.</p>14. Breakfast Cereal
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-breakfast-cereals-healthy" target="_blank">Cereal</a> is a popular, quick, and easy breakfast food.</p><p>However, the cereal you choose could greatly affect your sugar consumption, especially if you eat it every day.</p><p>Some breakfast cereals, particularly those marketed at children, have lots of added sugar. Some contain 12 grams, or 3 teaspoons of sugar in a small 34-gram (1.2-ounce) serving.</p><p>Check the label and try choosing a cereal that's <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-healthiest-cereals" target="_blank">high in fiber and doesn't contain added sugar</a>.</p><p>Better yet, wake up a few minutes earlier and cook a quick healthy breakfast with a high protein food like eggs. <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/protein-at-breakfast-and-weight-loss" target="_blank">Eating protein for breakfast</a> can help you lose weight.</p>15. Cereal Bars
<p>For on-the-go breakfasts, cereal bars can seem like a healthy and convenient choice.</p><p>However, like other "health bars," cereal bars are often just candy bars in disguise. Many contain very little fiber or protein and are loaded with added sugar.</p>16. Canned Fruit
<p>All fruit contains natural sugars. However, some <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/canned-food-good-or-bad/" target="_blank">canned fruit</a> is peeled and preserved in sugary syrup. This processing strips the fruit of its fiber and adds a lot of unnecessary sugar to what should be a healthy snack.</p><p>The canning process can also destroy heat-sensitive <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-foods" target="_blank">vitamin C</a>, although most other nutrients are well preserved.</p><p>Whole, fresh fruit is best. If you want to eat canned fruit, look for one that's been preserved in juice rather than syrup. Juice has a slightly lower amount of sugar.</p>17. Canned Baked Beans
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/are-baked-beans-good-for-you" target="_blank">Baked beans</a> are another savory food that's often surprisingly high in sugar.</p><p>A cup (254 grams) of regular baked beans contains about 5 teaspoons of sugar.</p><p>If you like baked beans, you can choose low sugar versions. They can contain about half the amount of sugar found in regular baked beans.</p>18. Premade Smoothies
<p>Blending fruits with milk or yogurt in the morning to make yourself a smoothie can be <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-best-foods-to-eat-in-morning" target="_blank">a great way to start your day</a>.</p><p>However, not all smoothies are healthy.</p><p>Many commercially produced smoothies come in large sizes and can be sweetened with ingredients like fruit juice, ice cream, or syrup. This increases their sugar content.</p><p>Some of them contain ridiculously high amounts of calories and sugar, with over 54 grams (13.5 teaspoons) of sugar in a single 16-ounce or 20-ounce serving.</p><p>For a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-smoothie-recipes" target="_blank">healthy smoothie</a>, check the ingredients and make sure you watch your portion size.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>Added sugars aren't a necessary part of your diet. Although small amounts are fine, they can cause serious harm if eaten in large amounts on a regular basis.</p><p>The best way to avoid hidden sugars in your meals is to make them at home so you know exactly what's in them.</p><p>However, if you need to buy prepackaged food, make sure you check the label to identify any hidden added sugars, especially when buying foods from this list.</p>From Your Site Articles
- Want to Cut Sugar Out of Your Diet? Here's How - EcoWatch ›
- The 18 Most Addictive Foods (and the 17 Least Addictive) - EcoWatch ›
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Beyond Meat's PLT is advertised at a McDonald's in London, Ontario during a trial that ended in April. GEOFF ROBINS / AFP via Getty Images
McDonald's' ended a highly-publicized six-month trial of a meatless Beyond Meat burger April 6 without announcing any plans to continue or expand the partnership, CBC News reported Thursday. Instead, it simply removed the burger's information from its website.
<p>Beyond Meat's shares plunged as much as 10 percent following the CBC story, as investors had hoped for a permanent arrangement between the alternative <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/meat-consumption" target="_self">meat</a> company and the fast-<a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/food/" target="_self">food</a> giant, according to <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/beyond-meat-stock-price-after-mcdonalds-ends-trial-vegetarian-canada-2020-6-1029343100" target="_blank">Business Insider</a>. McDonald's stock was also trading down one percent, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/25/beyond-meat-shares-fall-after-mcdonalds-ends-canadian-trial-of-meatless-burger.html" target="_blank">CNBC News reported</a>. And some customers also expressed disappointment.</p><p>"I was really upset because it's the only thing on the menu that I could eat," London, Ontario-based <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/vegan" target="_self">vegan</a> customer Jenna Walker-Cronk told CBC News. "I don't know how long it takes to get a product out, but I feel like, at this point, I'm not keeping my hopes up."</p>
<div id="c2b05" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b3585b3cd96f889d22261b7b980976f8"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1255271846888574978" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">@aammyysmyth Hi there. Our Plant-Based Burger was being tested in several Markets until April 6th. We have no curre… https://t.co/UBEDYZdYeM</div> — McDonald's Canada (@McDonald's Canada)<a href="https://twitter.com/McDonaldsCanada/statuses/1255271846888574978">1588115104.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Both McDonald's and Beyond Meat insisted nothing about their relationship had changed.</p><p>"We're evaluating learnings from our recent test to inform future menu options," a McDonald's spokesperson told CBC News by email Thursday. "As we look ahead, we will plan to bring plant-based options to the menu at the right time for customers in individual markets."</p><p>Beyond Meat, meanwhile, said the trial had gone well.</p><p>"We can only comment generally and share that we were pleased with the test," Beyond Meat spokesperson Shira Zackai told CBC News by email Monday.</p>
<p>McDonald's ran two trials of the burger in dozens of restaurants in southwestern Ontario between September 30 of 2019 and April 6. It sold the burger as the PLT, for plant, lettuce and tomato, and said it was trialling the burger in Canada for a potential global rollout.</p><p>In a May earnings call, JPMorgan analyst Ken Goldman expressed doubt to Beyond Meat management about what the trial's end had meant, as Business Insider reported.</p><p>"[T]ypically if a test did well, the retailer wouldn't end it, they would expand it," Goldman said.</p>
<p>But Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said that the lack of expansion did not necessarily reflect on the trial.</p><p>"I can assure you there's no issue with McDonald's ... this is a way it's been planned and the way it's being executed. And there's been no change at all," Brown said. "I can't promise you that we'll see a massive expansion tomorrow. But there's been no change in information since we began this test and got good results in the beginning and got good results at the end."</p><p>It is possible that the lack of immediate follow-up had less to do with the trial itself and more to do with the fact that it wrapped up in the midst of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_self">coronavirus</a> pandemic.</p><p>"It's pretty hard to sort of make a decision on rolling out a product across the world, or even across America, when you're in the middle of a crisis," Toronto-based retail consultant Bruce Winder, who wrote a new book called <em>Retail Before, During & After COVID-19</em>, told CBC News.</p>
<p>Still, McDonald's lags behind its competitors when it comes to meatless offerings in North America. It has yet to offer a plant-based burger in the U.S., while Burger King has been selling the Impossible Burger for almost a year, CNBC pointed out. Impossible Foods also signed a deal this week to sell breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks, <a href="https://m.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/mcdonalds-dumps-beyond-burgers-shares-tumble-2212336" target="_blank">Investing.com reported</a>.</p><p>"People are increasingly aware plant-based products are going to completely replace the animal-based products in the food world within the next 15 years. That's our mission. That transformation is inevitable," Impossible CEO Patrick Brown told CNBC's Jim Cramer June 23, according to Investing.com.</p><p>McDonald's, which offers meatless burgers in countries including Finland, Sweden, India, South Africa and Australia, has promised a meatless burger will eventually be on its general menu, CBC News reported.</p>
<p>But for now, its North American customers will have to wait.</p><p>"It feels like [McDonald's is] behind everyone," Walker-Cronk told CBC News. "There's basically nothing else that I can eat there except for the french fries."</p>
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The vast scale of native vegetation clearance for industrial soy cultivation in Brazil is apparent in this aerial image of the Cerrado. Jim Wickens Ecostorm / Mighty Earth (2017)
By Chris Arsenault
A first ever study has provided detailed estimates of greenhouse gas emissions across the entire soy producing agribusiness sector in Brazil. The study, published in the journal Global Environmental Change, found that countries and companies in the European Union and China importing soy from Brazil have driven deforestation there, causing a marked increase in greenhouse gas emissions, particularly when the soy came from certain regions.
