There are plenty of ways to approach food ethics and various reasons for making ethical food choices. Some make the change for moral reasons, while others do it for their health. No matter why you’re making this choice, ethical eating requires knowing where your food comes from as well as the impact it has on other people, animals, and the environment.
Reduce the Amount of (Red) Meat You Eat
Meat products, beef, in particular, have become a very unethical food choice. Producing meat takes a far greater toll on the environment than vegetables. Not just in things like animal-feed production and water use but also in transportation, packaging, and energy.
Increase the Amount of (Raw) Plants You Eat
To continue on the theme of balance, increasing the amount of plant-based foods in your diet is an ethical food choice that is good for all. To stay healthy, the human body requires a good deal of nutrition, much of which can be found in plants. Meals should consist of small portions of animal produce (otherwise, e.g., vitamin B12 supplementation becomes vital), with the rest of our plate space going to fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes
Support Local Farms and Shop at Farmers’ Markets
One of the most impactful ethical eating choices you can make is to buy food from the local farmers in your area. The farm may sell its products through your local grocery or sell from the farms themselves. Some even allow the public to come harvest crops for themselves or even sell you animals to have butchered.
Look for Fair Trade Foods
Issues surrounding workers’ rights are prevalent throughout the global agricultural industry. Many foods, including oranges, strawberries, chocolate, and coffee, are often picked by enslaved workers.
Always Read the Ingredient Lists
Food packaging is virtually always deceiving and foods are made to look better than they are. Often, pictures of the food on the packaging looks better than the actual product inside, and there are plenty of companies that claim their food to be healthier than they are via misleading statements and the like.
To find out more ways to become a sustainable consumer, follow a link to the original blog:
