Eating sustainably: This is how it succeeds in the Ortenau!

Eating sustainably: This is how it succeeds in the Ortenau!

Offenburg - The growing meaning of a sustainable lifestyle is captivating more and more people. Diet in particular plays a crucial role in this. Petra Rumpel, the managing director of the Ortenau of the Bund, illuminates which aspects should be considered when choosing food in order to minimize the environmental impact.

Sustainability in nutrition

Sustainable diet is characterized by a low emissions of greenhouse gases while cultivation, production, processing and preparation. Rumpel makes it clear that preservation of nature also plays a central role. "It is important to know that not everyone who uses sustainable practices is also certified," she explains.

regional products and their relevance

The choice of regional products is another important point for an environmentally conscious diet. Regional foods reduce the transport routes and thus also CO2 emissions. "I consider lenses from the Swabian Alb as a regional," says Rumpel. However, organic products can also be available outside of their own region. "Better to have a organic chicken from France as meat from factory farming from the Ortenau," she points out. Consumers should be aware that exotic products, such as organic strawberries from Chile, can be unsuitable when it comes to sustainability.

seasonal nutrition as a key to sustainability

Another aspect of sustainable nutrition is the consumption of food that is available seasonally. Not only are these not only cheaper, but also burden the environment less. Rumpel advises to make excess fruit and vegetables durable during the season, be it by freezing or boiling down. The consideration of how the production of a food affects the environment is also of great importance. "Avocados are tasty, but have enormous water consumption during cultivation," she explains.

The influence of processing processes

The processing of food has a significant impact on their climate balance. Rumpel appeals to the example of frozen fries: the elaborate production process means that 100 grams of frozen fries cause around 550 grams of CO2. In comparison, 100 grams of freshly prepared potatoes only produce 38 grams of CO2. This clarifies that unprocessed foods are not only healthier, but also produce less environmental impact.

plant -based nutrition

rumpel encourages consumers to gradually change their diet. "It is not necessary to become a vegan immediately. But a diet that is based primarily on vegetable and only a few animal foods is clearly better for our planet," said Rumpel. The dialogue about sustainable nutrition and its effects on the environment is more important than ever.