<p>While <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/06/14-straight-months-of-rising-amazon-deforestation-in-brazil/" target="_blank">deforestation in the Amazon rainforest</a> has garnered global attention, a new wave of precipitous native vegetation loss is being seen in the Cerrado, Brazil's savanna biome, and is a major cause of concern to climate change researchers. Brazil's Cerrado grasslands are being <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/04/we-are-invisible-brazilian-cerrado-quilombos-fight-for-land-and-lives/" target="_blank">cleared of forest</a> at an alarming rate to expand soy plantations — along with ranches — to meet global demand.</p><p>In fact, soy exported from newly cleared lands in some savanna municipalities caused the release of as much as 200 times more greenhouse gas emissions than soy coming from other parts of Brazil, according to the new study, which was conducted by researchers from Germany, together with partners from Spain, Belgium and Sweden.</p><p>The extreme regional disparities in emissions from different parts of the country came as a surprise to the researchers, and could offer a detailed map to policymakers as to where to focus carbon emission reduction efforts to achieve the greatest benefit.</p><p>"One of the big takeaways: there is no average supply chain for soy exports from Brazil. We need to take into account these [major] regional differences," in deforestation, transportation infrastructure, and resulting emissions, said Dr. Neus Escobar, the study's lead author and a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Bonn in Germany.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNDA2Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjUwMTAzNH0.E_nAhS8BixQgvO9eGTajXD7gjMaL7vLSF7kgIOVHGuo/img.jpg?width=980" id="7361c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="52611a957c75326960085ff694269c68" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
A soy plantation in the Brazilian Cerrado. Alicia Prager / Mongabay.
<p>The new Brazil-wide soy dataset also offers insights into how countries and companies contribute to carbon emissions via deforestation occurring in Brazil. The information could help nations and the soy commodities industry reduce deforestation, and thereby emissions, by fine tuning their supply chains, purchasing decisions and climate change mitigation plans.</p><p>"This gives crucial information to stakeholders to improve environmental performance," Escobar added in an interview with Mongabay. Companies importing Cerrado soy now have been alerted that deforestation there is producing high greenhouse gas emissions, so they can work actively with soy producers to avoid <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/04/for-brazilian-agribusiness-leaving-the-amazon-forested-is-a-problem/" target="_blank">clearing new land for Cerrado plantations</a>, she said.</p><p>Total greenhouse gas emissions from Brazilian soy exports were estimated at 223 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. China was the largest importer of Brazilian soy during the study period which ran from 2010 to 2015, and responsible for 51% of associated carbon dioxide emissions, while the European Union was responsible for 30%.</p><p>But per unit of soy, Europe's carbon footprint from Brazilian imports is larger than China's, the study said. European Union imports were also more likely to cause new deforestation (causing more recent carbon releases), compared to imports from China.</p><p>"This [finding] is surprising because China is a much bigger [soy] importer," Javier Godar, a study co-author and senior researcher at the Stockholm Environment Institute said in an interview with Mongabay. "In the end, Europe is importing a bit more carbon dioxide emissions associated [with] deforestation embedded in soy [production] than China."</p><p>That's because much of the soy consumed in EU countries like Spain and Germany comes from the northern Cerrado where current rates of deforestation are especially high now, Godar explained. China, on the other hand, imports most of its Brazilian soy from the southern Cerrado, which has already converted a lot of its native vegetation to croplands.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNDEwMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NDk0NDM1M30.xffL1okBH8bwIt-H-vOrnCaEPsbqWZdnhoFRZgoC0GI/img.jpg?width=980" id="7bb22" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1b4fade01f01d0e0f1b56075634b6201" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
A tractor works to turn deforested land into a soy field in São Desidério, Bahia state, Brazil in 2017. Jim Wickens Ecostorm / Mighty Earth
“Underground Forest”
<p>Lucia von Reusner, campaign director at Mighty Earth, a U.S.-based environmental NGO, said the study is crucial for highlighting deforestation risks in Brazil's Cerrado. "It's one of the world's most biodiverse savannas and a huge concern for people who care about some of the world's most beautiful and threatened species." Also, "Deforestation is one of the biggest drivers of climate change."</p><p>The region has been dubbed an "underground forest" due to the complex root systems of shrubs and small trees, which retain soil and sequester tremendous sums of carbon, she added in an interview with Mongabay. "When the soy industry moves in, all of that is ripped up and burned. All the carbon stored in the roots, trees and soils is burned and released into the atmosphere."</p><p>The Cerrado, dubbed "Brazil's last agricultural frontier" has some of the highest deforestation rates in Latin America, von Reusner said, with only 50% of its native vegetation remaining. The greatest CO2 emissions occurring in the Cerrado during the 2010-15 study period arose in the so-called MATOPIBA region, comprising the states of Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia. Though the study offered no current deforestation or carbon emission data, MATOPIBA continues to be an agribusiness powerhouse today, a <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/01/communities-in-brazilian-cerrado-besieged-by-global-demand-for-soy/" target="_blank">center of soy production and deforestation</a>.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNDA4OC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NDU4MzQwM30._JX9XVHy8kPS1rOAdfCBL3QglbmmtFGcTUeqpgSAqv0/img.jpg?width=980" id="6f992" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0732fb50ab8b612e78f7b69910fc958e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
This map shows total carbon dioxide emissions embedded in Brazilian soy imports for different regions between 2010 and 2015. The European Union imported 67.6 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions embodied in Brazilian soy, while China imported 118.1 million tons of emissions. Escobar, N. et al.
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNDA5MC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTU5OTM0ODc1Mn0.VGim10Le1NnUJpVS4BI1T6rZbaGTM6spTTtw4ayYKyA/img.jpg?width=980" id="1f46c" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a1549c121c4ab75600e1c9f70e939ce0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
This graph shows total carbon dioxide emissions embodied by Brazil soy imports in major soy importing countries from 2010 to 2015. Escobar, N. et al.
