We eat only 0.1% of the planet’s edible plants. Really???
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Sustainable Company of the Year 2023
Aug 8, 2019
2 min read
A few years ago, the journal the New Scientist reported that, “Of Earth’s estimated 400,000 plant species, we could eat some 300,000, armed with the right imagination, boldness and preparation. Yet humans, possibly the supreme generalist, eat a mere 200 species globally”. And in your local supermarket you’ll likely have access to less than 40 of those.
This means there are up to 299,800 delicious and nutritious plant species that we are missing out on. This is crazy but sadly understandable. Traditional farming requires plant species to be selected for their weather and pest resistance, and ease of being intensively farmed and transported. There is a lot of tasty fruit and veg varieties out there which don’t get through this selection process.
But this is where hydroponics and controlled environment agriculture come in. At Square Mile Farms we are combining centuries-old hydroponic growing techniques (the technique of growing plants in nutrient rich water, but without soil) with modern lighting and sensor technologies to create a perfectly controlled environment in which to grow leafy greens and herbs. And we are building these farms all across London to provide customers with super fresh and nutritious produce, starting with our concept farm in Paddington. You can read more about our farm in Paddington here.
Given that we can tailor growing conditions to the needs of a specific plant, and because we remove the need for plants to be selected for their weather and pest resistance, we could in theory grow almost anything. Now, we currently only have one farm, but we've got some space for experimentation to accommodate the passionate foodies and the more curious amongst us.
So, to begin our quest to help broaden what we eat, how about we start with growing some lesser known leafy greens: amaranth, chickweed, sweet cicely, purslane, wood sorrel, oyster leaf… what do you think? Do you have a preference? Any other suggestions? If we can get the seeds we will try growing it!
We love having visitors, so come and have a tour of the farm. Just click on this link and register for a visit.
We are also running a series of events, seminars and workshops at our home in Paddington focused on the themes of food, nutrition and sustainability. Register here to be kept up to date with these, or visit our events page here.
Square Mile Farms bring vertical, urban farming to city dwellers in their homes and in the workplace. We aim to bring people closer to food production and help to create a culture of healthy, sustainable living. Find out more about our offering and get in touch here with any queries. Sign up to our newsletter for tips on a healthy lifestyle and a round-up of relevant news. You can also follow us on social media to stay up to date with our journey, find us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Why not join our online Urban Growing Community for advice on growing at home and much more!
Really??? A few years ago, the journal the New Scientist reported that, “Of Earth's estimated 400,000 plant species, we could eat some 300,000, armed with the right imagination, boldness and preparation.
Introduction: Only about three percent of the Earth's surface is capable of growing food. Over the past century, farming technology has made it possible to produce more food from the world's limited cropland to feed the growing world population.
Edible Uses. There are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world yet fewer than 20 species now provide 90% of our food. However, there are hundreds of less well known edible plants from all around the world which are both delicious and nutritious.
Meanwhile, 82 percent of all living things on Earth are plants, which means there are about 7,500 plants for every one human. The findings were published on May 21 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Overall, according to the categorization in Lauber et al., (43) only 5.2% of the plants in the TPPT database are very strongly toxic, and 9.0% are strongly toxic, but considerably more plants, namely 37%, are classified as medium toxic.
Eating a plant-based diet improves the health of your gut so you are better able to absorb the nutrients from food that support your immune system and reduce inflammation. Fiber can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar and it's great for good bowel management.
Only about three percent of Earth's water is fresh water. Of that, only about 1.2 percent can be used as drinking water; the rest is locked up in glaciers, ice caps, and permafrost, or buried deep in the ground.
Some scientists believe that the Earth can support 11 billion people if we make changes to our lifestyles and our agricultural practices. For example, we could reduce our meat consumption, which is a very resource-intensive way to produce food.
People have worried about overpopulation on Earth for centuries, and climate change has only recently accelerated that fear. But a new study found that feeding 10 billion people on Earth is not only possible—but it could be done sustainably as well.
1. Artichoke. Artichokes (Cynara scolymus) are sensitive to frigid temperatures, high-heat intolerant, prone to pests, and require a lot of fertilization. This vegetable needs a sunny area to grow but cool spring weather for flowers to sprout.
The State of the World's Plants and Fungi report from Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Kew estimated that 39.4% of plants are now threatened with extinction.
The number of plant species that comprise 90 percent of what people eat can vary depending on the region and cultural preferences. However, it is estimated that around 30 plant species make up the majority of the world's food supply. These species include staple crops like rice, wheat, maize, potatoes, and soybeans.
Cereal grains and tubers are the most common food staples. There are more than 50,000 edible plants in the world, but just 15 of them provide 90 percent of the world's food energy intake. Rice, corn (maize), and wheat make up two-thirds of this.
Over 80 per cent of the human diet is provided by plants. As many as 80 per cent of people living in rural areas in developing countries rely on traditional plant‐based medicines for basic healthcare.
Approximately 30-40 percent of food that farmers around the world produce is never consumed. Between 21 and 33 percent of water used across US farms is wasted.
Introduction: My name is Kerri Lueilwitz, I am a courageous, gentle, quaint, thankful, outstanding, brave, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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