16th October 2026
Having established that the world can produce enough food to feed our current and expected increased population – in 2011 the World Bank, Institute calculated that globally we grew enough food to feed 14 billion people – the real problem is how that food is distributed and whether what is produced is the healthiest option. Goulson puts forward the interesting suggestion that rather than choosing to grow what is good for us, we end up eating what someone else chooses to grow.
“About 300,000 different edible plants are known …. [yet] 50% of our calories come from just three crops: rice, wheat and maize. Together with soya beans, these crops comprise 50% of all arable farmland. And these four crops, plus potatoes, oil palm, cane sugar, beet sugar and cassava make up two thirds of all the food we consume. Carbs and oil. The food industry takes these cheap ingredients and formulates them into ultra processed foods (UPFs) which are highly palatable, highly calorific and of low nutritional value…. Regional cuisines and cooking with fresh ingredients have been displaced by fast foods, sugary drinks and ready meals.” (P19-20 Eat the Planet Well Dave Goulson)
Why not try buying and using different grains? Buckwheat, rye, barley, oats, millet? You might also try using flours made from dried peas, beans and – but more expensive – chestnuts.