Examining Total Emissions From Soy
<p>The study is the first to provide an estimate of greenhouse gas emissions across the entire soy sector in Brazil with such a high level of detail. To come to their conclusions, researchers analyzed data from 90,000 different soy supply chains between 2010 and 2015.</p><p>Soy is the most internationally traded agricultural commodity on earth, so analyzing data and strategies to reduce its impact on climate change is crucial for policymakers who want to preserve forests while simultaneously reducing emissions.</p><p>"This study does a good job in noting where along the supply chain we can pinpoint to reduce emissions," said University of California, Santa Barbara, land systems scientist Robert Heilmayr. He researches deforestation in Brazil and was not involved in the recent study.</p><p>The depth of the paper's data helps underscore how the Cerrado is "a new frontier in deforestation," he added, and establishes the importance of including the savanna in any plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions, as compared to other soy producing regions of Brazil.</p><p>In the Amazon rainforest, a moratorium on clearing new lands for soy was launched in 2006, which <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2015/01/brazils-soy-moratorium-dramatically-reduced-amazon-deforestation/" target="_blank">greatly reduced</a> the conversion of rainforests to make way for new soy plantations. The moratorium continues to work, though <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/06/14-straight-months-of-rising-amazon-deforestation-in-brazil/" target="_blank">Amazon deforestation is increasing</a> due to intense cattle ranching and mining pressures. One study found that the slowing of soy growth in Amazonia, merely <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2018/11/saving-the-amazon-has-come-at-the-cost-of-cerrado-deforestation-study/" target="_blank">shifted and intensified</a> soy production in the Cerrado.</p><p>Extending the Amazon Soy Moratorium into the Cerrado, via the so-called <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2018/03/cerrado-manifesto-could-curb-deforestation-but-needs-support-experts/" target="_blank">Cerrado Manifesto</a> or <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2020/06/14-straight-months-of-rising-amazon-deforestation-in-brazil/" target="_blank">other initiatives</a> — something transnational commodities companies have strongly resisted — could help reduce deforestation related to soy there, Heilmayr and <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2018/08/more-companies-sign-on-to-cerrado-manifesto/" target="_blank">others contend</a>.</p><img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yMzQxNDA5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMTcxMTA4N30.5PEar6sGahRvQ-vumiP3U0hUOhue29M99R13__oLrDU/img.jpg?width=980" id="bf665" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a08b7a1bdbff1ed8d3cf020037c02921" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
Data was gathered from 90,000 soy supply chains and shows how the amount of greenhouse gases released from soy production, processing and export varies between Brazilian municipalities, and from year to year. This map indicates carbon dioxide emissions from soy exports from around Brazil between 2010-15. Escobar, N. et al.
Complicated Supply Chains
<p>Deforestation isn't the only cause of soy-related emissions, Escobar explained. Transportation of soy from remote rural production areas to the South American coast especially by truck is another significant driver of carbon emissions.</p><p>In some inland communities in Brazil's center-west region, where poor infrastructure means soy needs to be trucked over long distances, transportation accounts for about 60% of total carbon emissions, especially from export-oriented municipalities in Goiás and Mato Grosso states. This has in part justified vigorous efforts to construct less carbon intensive <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2018/10/grainrail-2nd-revolution-in-brazilian-agribusiness-and-amazon-threat/" target="_blank">rail lines</a> and <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2017/01/battle-for-the-amazon-tapajos-basin-threatened-by-massive-development/" target="_blank">industrial waterways</a> connecting Brazil's interior with its coastal ports — though environmentalists worry about the deforestation such infrastructure might bring with it.</p><p>The global trade in agricultural food products more than doubled between 2000 and 2015, from US$600 billion to over US$1,300 billion, according to data from the U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). But most of the soy exported from Brazil isn't actually eaten by people, explained Reusner; it's primarily used for animal feed or biodiesel.</p><p>To produce enough food for a growing global population, she said transnational companies should incentivize producers to not clear forests for new plantations, but plant soy on land that's already been degraded. <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2018/05/brazil-has-the-tools-to-end-amazon-deforestation-now-report/" target="_blank">Studies have shown</a> that Brazil has plenty of degraded land to meet global commodity demands, without causing any new deforestation.</p><p>"There is enough degraded land across Latin America to meet the needs of global markets to avoid compromising some of our last remaining ecosystems," she said.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Rattan Lal, distinguished university professor of soil science at The Ohio State University, speaks at an IFPRI policy seminar, "Economics of Land Degradation and Improvement," on Dec. 3, 2015. IFPRI / Milo Mitchell
The demands of feeding a planet rapidly careening toward 10 billion people, coupled with the environmental degradation that industry and development has caused, has left much of the world's soil depleted of nutrients. A professor who studies soil science and is looking to improve the dirt for farmers around the world has been awarded the 2020 World Food Prize for his work, as NPR reported.
<p><a href="https://senr.osu.edu/our-people/rattan-lal" target="_blank">Rattan Lal</a>, <a href="https://senr.osu.edu/our-people/rattan-lal" target="_blank">a professor of soil science</a> and the director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at The Ohio State University, has pioneered <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/farming">farming</a> techniques that prevent soil from losing vital nutrients and even put nutrients back into soil, according to NPR. That work is incredibly important, since data from <a href="http://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/357059/icode/" target="_blank">the Food and Agriculture Organization</a> of the United Nations show that about a third of the planet's soil is "moderately to highly degraded."</p><p>When the nutrients disappear, crop yields are lower and less healthy. That's troublesome for the growing demands placed on farmers.</p>
<p>As <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/06/22/880932230/soil-prof-hits-pay-dirt-250k-prize-for-helping-farmers-fighting-climate-change" target="_blank">NPR</a> reported. Lal believes sustainable <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/agriculture">agriculture</a> practices are the "win-win-win option" as the world struggles with the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-crisis">climate crisis</a> and food insecurity. "My philosophy has always been that the health of soil, plants, animal, people, and the environment is one indivisible," Lal said.</p><p>In addition to improving soil, Lal's work showed how plants could pull carbon from the atmosphere and sequester it in the soil to prevent it from combining with oxygen and creating carbon dioxide, which adds more greenhouse gases to an already warming planet, according to <a href="https://www.thehawkeye.com/news/20200614/pioneer-of-research-on-sequestering-carbon-in-soil-is-this-years-world-food-prize-laureate" target="_blank">The Hawk Eye</a> in Iowa.</p>
<p>"This breakthrough research transformed the way the world saw soils," the World Food Prize Foundation, a Des Moines nonprofit that sponsors the annual $250,000 prize, said in its announcement of the prize.</p><p>"As a result, soils are now not only the foundation for increasing the quality and quantity of food and preserving natural ecosystems, but an important part of mitigating climate change, as well," the foundation said in its release.</p><p>The World Food Prize is often described as the Nobel for research in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/food">food</a>, according to <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/rattan-lal-2020-world-food-prize-soil-scientist-6471435/" target="_blank">The Indian Express</a>. It was even created by Nobel prize laureate Norman Borlaug in 1987.</p>
<p>Lal is no stranger to prizes, nor to altruism. Last year, he was awarded $450,000 for the Japan Prize, which is issued by the Japanese government, for his work on soil. He gave all of the prize money to Ohio State's <a href="https://cfaes.osu.edu/" target="_blank">College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences</a>, as <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2019/04/22/ohio-state-just-got-a-half-million-dollar-gift.html" target="_blank">Columbus Business First</a> in Ohio reported.</p><p>Lal's work built upon the tenets that farmers already knew about maintaining and building healthy soil. His work that focused on restoring nutrients had the added bonus of removing carbon from the atmosphere, according to the <a href="https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/editorials/2020/06/20/feeding-the-world-ohio-state-university-rattan-lal/stories/20200618008" target="_blank">Toledo Blade</a>.</p><p>"He's helping the Earth's estimated 500 million small farmers be faithful stewards of their land through improved management, less soil degradation, and the recycling of nutrients," said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as the <a href="https://www.toledoblade.com/opinion/editorials/2020/06/20/feeding-the-world-ohio-state-university-rattan-lal/stories/20200618008" target="_blank">Toledo Blade</a> reported. "The billions of people who depend on these farms stand to benefit greatly from his work."</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.kff.org/news-summary/usaid-acting-administrator-provides-statement-congratulating-winner-of-2020-world-food-prize/" target="_blank">Kaiser Foundation</a> reported that USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa said, "The global demand for food is growing faster than the world's population. Agriculture and food systems face the challenge of producing more while using less land and water. Dr. Lal's work has advanced our ability to grow more food while minimizing the environmental impact for agriculture — essential for sustainable solutions to end hunger and malnutrition."</p><p>Lal's adventurous career has taken him to posts in Australia and Nigeria. He has led soil restoration projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America, integrating no-till farming and use of cover crops, mulching and agroforestry to protect soil, conserve water and return nutrients, carbon and organic matter in the soil, according to <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/world-food-prize-rattan-lal-man-who-took-inspiration-from-shastras-puranas-to-help-500-million-farmers-11591935428304.html" target="_blank">LiveMint</a>.</p><p>"[Lal] was really the first person to put soil science on the map," said Marco Ferroni of <a href="https://www.cgiar.org/how-we-work/governance/system-organization/system-management-board/smb-composition/" target="_blank">CGIAR</a>, a global agricultural research group, to <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/06/22/880932230/soil-prof-hits-pay-dirt-250k-prize-for-helping-farmers-fighting-climate-change" target="_blank">NPR</a>.</p>
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Akaradech Pramoonsin / Moment / Getty Images
Zinc is an essential micronutrient that's needed for numerous functions in your body. It's also important for a strong immune system and helps keep your skin, eyes, and heart healthy.
