Sustainable Nutrition – What You Can Do

Do you want to eat sustainably but are still at the beginning? We’ll show you what you can do to eat healthily and protect the environment at the same time. And if you need a break from this go and try BetLabel login.

SUSTAINABLE NUTRITION – WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

You can end animal suffering with a sustainable diet. What we eat and drink every day has a major impact: “conventional” food from industrial agriculture is one of the factors responsible for species extinction, climate change, and animal suffering. Added to this are problems such as inadequate pay for workers or harsh working conditions – especially in the case of food from distant countries that does not come from fair trade.

As consumers, however, we can also opt for more sustainable food and thus support organic and fair farming. Making the switch may not be easy, especially at the beginning, but every step in the right direction counts. We show you suggestions for a more sustainable diet.

THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE DIET

Important for informed decisions: Where does my food come from? How was it grown? Where does my food come from and what’s in it? The more you know about the origin, ingredients, and production conditions of your food, the better. This knowledge helps you to make a conscious purchasing decision and opt for the more sustainable alternative. The following points can play a role:

When shopping in the supermarket, look out for organic and Fairtrade labels. Here you will usually find products with the EU organic seal – these foods are not yet “perfect”, but are still more recommendable than products from large industrial corporations.

It is even better to shop at organic markets: Here you will find products that have been classified as “organic” according to very strict criteria (for example by Demeter). Organic stores often have direct contact with the producers and the staff can help you with questions about origin and growing conditions.

It’s also fun to shop at farmers’ markets and weekly markets. You can ask everything you want to know about the food there. What’s more, you can buy most of the food there without packaging, so you avoid plastic waste.

Would you like to meet the farmers who produced your food in person? Then plan your next weekend trip to a farm in the area. You can buy your food directly from the producer in the farm store. Many mills also offer tours and sell grain products and home-pressed oil directly on-site.

If you don’t have time for all this, you can have an organic box sent to your home.

The principle of community-supported agriculture goes one step further. Here, private individuals join forces with farmers from the region on a long-term basis. The members enable the farmers to work organically regardless of market fluctuations. In return, they receive a share of the harvest and 100% transparency regarding the origin of the food.

Last but not least, you can grow your food – for example in your garden. Some farmers rent out plots of their fields to private individuals and offer advice on growing vegetables. And even without a garden or field, you can create a herb garden or balcony garden or plant vegetables.

Incidentally, organic certification means a great deal of financial and bureaucratic effort for farmers. The label is often not worth it, especially for small farms. So as soon as you buy directly from the producer, you don’t just have to pay attention to the label. It is best to find out about the production conditions on-site.