“California is basically all over your market basket,” says Penn
State Professor James Dunn who studies how weather affects food prices.
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| Almond trees in California |
| Almonds ready for harvest |
I love almonds. Almonds,
like other nuts, are a perfect source for the good fats (unsaturated fats) that
most of our fats should be and our bodies need for good health. A handful of almonds is frequently my
afternoon snack because it is so darn easy to pack and carry with me. Almond milk is always in our fridge at
home. Almond butter on gluten-free
crackers is one of my favorite evening snacks.
Almonds, and most other nuts, are grown in California. In fact, California produces nearly half of
the nuts, fruits, and vegetables grown in the United States. Unless you have been living on Mars, you know
that California is experiencing a drought of epic proportions. Its agricultural products “consume 80% of the
water tapped for humans in California.”
So a recent Sierra magazine article (September/October 2015
issue) caught my attention. The article was about
how much water goes into producing foods Americans love. Did you know…it takes 97.2 gallons of water
to produce one ounce of almonds (shelled)? One ounce?
Here’s how many gallons of water are needed to produce one
ounce of foods:
- Beef: 106.28*
- Almonds: 97.2
- Chickpeas: 76.07
- Lentils: 71.28
- Pork: 41.25
- Rice: 16.26
- Asparagus: 20.32
- Artichokes: 5.92
- Peaches: 4.69
- Raspberries: 4.22
- Orange juice: 4.11
- Wine: 3.48
- Kale: 2.26
- Eggplant: 1.69
- Strawberries: 1.24
- Tomatoes: 0.95
As stewards of our natural resources, we must use water
responsibly. We owe it to our children
to also teach them to conserve our water supplies. By not wasting water we can help ensure that
we have enough water for growing the foods that promote good health. Can you imagine a world without fruits and
vegetables? A world without almonds? When America’s farmers have to restrict their
water use, our food supply may be on the line.
So next time you leave the water running while you brush your teeth or
you run a load of dishes in half-full dishwasher, rethink your actions.
Conserving our water use is a good
thing. A very good thing. Your next bag of almonds may depend on
it!
In gratitude,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
*Look for more on the topic of eating lower on the food chain in a future issue of Wellness
Wednesdays. Consider this: to produce a
6 ounce steak, more than 600 gallons of water are needed.