<p>While there are many food sources of zinc, including meat and shellfish, some people may be at a higher risk of not getting enough zinc in their diets.</p><p>For example, those with inadequate access to food, pregnant or breastfeeding women, vegetarians and vegans, people with gastrointestinal disorders, and individuals taking certain medications like diuretics and anticonvulsants may benefit from a zinc supplement.</p><p>The zinc supplements in this review are all manufactured by reputable companies that follow Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP), use high quality ingredients, and test for purity and quality.</p><p>Here are the 10 best zinc supplements to help you meet your nutritional needs.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-zinc-supplement" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p>
A Note on Price
<p>General price ranges with dollar signs ($ to $$) are indicated below. One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher price range.</p><p>Generally, prices range from $0.08–$1.39 per serving, or $5.99–$38.90 per container, though this may vary depending on where you shop.</p><p><strong>Pricing guide</strong></p><ul><li><strong>$</strong> = under $0.25 per serving</li><li><strong>$</strong> = $0.25–$0.50 per serving</li><li><strong>$$</strong> = over $0.50 per serving</li></ul><p>Note that the serving sizes vary. Some supplements require two capsules per serving, while the serving size for others may be 1 teaspoon (5 mL), 1 mL, or one capsule, tablet, or lozenge.</p>1. Best Overall: Thorne Zinc Picolinate
<p><strong>Price:</strong> $</p><p>Thorne Research is a supplement company that has its own dedicated scientists, labs, and research facilities for nutrition supplements.</p><p>All of their products are made in a lab that meets regulations and standards set by NSF International and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which is a regulatory body in Australia that's responsible for assessing the safety of supplements.</p><p>Furthermore, their products are NSF Certified for Sport. This means that the products are tested to ensure the absence of more than 200 substances banned by many major athletic organizations.</p><p>Thorne Research's Zinc Picolinate is one of the best <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zinc-supplements" target="_blank">zinc supplements</a> on the market due to the company's high quality standards, purity of ingredients, and form of zinc used.</p><p>Older research suggests that zinc picolinate may be one of the easiest forms of zinc for your body to digest and absorb.</p><p>One tablet of this supplement provides 30 mg of zinc picolinate. For best results take one tablet per day, or as recommended by your healthcare provider.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thorne-Research-Picolinate-Well-Absorbed-Supplement/dp/B00B8YTP12/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=Thorne+Zinc+Picolinate&qid=1590490268&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExWEtSQ1dVWFRJR0UmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA0OTAzNzcyQUFVUzhNMTNJNzdGJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0ODY0MTBQU1VQRlVKSkRVOFQmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=445a436633e13752bb1cb5bac8b543f9" target="_blank">Shop for Thorne Research's Zinc Picolinate online</a>.</p>2. Best Chelated: NOW Foods Zinc Glycinate Softgels
<p><strong>P</strong><strong>rice:</strong> $</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/chelated-zinc" target="_blank">Chelated zinc</a> is a type of zinc supplement that uses a chelating agent to help your body absorb zinc more easily.</p><p>While there are several chelated zinc supplements on the market, one of the best options is NOW Foods' Zinc Glycinate softgels.</p><p>Each softgel contains 30 mg of zinc glycinate — a form of zinc that human and animal studies suggest may be better absorbed than other types of zinc.</p><p>All NOW Foods supplements are certified by Underwriters Laboratories and follow GMP to ensure the quality and accuracy of their products. Additionally, these supplements tend to be more affordable than many other high quality brands.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Zinc-Glycinate-Softgels/dp/B005P0G2B6/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=NOW+Foods+Zinc+Glycinate+Softgels&qid=1590490425&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=5098c38a5ab004b4cf3d9b4a0b869627" target="_blank">Shop for NOW Foods Zinc Glycinate Softgels online</a>.</p>3–4. Best Budget Option: Nature’s Way
<p>Nature's Way produces high quality supplements that are more affordable than many other brands on the market.</p><p>All of their supplements are manufactured in facilities that NSF has certified as meeting GMP requirements, which include a set of guidelines to ensure accuracy, quality, and purity of products.</p><p>In addition, their products are <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/gmos-pros-and-cons" target="_blank">non-GMO</a>, organic, and TRU-ID certified. TRU-ID certification is a relatively new independent testing program that uses DNA to verify the authenticity of ingredients in supplements.</p><p>For zinc products, Nature's Way offers zinc chelate capsules and zinc lozenges, both of which are budget-friendly.</p><h3>3. Nature's Way Zinc Chelate Tablets</h3><p><strong>Price:</strong> $</p><p>These zinc chelate capsules are <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gluten-free-foods" target="_blank">gluten-free</a> and provide 30 mg per capsule.</p><p>For best results, adults and adolescents over the age of 14 should take one capsule daily with food, or as recommended by your healthcare provider.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Enhanced-Absorption-Capsules/dp/B0001VU01C/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=7db3efdf03f4e2a8d882f366bb7c5040" target="_blank">Shop for Nature's Way Zinc Chelate Tablets online</a>.</p><h3>4. Nature's Way Zinc Lozenges</h3><p><strong>Price:</strong> $</p><p>For those interested in lozenges, each of Nature's Way's Zinc Lozenges provides 23 mg of zinc, as well as 100 mg of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-benefits" target="_blank">vitamin C</a> and 20 mg of <em>Echinacea purpurea</em>.</p><p>Although the label suggests that adults can take up to 6 lozenges per day, this would push your daily zinc intake way over the suggested 40-mg tolerable upper intake level (UL) set for zinc.<a href="https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Taking too much zinc can have <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zinc-overdose-symptoms" target="_blank">adverse effects</a> on your health and may interfere with the absorption of other nutrients. It's important that you check with your healthcare provider before taking high dose zinc supplements to ensure safety.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Natures-Way-Lozenges-Natural-Berry/dp/B00TJ15SSU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=Nature%E2%80%99s+Way+Zinc+Lozenges&qid=1591691626&sr=8-4&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=7059cc47bfc50e2687c49c5a6e641334" target="_blank">Shop for Nature's Way Zinc Lozenges online</a>.</p>5. Best Vegan Option: Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc
<p><strong>Price:</strong> $</p><p>While it's not always obvious, some supplements can contain animal-derived ingredients, making the product unsuitable for vegans.</p><p>Some commonly used ingredients that aren't vegan-friendly include digestive enzymes like lipase, caprylic acid from milk, gelatin, and magnesium stearate, which is often pork-derived.</p><p>Garden of Life is a whole-foods-based supplement brand with products that are certified organic and non-GMO verified.</p><p>Their Vitamin Code Raw Zinc is a good option for <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-a-vegan" target="_blank">vegans</a>, as it's third-party tested to ensure the product is vegan, as well as gluten-free.</p><p>In addition to providing 30 mg of plant-based zinc, each serving also contains vitamin C, a raw organic fruit and vegetable blend, and live probiotics and enzymes to support healthy digestion.</p><p>It's recommended that adults take one serving of 2 capsules per day with or without meals. For those who have difficulty swallowing pills, the capsules can also be opened to pour the contents into a glass of water or other beverage.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Vitamina-suplemento-alimenticio-vitamina-c%C3%A1psulas/dp/B0098U0QC0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=Garden+of+Life+Vitamin+Code+Raw+Zinc&qid=1590491157&sr=8-5&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=1d654993c5e27e0b85d0cb0415dae888" target="_blank">Shop for Garden of Life Vitamin Code Raw Zinc online</a>.</p>6–7. Best Liquid Formulations
