Beans Can Do Sustainability

Sustainable nutrition has been described as “ensuring wholesome, nutrient-dense foods are accessible, affordable and culturally relevant while also preserving environmental resources and supporting local communities.”¹ Beans have always been naturally sustainable; technology and scientific advancements have catapulted the industry’s environmental stewardship. Their low-carbon footprint, soil health management, nitrogen fixation, and water efficiency make pulses perhaps the most sustainable crop grown today.

Plant Proteins Replace Meat for Sustainability

Willingness to Replace Animal-Based Products with Pulses Among Consumers in Different European Countries²

This study examined consumers' willingness to utilize pulses as a plant-based alternative to animal-based products. More than a third of pulse consumers (42%) were, to some extent, already using pulses as an alternative to animal-based foods. Beef was noted as the most frequently replaced type of food, mainly driven by arguments relating to health, environment, and sustainability, especially relevant for German and Danish consumers. Respondents who did not indicate a current replacement of animal-based foods stated a relatively low willingness to change in the future (40%). German pulse consumers were likely to be part of the low willingness segment. In contrast, Polish consumers possessed a relatively higher incidence of using pulses instead of meat, especially pork and poultry. These preferences and expectations should be considered for future product development, especially if aiming to attract unwilling consumers to shift to pulse-based foods.

Legumes: A Vehicle for Transition to Sustainability³

The objective of this narrative review is to present the benefits coming from legume consumption in terms of health and environmental sustainability, and underline the importance of promoting their inclusion in the daily dietary pattern as well as their use as functional ingredients and plant-based alternatives to animal products.

Pulses Twice a Week in Replacement of Meat Modestly Increases Diet Sustainability⁴

The French food-based dietary guidelines recommend eating pulses at least twice a week and to reduce meat consumption. This study assessed the impact on the sustainability characteristics (nutrition, cost, environment) of individual diets of meeting the pulse guideline. Dietary data of 2028 adults from the Esteban survey were completed with the nutritional content (considering bioavailability on iron, zinc, and protein), price, and environmental impacts of foods. Results showed that increasing pulse consumption to two portions/week could modestly improve the sustainability of diets when pulses replace meat but not starches. Cultural acceptability of that substitution still needs to be proven, and iron and zinc status of individuals at risk of deficiency should be monitored.

Substituting Beans for Beef as a Contribution Toward US Climate Change Targets⁵

In this study, researchers perform an analysis that considers the extent to which one food exchange could contribute to achieving GHG reduction targets in the United States (US). They use the targeted reduction for 2020 as a reference and apply published Life Cycle Assessment data on GHG emissions to beans and beef consumed in the US. They calculate the difference in GHGs resulting from the replacement of beef with beans in terms of both calories and protein. Their results demonstrate that substituting one food for another, beans for beef, could achieve approximately 46 to 74% of the reductions needed to meet the 2020 GHG target for the US. In turn, this shift would free up 42% of US cropland (692,918 km²).

The Environmental Cost of Protein Food Choices⁶

The objective of this study was to investigate the resource efficiency and environmental impacts of producing one kilogram of edible protein from two plant- and three animal-protein sources. Results showed that to produce 1 kg of protein from kidney beans required approximately eighteen times less land, ten times less water, nine times less fuel, twelve times less fertilizer, and ten times less pesticide in comparison to producing 1 kg of protein from beef. Compared with producing 1 kg of protein from chicken and eggs, beef generated five to six times more waste (manure) to produce 1 kg of protein. Researchers concluded that the substitution of beef with beans in meal patterns will significantly reduce the environmental footprint worldwide and should also be encouraged to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases.

Consumer Messaging and Sustainability: Beans

The Impact of Health and Environmental Messaging with and without Product Filtering in Complex Retail Markets: The Case of Pulses⁷

Limited consumer understanding of the health and environmental implications of food choices complicate their abilities to make choices that lead to desired outcomes. In this research, authors examine the case of pulses - beans, chickpeas, lentils, and dry peas. Pulses are nutritious and have a low environmental impact. However, consumption of pulses in the US is quite low, which may be attributable to low consumer knowledge of pulse benefits, as well as difficulty of identifying pulse products in retail environments.

Beans and Sustainability (Production AND Consumption)

Legumes and Common Beans in Sustainable Diets: Nutritional Quality, Environmental Benefits, Spread and Use in Food Preparations⁸

The purpose of this review has been to highlight recent knowledge on the role of legumes and common beans in a sustainable diet. A particular focus is on common beans as a key food component in numerous recipes. The review is based on the analysis of healthy, environmental, socio-economic elements that prevent or facilitate the consumption of legumes including the means used to reduce anti-nutritional components, ranging from simple home preparation methods to modern breeding technologies.

'Raising the Pulse': The Environmental, Nutritional and Health Benefits of Pulse-Enhanced Foods⁹

Diet is a key modulator of non-communicable diseases, and food production represents a major cause of environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, 'nudging' people to make better food choices is challenging, as factors including affordability, convenience and taste often take priority over the achievement of health and environmental benefits. This study provides an overview of the 'Raising the Pulse' project. The aim is to bring about a step change in the nutritional value of the UK consumers' diet, and to do so in a way that leads to improved health and greater sustainability within the UK food system.

