Scientists analyzed some 57,000 products sold in supermarkets in Britain and Ireland, in a large study published by the scientific journal PNAS, and found that juice concentrates, sodas or other fruit juices are among the products sold with the lowest environmental impact — because they are mostly composed of water — but their nutritional quality is poor
A customer shops for chilled fruit juice at a Sainsbury's supermarket in Walthamstow, East London. Image:Tolga Akmen / AFP
Eating fruits and vegetables is better for the planet than eating meat and cheese, but a new study by scientists released Monday showed chips and sugary drinks also have a very low environmental impact.
Scientists analyzed some 57,000 products sold in supermarkets in Britain and Ireland, in a large study published by the scientific journal PNAS.
The researchers, who hope that their study may allow consumers to shop more sustainably without sacrificing anything to their health, also compared the results with the nutritional qualities of these foods.
They found that juice concentrates, sodas or other fruit juices are among the products sold with the lowest environmental impact — because they are mostly composed of water — but their nutritional quality is poor.
Researchers believe that in general, the more sustainable a food is, the better it is from a nutritional point of view.