<p>For those who have difficulty swallowing pills, liquid forms of zinc may be better tolerated.</p><h3>6. Metagenics Zinc Drink</h3><p><strong>Price:</strong> $$</p><p>Metagenics is a supplement company devoted to transparency and quality. Each ingredient and supplement batch is tested for quality, and you can even access a detailed testing report for the specific supplement you're looking to buy.</p><p>As part of their quality assurance, all Metagenics supplements are USP-verified and meet NSF and Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) safety and quality regulations.</p><p>Their Zinc Drink liquid supplement contains only water and 15 mg of zinc sulfate per serving, making it free of any <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-food-additives" target="_blank">additives</a> and preservatives.</p><p>For best results, take 1 teaspoon (5 mL) per day of the Zinc Drink between meals. While you can take the supplement on its own, it can also be mixed into a glass of water.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Metagenics-Zinc-Drink-4-7-Liquid/dp/B003C5IP02/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=Metagenics+Zinc+Drink&qid=1590491276&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=8f64a598088e190fd599f86d8260ec56" target="_blank">Shop for Metagenics Zinc Drink online</a>.</p><h3>7. Peak Performance Raw Ionic Liquid Zinc</h3><p><strong>Price:</strong> $$</p><p>Peak Performance supplements are made in the United States and developed for busy athletes and professionals.</p><p>In addition to being free of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/common-food-allergies" target="_blank">major allergens</a>, including soy, dairy, wheat, egg, shellfish, and peanuts, Peak Performance's Raw Ionic Liquid Zinc is also vegan-friendly.</p><p>By running zinc through a high pressure, low heat process, the zinc particles in this liquid supplement are very small in size, which may make it easier for your body to absorb.</p><p>One full dropper provides 15 mg of zinc sulfate — a form of zinc that has been shown to help prevent zinc deficiency, reduce symptoms of severe acne, and possibly help slow the progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4120804/" target="_blank">6Trusted Source</a>, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25393287/" target="_blank">12Trusted Source</a>).</p><p>All Peak Performance supplements undergo third-party testing for quality and accuracy. They're also manufactured following Food and Drug Administration (FDA), GMP, and NSF regulations and standards.</p><p>Adults should take one full dropper (1 mL) once a day on an empty stomach, or use as directed by your healthcare provider.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Peak-Performance-Liquid-Zinc-Supplement/dp/B07QY14KX1/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=Peak+Performance+Raw+Ionic+Liquid+Zinc&qid=1590491358&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQ0tXSEdEVlZLN1ZHJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTIyNjQ5M1M2VFpMTTBNMFVPNiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTQ1OTY4VEQzMUo1UlhSUlZIJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=fca23cef5f2097e5fe20b77e383add8b" target="_blank">Shop for Peak Performance Raw Ionic Liquid Zinc online</a>.</p>8. Best Lozenges: Life Extension Enhanced Zinc Lozenges
<p><strong>Price:</strong> $</p><p>Zinc lozenges are small tablets that are meant to dissolve slowly in your mouth. They're typically taken for short periods to help reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold.</p><p>In fact, one review found that consuming a dose of 80–92 mg of zinc from zinc lozenges per day helped reduce the duration of the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/cold" target="_blank">common cold</a> by up to 33%.</p><p>Life Extension has been making high quality supplements for over 40 years.</p><p>In addition to being manufactured in an NSF-registered GMP facility, each product has a certificate of analysis that's available for consumers to confirm the quality and accuracy of a specific product.</p><p>Life Extension's Enhanced Zinc Lozenges contain 18.75 mg of zinc acetate — a form of zinc that has been shown to shorten the duration of colds by up to 40%.<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28515951/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>Adults can take 1 lozenge every 2 hours up to 8 times a day. However, it's not recommended to consume these lozenges for more than 3 days in a row. Also, note that taking this supplement 8 times per day will greatly exceed the daily UL of 40 mg.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Enhanced-Lozenges-Count/dp/B01BKURF1A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=Life+Extension+Enhanced+Zinc+Lozenges&qid=1590491513&sr=8-5&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=48626b676c91a0b22e72b5a79f47d59f" target="_blank">Shop for Life Extension Enhanced Zinc Lozenges online</a>.</p>9. Best Organic: NutriGold Zinc Gold
<p><strong>Price:</strong> $</p><p>If you're looking for an organic zinc supplement, NutriGold's Zinc Gold is one of the best options out there.</p><p>Each capsule contains 15 mg of whole-foods-based zinc that's derived from an organic sprouted blend, which the supplement claims may be gentler on your stomach.</p><p>Additionally, NutritGold's supplements are certified organic by SCS Global Services, an official partner of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that sets sustainability, quality, and organic standards.</p><p>Each product is also third-party tested, as well as non-GMO and vegan certified.</p><p>Adults should take 1 capsule daily, or as directed by your healthcare provider.</p><p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=41977X1601025&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnutrigold.com%2Fcollections%2Fminerals%2Fproducts%2Fzinc-gold" target="_blank">Shop for NutriGold Zinc Gold online</a>.</p>10. Best Gluten-Free: Pure Encapsulations Zinc
<p><strong>Price:</strong> $</p><p>If you're looking for a gluten-free zinc supplement, Pure Encapsulations is one of your best options.</p><p>The products are not only made in a facility that's NSF-registered GMP but also certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO). Plus, they contain zinc picolinate to optimize digestion and absorption.</p><p>For optimal results, it's recommended to take one 30-mg zinc picolinate capsule daily with food.</p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Encapsulations-Picolinate-Absorbable-Hypoallergenic/dp/B0017QCNUQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?dchild=1&keywords=Pure+Encapsulations+Zinc&qid=1590491760&sr=8-5&linkCode=ll1&tag=nutrition-best-zinc-supplement-20&linkId=d9bc4601149ded7be52af8ee29d36437" target="_blank">Shop for Pure Encapsulations Zinc online</a>.</p>How to Choose Zinc Supplements
<p>When choosing a zinc supplement, it's important to consider the type of zinc, dosage, and supplement form.</p><p>There are several types of zinc supplements. Some, such as zinc picolinate, may be better absorbed, while zinc acetate may be more effective at shortening the duration of the common cold.</p><p>As for dosage, the recommended daily dosage for adults is typically 15–30 mg of elemental zinc per day. Elemental zinc is generally the amount listed on the label of your supplement.</p><p>Due to potential side effects of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/zinc-overdose-symptoms" target="_blank">excess zinc</a>, it's best not to exceed 40 mg per day unless under medical supervision.</p><p>Taking too much zinc can cause adverse side effects, such as decreased immune function, low copper levels, and reduced HDL (good) cholesterol levels.</p><p>Regarding the form, zinc supplements are available as capsules, lozenges, and liquids. For those who are unable or prefer not to swallow pills, liquid forms are likely a better option.</p><p>Before buying any supplement, it's important to research high quality, trustworthy brands to ensure both safety and accuracy.</p><p>Look for supplements that are produced by reputable manufactures and free of large amounts of added ingredients like fillers, additives, and preservatives.</p><p>A good way to ensure the quality of a product is to look for ones that have been certified by a third-party company, such as NSF International or Underwriters Labs.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>Zinc is an essential nutrient that you need to get enough of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-foods-high-in-zinc" target="_blank">in your diet</a>. However, as not everyone is able to meet their need through foods alone, supplements can help reduce the risk of a zinc deficiency.</p><p>Of course, not all supplements are created equal. It's important to look for high quality products that have been tested to ensure quality and accuracy.</p><p>If you're concerned about your zinc intake, it's worth speaking with your healthcare provider to see if a zinc supplement is a good option, as well as to determine an optimal dose.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Wine cultivation, typically associated with more southern slopes in France, Spain and Italy, is now taking off in places like Denmark, Sweden (pictured) and the United Kingdom. Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP / Getty Images
By Martin Kuebler
With hotter summers, severe storms and prolonged dry spells in the forecast, the outlook for Europe's farmers is daunting.
