In the rich tapestry of Indian cuisine, few dishes rival the universal appeal of idli and rajma. Originating from different corners of the country, these favourites have won hearts nationwide for their delicious taste and health benefits.
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Hidden biodiversity impact of idli and rajma
However, a recent study published in PLoS ONE sheds light on a surprising finding: both idli and rajma, along with popular dishes like chana masala and chicken jalfrezi, are among the top 25 foods globally that harm biodiversity.
Despite their popularity, these dishes are now raising concerns about their environmental impact, urging us to rethink our food choices for the sake of the planet.
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A PTI report found that dishes containing ingredients like beef, legumes, and rice contribute to biodiversity loss, especially in regions like India, where agricultural pressure is already high.
The researchers noted, “India was observed to be involved with producing mostly high biodiversity footprint dishes with biodiversity impacts driven by ingredients (e.g. rice, legumes, chicken) that are not commonly flagged as having a high environmental footprint.”
Interestingly, dishes made from starchy foods like potato and wheat, such as mantou and Chinese steamed bun, were found to have the lowest biodiversity footprint.
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The researchers explained that this could be because these dishes weigh less and have below-average biodiversity footprint per calorie and per gram, both locally and globally produced.
Previous findings about environmental effects of Indian dishes
Multiple studies on Indian cuisine have unveiled surprising findings regarding its ecological effects in the past.
A study published in Nature Sustainability in 2019 examined how much carbon different Indian dishes produce.
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It found that some vegetarian dishes, like paneer butter masala and aloo gobi, actually create a lot of carbon emissions because they use a lot of dairy.
Another study in 2020, done by researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, checked how much water Indian diets use.
They found that traditional Indian food, with lots of rice and dairy, needs a lot of water. This can cause problems in places where water is scarce.
These studies show that we need to think about how our favourite foods affect the planet.
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