UA healthy diet is essential for our body. To celebrate its central role in human life, every year the October 16thin conjunction with the foundation of FAOis celebrated World Food Day. This year’s theme, “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.”
Together for a better use of water
The official ceremony which will take place at the FAO headquarters at 10:00 and will highlight the importance of conscious water management and one of his more economical use in food production, while ensuring that the water is distributed equallythat the aquatic food systems are preserved and that no one is left behind. The will also intervene President of the Italian RepublicSergio Mattarella, and there will be special messages from Pope Francis and the Secretary General of United Nations António Guterres.
Food and water
We know well that water is essential for life on Earth. Not only because it covers a large part of the earth’s surface and produces our food, but also because we ourselves are made up of more than 50% water. This precious resource, however, it is not infinite and we should not take it for granted. That’s why we have to focus on the foods we consume and the way in which they are produced, since they also have an impact on this precious resource. But how much water is needed to produce the food we eat?
The importance of water for man and the planet
There Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundationwithin the project Su-Eatable Life, has developed some principles for food choices that are good for your health and the planet. According to what experts explain, thewaterfall what we drink is only a small part of what we consume every day in a more or less conscious way. To the direct consumption, for washing, cooking, cleaning or watering the plants, which varies from 20 to 50 liters, indirect consumption must be added, which passes through the “hidden” water necessary to produce the goods and services we use and the food we bring to the table everyday. The sum of all these consumptions represents, for each individual, his own water footprint daily. The Italian one, overall, is approximately 6,300 liters per person per daywhich is 1.65 times higher than the global average.
Power and water footprint
Despite being linked to various variables, 90% of each of us’s water footprint is determined by the food we bring to the table. The water we “eat” is clearly superior to that we drink. But what are the foods that burden you the most water resources of our planet? How much water is it on average necessary to produce the foods we consume? According to data from the Barilla Foundation, Meat is the most water-intensive food. On average, globally, to produce a kilo of bovine meat they are needed 15,139 liters of water. More than it takes to produce the same amount of lamb meat (10,412 litres)pork (6,299 litres) and poultry (3,960 litres). Meat is followed by other products of animal origin such as cheese (5,253 liters per kg produced), le egg (2,562 liters) and the fish (2,314 litres).
Low waste foods
For cereals and their derivatives, such as bread and pastathe water footprint varies based on origin and cultivation methods and they oscillate between the 902 litresthe media needed to produce 1 kilo of breadto the 1,509 litres from the pastauntil 1,597 litres of the rice. Fruits and vegetables are environmentally friendly. To produce a kilo of vegetables on average, it takes 336 liters of water, while on average it is needed to produce the same quantity of fruit 748. Higher water consumption is required to produce legumes (4,165 litres), While potatoes and tubers are among the foods with the lowest overall water footprint (287 litres). Once these numbers are known, for the well-being of the Planet it is essential that everyone follows ahealthy, balanced and sustainable nutrition. It is estimated that by balancing foods during meals and limiting the frequency of ingredients that are less beneficial for the environment and health in favor of more sustainable ones, we could reduce Europe’s water footprint by 23%. And our body will thank us too.
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