<p>Average annual temperatures are expected to increase anywhere from 1 to 5.5 degrees Celsius (1.5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit), with the strongest warming projected across the south of the continent in the summer months.</p><p><a href="https://www.eea.europa.eu/publications/cc-adaptation-agriculture" target="_blank">A September 2019 report by the European Environment Agency (EEA)</a> noted that heat stress, extreme weather events like flash floods and hailstorms, and water shortages have already changed growing conditions for several crops in Europe — especially for Mediterranean staples like olives and wine grapes.</p>
<div id="7b57a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a3140c63ff0a97771d0ad3f85329d728"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1174945780358008833" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">❓How concerned are you about the impact of #climatechange on #farming in #Europe? #Adaptation will be crucial - fin… https://t.co/XPkbPic6DY</div> — EU EnvironmentAgency (@EU EnvironmentAgency)<a href="https://twitter.com/EUEnvironment/statuses/1174945780358008833">1568963878.0</a></blockquote></div><p>Places in northern Europe, meanwhile, could see agricultural benefits from climate change, including longer growing seasons and a shorter frost period "allowing the cultivation of new crops and varieties," said the report. Suitable cropland around the Baltic Sea could more than double by 2100, from 32% of land area today to about 76%, with certain crops now common to southern Europe taking root further north.</p>
UK, Scandinavian Wines
<p>Those climatic changes have already borne fruit — quite literally. In the northern German state of Lower Saxony, where average temperatures have risen nearly 2 degrees Celsius in the last several decades, some farmers have started cultivating fruits typically found further south, such as apricots and nectarines. And wine cultivation, typically associated with more southern slopes in France, Spain and Italy, is now taking off in places like Denmark, Sweden and the United Kingdom.</p><p><a href="https://www.ryedalevineyards.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ryedale Vineyards</a>, in northeastern England, has been producing British wines since 2006. As one of the UK's northernmost wineries, it relies mainly on hybrid disease-resistant grape varieties more suited to northern Europe's cooler regions.</p><p>The warming trend of the past decades has seen the UK's wine industry quadruple in size since 2000, with English vineyards producing some 13.2 million bottles in 2018. But the changing climate does pose other challenges, including unusual weather patterns and increased risk of disease associated with wetter summers. which have been linked to climate change.</p><p>"Unpredictable weather events, droughts and intense summer storms are a real problem and seem to have increased in frequency," said Jon Fletcher, who runs Ryedale Vineyards with his family. In an email to DW, he listed off the challenges: late frosts, destructive hailstorms and dry spells that can last for months. "This year we have already had the sunniest May on record and no rainfall for two months, so the unpredictable weather continues."</p><p>"Climate change is posing a risk for the sustainability of vineyard management at global scale and, particularly, in Europe," said Josep Maria Sole of <a href="http://visca.eu/" target="_blank">VISCA (Vineyards Integrated Smart Climate Application)</a>, an EU-funded project that aims to help Europe's wine industry develop medium- and long-term adaption strategies. He said wine producing areas will increasingly suffer from intense heat waves and droughts and, in certain regions in Spain, more intense spring frosts, which can damage grapevine buds.</p><p>Blaz Kurnik, an expert on climate change impacts and adaptation at the EEA, said these higher temperatures, especially warmer winters, will also favor the introduction of new diseases and pests, including the olive fruit fly. Increasing swarms are threatening Europe's olive oil industry, responsible for around three-quarters of the world's supply. "In the worst-case scenario, up to 80% of [Italy's] olive trees will be affected by this every year," said Kurnik, adding that flies were also infesting Spain's olive groves.</p>Mango, Avocado and Lychee: Europe's Future Cash Crops?
<p>Italy, which ranks second in the world for olive oil production, saw a disastrous harvest in 2018. Bad weather and frost caused production to drop by 57%, representing a loss of nearly €1 billion ($1.13 billion).</p><p>Sicily is one of Italy's top olive oil-producing regions, along with Calabria and Puglia. But some farmers there have begun focusing their attention on crops native to tropical regions, including mangoes, avocado and lychee fruit. </p><p>Tropical crops were first introduced to Sicily back in the 1970s, but recent years have seen an exponential growth of these crops and the introduction of new species such as papaya, replacing citrus fruits which "are no longer remunerative," said Vittorio Farina, an associate professor in agriculture at the University of Palermo.</p><p>"The favorable climate of many areas in the Mediterranean basin is promoting tropical fruit cultivations," he said in an email to DW. "In fact, the predominant mango and avocado production is concentrated in tropical countries, but recently its cultivation has spread outside the traditional geographical regions to the Mediterranean basin and in particular in Egypt, Israel, South Africa, Europe, mainly Spain and Italy."</p><p>Farina said a succession of milder winters has favored the expansion of mango, avocado and papaya orchards destined for export markets further north, though the corresponding drier summers and extreme weather events remain a challenge.</p><p><span></span>"The problem of the scarcity of water resources for agriculture will increasingly impose the introduction of species with low water requirements," said Farina, suggesting the possible introduction of fruit like the cactus pear. "For most other tropical species, irrigation in the warm months in the dry areas is an essential condition for obtaining a quality product." Farina said they were testing precision irrigation strategies to limit the water footprint of the tropical crops.</p>Finding the Right Solution
<p>Margarita Ruiz-Ramos, an associate professor at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, told DW that new crops were also being tested in Spain, including pistachios. However, she stressed that the priority now was experimenting with different varieties of existing crops that could withstand new growing conditions — such as types of fruit that don't rely as heavily on winter chill to produce spring blossoms.</p><p>"There already is the possibility to adapt the variety without changing the [main] crop in the short to medium term," she said, pointing out that some crops could also shift to other more suitable areas within the same country.</p><p>As part of her work at the <a href="http://ceigram.upm.es/" target="_blank">Research Center for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks</a>, Ruiz-Ramos analyzes crop varieties, planting schedules, soil conditions, irrigation options and many other variables to find the optimum strategy for farmers and "design locally tailored adaptations." The most promising solutions are then tested in the field.</p><p>"It's a compromise between different needs. And that's why it's not so obvious as to just bring in some African crops," she said. However, she didn't rule out the fact that dramatic temperature changes could one day lead growers to take a chance on non-native crops.</p><p>Yves Madre, a co-founder of <a href="https://www.farm-europe.eu/" target="_blank">Brussels-based think tank Farm Europe</a>, said the EU's farming sector needs to be more open to new breeding techniques that would introduce drought and disease-tolerance genes to existing crops, which can include genome editing.</p><p>With more innovation and investment, he said the EU would be able to meet its goals in terms of food security and growth, especially in rural areas.</p>From Your Site Articles
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A field of wild cloudberries in Norway. Littleisland lighthouse, Bjørn Tennøe / CC BY-SA 2.0
By Ryan Raman
Strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are commonly available in grocery stores, but many equally delicious berries are abundant in the wild.
