Water is a finite resource that every living being depends on to live. Yet water consumption can be easily underestimated thanks to how we use water indirectly. Go figure, our water usage depends on more than just how long we shower. In fact, there’s a better way you, as an individual, can save water and it has everything to do with what’s on your plate.
Agriculture accounts for about 75% of freshwater consumption. So, essentially, choosing more water-efficient foods is one of the easiest ways we can reduce our water footprints. The food we eat matters and choosing more environmentally-friendly foods is a surefire way to address our environmental impacts and water footprints.
What types of foods are water efficient?
In general, plants require the least amount of water to cultivate which is why choosing vegan and plant-based options are most planet-friendly. That’s because producing these options is more efficient, including how much water is needed.
It takes less water to produce plant-based foods like grains, beans, and produce than it does to produce animal-based foods. So, if you’re looking to lower your water footprint then opting for more plant foods is the way to go.
But what about protein?
That is, can you still reduce your water footprint if you’re worried about getting protein in? Absolutely! It’s a common worry that you won’t be able to meet your protein goals without animal products, but that isn’t the case. You can still choose water-efficient food options and get enough protein. A great way to do this is by focusing on complete plant proteins and eating a varied diet.
What is a complete protein?
A complete protein is a protein source that has all essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and, while there are 20 total, our bodies can produce 11 of them on their own. But, that leaves 9 of them that we need to make sure we’re getting from our diet.
A common misconception is that we can’t get all essential amino acids from eating plant foods. However, it’s easier than you may think! In fact, you can even combine incomplete proteins (or proteins that don’t contain all essential amino acids) to make a complete protein too! Therefore, you can easily meet your protein goals without compromising on essential amino acids by focusing on plant-based complete proteins.
You can get your protein in and save water!
It’s possible and easier than meets the eye! After all, there are plenty of water-efficient complete proteins to choose from. You don’t have to choose between eating well and reducing your water footprint!
Water-saving Plant-based complete proteins:
For comparison’s sake, let’s first talk about how much water common animal proteins use per standard serving:
- To produce one 3-ounce serving of beef you need 347 gallons of water.
- Chicken uses 130 gallons of water per 4-ounce serving.
- For a 3-ounce serving of lamb 235 gallons of water is used.
- A 4-ounce serving of pork uses 180 gallons of water.
- One 3-ounce serving of eggs requires 74 gallons of water.
Now that we know the water footprint of some animal proteins we can get into the alternatives. So, below are 10 plant-based complete proteins to opt for instead to lower your water footprint.
Tofu
Tofu is a no-brainer go-to thanks to how versatile it is, but one 3-ounce serving of tofu uses 57 gallons of water.
Lentils
Lentils are not only great for satiation and packed with protein, but one 2-ounce serving of dried lentils uses 29 gallons of water. To make lentils a complete protein, combine with a grain like barley, wheat, or rice. For example, one 1-ounce serving of dry white rice uses 18 gallons of water so in total a serving of lentils and rice uses 47 gallons of water.
Tempeh
A fermented soy product, tempeh is a hearty option that needs about 48 gallons of water per 3-ounce serving.
Chia seeds
Chia seeds are drought tolerant, making them an especially great choice. For one 1-ounce serving of chia seeds only about 4 gallons of water is used.
Hemp seeds
Another drought-tolerant plant, a 1-ounce serving of hemp seeds uses less than a gallon of water to produce.
Edamame
Edamame is another great option as it uses 48 gallons of water per 3-ounce serving.
Pea protein
Pea protein is one of the best supplemental forms of protein to get, especially in terms of water use. It’s made from split peas which use 11 gallons of water per 3-ounce serving. If choosing between whey and pea protein, pea protein is substantially more environmentally friendly while still being a complete protein source.
Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkins require only 10 gallons of water per serving and you can get several servings of pumpkin seeds per pumpkin. This makes the water cost per serving of pumpkin seeds decently low, although the exact amounts will depend on the size of pumpkin.
Soy milk
Soy milk uses 19 gallons of water per 8-ounce serving making it far better than diary milk which uses 64 gallons of water per serving!
beans
Beans are a great source of protein but to get all essential amino acids I recommend combining them with rice. One 1-ounce serving of dry brown rice uses 16 gallons of water while one 2-ounce serving of dry beans uses 25 gallons of water. In total, a serving of each uses 41 gallons of water.