Page 38 - How to Be a Conscious Eater - Making Food Choices That Are Good for You

planted there after they are gone. Like a beachgoer who cleans
up not just her own picnic spot but the sand surrounding her
area, legumes are pros at paying it forward. This feature makes
the plant proteins a great option for farmers practicing crop
rotation on their farmland, alternating them between grains
(such as wheat or barley) or seeds (such as canola or flax).

IF YOU’RE NOT CONVINCED THAT NITROGEN FIXING IS
ENOUGH TO EARN LEGUMES A PLACE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD
GROCERY ROTATION, CONSIDER THESE OTHER BENEFITS:
They win the prize for lowest environmental footprint of
any major protein source. Per 100 grams of protein, len-
tils emit just 1 measly kilogram of greenhouse gases. For
dry beans, the number is only 2.3 kg. Compare that to 3.8
for eggs, 9.6 for beef, and 14.1 for lamb. Per serving pro-
duced, lentils and dry beans need only 45 and 58 gallons
of water, respectively (assuming standard 1-ounce serv-
ings). Compare that with 124 and 320 gallons for pork and

PROTEIN FOOTPRINTS
Here’s how common foods stack up in terms of greenhouse
gas emissions per gram of protein.
FOOD IMPACT FOOD IMPACT
WHEAT POULTRY
CORN PORK
LEGUMES DAIRY
RICE BEEF
FISH LAMB & GOAT
SOY
Source: World Resources Institute
NUTS
EGGS

Stuff that Comes from the Ground 27