<p>Wild berries thrive in many climates, and they're packed with nutrients and powerful plant compounds. Though wild berries can be tart, they're quite versatile and can be enjoyed in a wide variety of ways.</p><p>However, some wild berries contain toxic compounds. If eaten in high amounts, they may cause uncomfortable symptoms or even be fatal.</p><p>Here are 10 delicious and safe wild berries you can eat — and 8 poisonous ones to avoid.</p>
1. Elderberries
<p>Elderberries are the fruit of various species of the <em>Sambucus</em> plant.</p><p>They thrive in mild to subtropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The fruit tends to grow in small clusters and is black, bluish-black, or purple.</p><p>Though the berries of most <em>Sambucus</em> varieties are edible, the <em>Sambucus nigra L. ssp. canadensis </em>variety is the most commonly consumed type.</p><p>It's important to note that elderberries need to be cooked to inactivate alkaloid compounds that can cause nausea if the berries are eaten raw (<a href="https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_sanic4.pdf" target="_blank">1</a>).</p><p>Elderberries have a tart, tangy taste, which is why they're typically cooked and sweetened to make juices, jams, chutneys, or elderberry wine.</p><p>These berries are a great source of vitamin C, with 1 cup (145 grams) providing 58% of your daily needs. Vitamin C plays many vital roles in your body but is particularly important for your immune system.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/elderberry" target="_blank">Elderberries</a> are also rich in vitamin B6, which supports immune function.</p><p>The nutrient composition of elderberries and elderberry products makes them particularly effective at boosting immune health.</p><p>For example, a study in 312 adults found that taking 300 mg of an elderberry extract supplement both before and after traveling significantly reduced the duration and severity of colds, compared with a placebo.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Elderberries have a tart, tangy taste when raw, so they're best enjoyed cooked. They're loaded with vitamin C and vitamin B6, both of which support immune health.</p>2. Cloudberries
<p>Cloudberries are berries of the plant <em>Rubus chamaemorus</em>, which grows in higher elevations in cool, boggy areas in the Northern Hemisphere.</p><p>The cloudberry plant has white flowers, and the yellow-to-orange fruit resembles a raspberry.</p><p>Fresh cloudberries are soft, juicy, and fairly tart. Their taste is best described as a mix between <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/raspberry-nutrition" target="_blank">raspberries</a> and red currants — with a hint of floral sweetness. They are safe to eat raw.</p><p>Cloudberries are high in vitamin C, providing 176% of your daily needs in 3.5 ounces (100 grams).</p><p>They're also high in ellagitannins, which are powerful antioxidants that can help protect your cells from free radical damage.</p><p>What's more, according to animal and test-tube studies, ellagitannins may have anticancer effects, boost your immune system, and fight inflammation.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Cloudberries have a slightly tart, sweet taste. They contain powerful antioxidants known as ellagitannins that may protect against free radical damage and offer other health benefits.</p>3. Huckleberry
<p>Huckleberry is the North American name for the berries of several plant species in the <em>Vaccinium </em>and <em>Gaylussacia </em>genera.</p><p>Wild huckleberries grow in mountainous regions, forests, bogs, and lake basins in Northwestern America and Western Canada. The berries are small and either red, blue, or black.</p><p>Ripe huckleberries are fairly sweet with a little tartness. Though they can be eaten fresh, they're often made into tasty beverages, jams, puddings, candies, syrups, and other foods.</p><p>Huckleberries are rich in powerful antioxidants, including anthocyanins and polyphenols. In fact, they contain more of these beneficial compounds than antioxidant-rich fruits like <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-proven-benefits-of-blueberries" target="_blank">blueberries</a>.</p><p>Diets rich in anthocyanins and polyphenols have been linked to impressive health benefits, including reduced inflammation, a lower risk of heart disease, and anticancer effects.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Huckleberries are fairly sweet with a little tartness and can be enjoyed fresh or cooked. They're rich in powerful antioxidants, including anthocyanins and polyphenols.</p>4. Gooseberries
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/gooseberries" target="_blank">Gooseberries</a> belong to two major groups — European gooseberries (<em>Ribes grossularia var. uva-crispa</em>) and American gooseberries (<em>Ribes hirtellum</em>).</p><p>They're native to Europe, Asia, and North America and grow on a bush approximately 3–6 feet (1–1.8 meters) high. The berries are small, round, and vary from green to red or purple in color.</p><p>Gooseberries can be very tart or very sweet. They're eaten fresh or used as an ingredient in pies, wines, jams, and syrups.</p><p>They're high in vitamin C, with 1 cup (150 grams) providing 46% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI).</p><p>In addition, the same serving packs a whopping 6.5 grams of dietary fiber, which is 26% of the daily value. <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/why-is-fiber-good-for-you" target="_blank">Dietary fiber</a> is a type of indigestible carb that's essential for healthy digestion.</p><p>They also contain the antioxidant protocatechuic acid, which has been shown to have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer effects in animal and test-tube studies.</p><p>Although these results are promising, more human research is needed to confirm these potential benefits.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Gooseberries can be tart or sweet and enjoyed fresh or cooked. They're high in fiber, vitamin C, and the antioxidant protocatechuic acid.</p>5. Chokeberries
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/aronia-berries" target="_blank">Chokeberries</a> (<em>Aronia</em>) grow on a shrub that's native to eastern North America.</p><p>They have a semisweet yet tart taste and can be eaten fresh, although they're more commonly made into wines, jams, spreads, juices, teas, and ice cream.</p><p>Chokeberries typically grow in wet woods and swamps. There are three main species of chokeberry — the red chokeberry (<em>Aronia arbutifolia</em>), black chokeberry (<em>Aronia melanocarpa</em>), and purple chokeberry (<em>Aronia prunifolia</em>).</p><p>Chokeberries are particularly high in <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-vitamin-k" target="_blank">vitamin K</a>, a nutrient that supports bone health and is needed for important bodily functions, such as proper blood clotting.</p><p>They're also high in antioxidants, such as phenolic acids, anthocyanins, flavonols, and proanthocyanidins. These powerful plant compounds give chokeberries one of the highest antioxidant capacities of all fruits.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Chokeberries have a semisweet yet tart taste and can be enjoyed fresh or cooked. They're high in vitamin K and numerous antioxidants.</p>6. Mulberries
<p>Mulberries (<em>Morus</em>) are a group of flowering plants that belong to the <em>Moraceae</em> family.</p><p>They grow in mild to subtropical regions in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Mulberries are multiple fruits, which means they grow in clusters.</p><p>The berries are approximately 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches (2–3 cm) in length and typically dark purple to black in color. Some species can be red or white.</p><p>Mulberries are juicy and sweet and can be enjoyed fresh or in pies, cordials, and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-herbal-teas" target="_blank">herbal teas</a>. They're packed with vitamin C and provide good amounts of B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium.</p><p>Additionally, 1 cup (140 grams) of mulberries offers an impressive 14% of your daily iron needs. This mineral is necessary for important processes in your body, such as growth, development, and blood cell production.</p><p>What's more, mulberries are packed with anthocyanins, which are plant pigments that are strong antioxidants.</p><p>Test-tube and animal studies show that mulberry extract may help lower <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-ways-to-lower-blood-sugar" target="_blank">blood sugar levels</a>, aid weight loss, fight cancer, and protect your brain from damage.</p><p>All of these benefits may be due to its high concentration of antioxidants, which include anthocyanins.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Mulberries are juicy, sweet berries that are delicious fresh or cooked. They're high in iron and anthocyanin antioxidants.</p>7. Salmonberry
<p>Salmonberries are the fruit of the <em>Rubus spectabilis</em> plant, which belongs to the rose family.</p><p>The plants are native to North America, where they can grow up to 6.6–13 feet (2–4 meters) tall in moist coastal forests and along shorelines.</p><p>Salmonberries are yellow to orange-red and look like blackberries. They're fairly tasteless and can be eaten raw.</p><p>However, they're commonly combined with other ingredients and made into jam, candy, jelly, and alcoholic drinks.</p><p>Salmonberries are a good source of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/manganese-benefits" target="_blank">manganese</a>, providing 55% of the RDI in 3.5 ounces (100 grams). Manganese is essential for nutrient metabolism and bone health, and it has powerful antioxidant effects.</p><p>The berries also contain good amounts of vitamins K and C, offering 18% and 15% of the RDI in a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving, respectively.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Salmonberries are fairy tasteless when fresh, so they're commonly made into jams, wines, and other foods. They're a good source of manganese and vitamins C and K.</p>8. Saskatoon Berries
<p><em>Amelanchier alnifolia</em> is a shrub that's native to North America.</p><p>It grows 3–26 feet (1–8 meters) high and produces edible fruit known as saskatoon berries. These purple berries are approximately 1/4–1 inch (5–15 mm) in diameter.</p><p>They have a sweet, nutty flavor and can be eaten fresh or dried. They're used in pies, wines, jams, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/beer-belly" target="_blank">beer</a>, cider, and sometimes cereals and trail mixes.</p><p>Saskatoon berries are one of the best sources of riboflavin (vitamin B2), containing nearly 3 times your daily needs in 3.5 ounces (100 grams).</p><p>Riboflavin — like other B vitamins — plays an essential role in energy production. It's needed to turn your food into energy and may protect your nervous system against disorders like Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Saskatoon berries have a sweet, nutty flavor and can be enjoyed both fresh and dried. They're incredibly high in riboflavin, a very important nutrient.</p>9. Muscadine
<p>Muscadine (<em>Vitis rotundifolia</em>) is a grapevine species native to the United States.</p><p>Muscadines have a thick skin that ranges from bronze to dark purple to black. They have a very sweet yet musky taste, and their flesh's texture is similar to that of plums.</p><p>Muscadines are bursting with riboflavin (vitamin B2), with a 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving providing 115% of the RDI. They're also high in dietary fiber — containing 4 grams per 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving, or 16% of the daily value.</p><p>Dietary fiber may help <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lower-cholesterol" target="_blank">reduce blood cholesterol</a> levels, promote healthy digestion, and increase weight loss and feelings of fullness.</p><p>These grape-like fruits are not only high in riboflavin and dietary fiber but also contain resveratrol.</p><p>This antioxidant is found in the skin of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-grapes" target="_blank">grapes</a>. Human and animal studies show that resveratrol promotes healthy blood sugar levels and may protect against heart disease and certain cancers.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Muscadine berries have a sweet yet musky taste. They're high in fiber, riboflavin, and resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant.</p>10. Buffaloberries
<p>Buffaloberries (<em>Shepherdia</em>) are the fruit of small shrubs in the <em>Elaeagnaceae</em> family.</p><p>The plants are native to North America and 3–13 feet (1–4 meters) in height. Silver buffaloberry (<em>Shepherdia argentea</em>) is the most common species. It has green leaves covered with fine silvery hairs and pale-yellow flowers that lack petals.</p><p>Buffaloberries have a rough, dark red skin with little white dots. Fresh berries are quite bitter, so they're often cooked and made into delicious jams, jellies, and syrups. Eating too many of these berries in any form can cause diarrhea.</p><p>These berries are bursting with antioxidants, including <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/lycopene" target="_blank">lycopene</a>.</p><p>Lycopene is a powerful pigment that gives red, orange, and pink fruits their characteristic color. It has been linked to a number of health benefits.</p><p>For example, studies have associated lycopene with a reduced risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and eye conditions, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Buffaloberries are fairly bitter but can be made into delicious jams and syrups. They're high in lycopene, an antioxidant linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, eye conditions, and certain cancers.</p>8 Poisonous Wild Berries to Avoid
<p>While many wild berries are delicious and safe to eat, some you should avoid.</p><p>Certain berries contain toxic compounds that may cause uncomfortable or fatal side effects.</p><p>Here are 8 poisonous wild berries to avoid:</p><ol><li><strong>Holly berries. </strong>These tiny berries contain the toxic compound saponin, which may cause <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-to-eat-when-nauseous" target="_blank">nausea</a>, vomiting, and stomach cramps.</li><li><strong>Mistletoe.</strong> This popular Christmas plant has white berries that contain the toxic compound phoratoxin. It can cause stomach issues and a slow heartbeat (bradycardia), as well as brain, kidney, and adrenal gland toxicity.</li><li><strong>Jerusalem cherries.</strong> Also known as Christmas orange, this plant has yellow-red berries that contain solanine, a compound that can cause gastrointestinal infections, stomach cramping, and an irregular heartbeat (tachycardia).</li><li><strong>Bittersweet.</strong> Also called woody <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nightshade-vegetables" target="_blank">nightshade</a>, berries from this plant contain solanine. They're similar to Jerusalem cherries and can cause similar side effects.</li><li><strong>Pokeweed berries.</strong> These purple berries look like grapes but contain toxic compounds in the roots, leaves, stem, and fruit. This plant tends to get more toxic as it matures, and eating the berries is potentially fatal.</li><li><strong>Ivy berries.</strong> Purple-black to orange-yellow in color, these berries contain the toxin saponin. They may cause nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.</li><li><strong>Yew berries.</strong> These bright red berries contain potentially toxic seeds. One study showed that eating too many yew seeds caused seizures.</li><li><strong>Virginia creeper berries. </strong>These climbing vine berries contain toxic amounts of calcium oxalate. Consuming too much of this compound can have toxic effects on your kidneys.</li></ol><p>This list is not exhaustive, and many other poisonous berries grow in the wild. Some toxic berries even look similar to edible ones.</p><p>For this reason, the utmost caution must be taken when harvesting wild berries. If you're ever unsure whether a wild berry is safe, it's best to avoid it.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p>Many wild berries contain toxic compounds. Be extremely cautious when picking wild berries for consumption.</p>Bottom Line
<p>Many wild <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-reasons-to-eat-berries" target="_blank">berries</a> are delicious and safe to eat.</p><p>They're often packed with nutrients and powerful antioxidants that can provide various health benefits, such as boosting immunity, protecting your brain and heart, and reducing cellular damage.</p><p>However, some wild berries are poisonous and potentially fatal. If you're unsure about a species of wild berry, it's best to avoid eating it, as it's not worth the risk.</p>
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