Select Dietary Changes Towards Sustainability: Impacts on Dietary Profiles, Environmental Footprint, and Cost¹⁰

Healthy sustainable diets have the power to improve dietary intakes and environmental resource use. However, recommendations for improving food choices need to consider the effects of any changes across multiple dimensions of health, environmental sustainability, and dietary cost to promote long-lasting behaviour change. The aim of this study was to identify differences between original diets, and the diets that can be achieved through the implementation of select small dietary changes towards sustainability. Twelve hypothetical sustainable actions were investigated for the potential effects of these actions on dietary markers (protein, saturated fat, sugars, salt, iron, and calcium), environmental footprints (greenhouse gas emissions, freshwater withdrawals, and land use), and dietary cost. Dietary data from 1235 individuals, aged 19-94 years, participating in the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2017/19) provided the original diet. Dietary changes were implemented as required by each sustainable action, and differences between the original diet and each new diet were investigated. Results revealed benefits to dietary markers and environmental characteristics from eleven sustainable actions, but effects were stronger for some actions than for others. Greatest benefits for all three outcomes were found for actions which reduced meat consumption and/or replaced meat with pulses or eggs. The remaining sustainable actions tended to be beneficial for improving outcomes individually or to some degree.

Motivating Pulse-Centric Eating Patterns to Benefit Human and Environmental Well-Being¹¹

Pulses (e.g., lentil, common bean, chickpea, and dry pea) are linked to a myriad of positive human and environmental health impacts, making them an ideal food for wise and conscientious global citizens. In addition, pulses are affordable and shelf-stable. This article focuses on the importance of motivation to adopt new eating habits. To mitigate perceived barriers and drive consumption, authors suggest application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model and emphasis of three main benefits of pulses as motivators: (1) culinary versatility, (2) sustainability, and (3) healthfulness.

The 2019 Report of The Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change: Ensuring That the Health of a Child Born Today Is Not Defined by a Changing Climate¹²

The Lancet Countdown is an international, multidisciplinary collaboration, dedicated to monitoring the evolving health profile of climate change, and providing an independent assessment of the delivery of commitments made by governments worldwide under the Paris Agreement. The 2019 report presents an annual update of 41 indicators across five key domains: climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation, planning, and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement. The report represents the findings and consensus of 35 leading academic institutions and UN agencies from every continent.

Towards Sustainable Consumption of Legumes: How Origin, Processing and Transport Affect the Environmental Impact of Pulses¹³

This study evaluated the environmental impact of cultivation of five Swedish pulses (yellow peas, grey peas, faba beans, common beans and lentils) in a life-cycle perspective. The impact of selected Swedish pulses (conventional or organic) was then compared with that of imported pulses in Sweden, including contributions from processing, packaging and transport. The important role of origin and post-farm activities, in particular transport, for the environmental impact of pulses calls for increasing awareness and action amongst purchasers, food industries, and consumers to achieve more sustainable sourcing of pulses.

Cradle-to-Grave Life Cycle Assessment of Production and Consumption of Pulses in the United States¹⁴

This study evaluated environmental stability of production and consumption of pulses. Environmental impact associated with production and consumption of pulses in the United States was evaluated using life cycle assessment (LCA). Varieties of pulses modeled in the study included field pea (Pisum sativum), lentil (Lens culinaris), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), and dry bean. Three methods of cooking pulses at the consumer stage tested in the study were cooking in open vessel on electric cooking range (OVC), cooking in stovetop pressure cooker on electric cooking range (SPC), and cooking in electric pressure cooker (EPC). This study identified the consumer stage as the hotspot for environmental impact in the supply chain of pulses in the United States. The large contribution of the consumer stage to the overall environmental impact of pulses was attributed to electricity consumption for cooking and associated upstream emissions.

Neglecting Legumes Has Compromised Human Health and Sustainable Food Production¹⁵

This article discusses the benefits of legume crops to farming systems, identifying key issues that need to be addressed to enable increased production, together with the importance of legume seeds and products to human health.

Unlike other plants, legumes have mastered the art of symbiotic nitrogen fixation, leading to significant advantages for agricultural sustainability, both in developed and developing countries. A shift in land use towards grain legumes and away from livestock would substantially lower the carbon footprint for the production of protein destined for human consumption. There is significant untapped potential for genetic improvements in legumes. They could make a larger contribution to sustainable cropping systems through symbiotic nitrogen fixation, providing nitrogen to the legume crop as well as for subsequent crops. Consumption of grain legumes offers human health and nutritional benefits.

Legumes as a Cornerstone of the Transition Toward More Sustainable Agri-Food Systems and Diets in Europe¹⁶

This paper summarizes initiatives that aim to enable the comeback of legumes and their placement in a more prominent position in human diets and agricultural fields and highlights strategies that aim at overcoming the obstacles that impede achieving the development of more sustainable agri-food systems and sustainable diets in Europe.

The Biology of Legumes and Their Agronomic, Economic, and Social Impact¹⁷

This chapter showcases the importance of legumes as contemporary agents of change, whose impacts start in the field, but then branch out into competitive global economies, modernized societies, and ultimately, improved food security and human health. Legumes are ancient crops whose popularity both for farmers and consumers has gone through several stages of acceptance, and in recent years, legumes have regained their luster. This is due to a global understanding that: (1) farming systems need to promote biodiversity, (2) biological nitrogen fixation is an important tool to reduce the application of external chemical inputs, namely in the form of nitrogen fertilizers, and that (3) plant-based foods have fewer adverse environmental effects per unit weight, per serving, per unit of energy, or per protein weight than do animal source foods, across various environmental indicators.

Bean Crops and Agriculture: Environmental Impact

Pulse-based Cropping Systems for Soil Health Restoration, Resources Conservation, and Nutritional and Environmental Security in Rainfed Agroecosystems¹⁸

This article focuses on the role of pulses in ecological services, human wellbeing, soil, environmental health, and economic security for advanced sustainability. Therefore, this study will enhance the understanding of productivity improvement in a system-based approach in a rainfed agroecosystem through the involvement of pulses. Furthermore, the present study highlighted significant research findings and policy support in the direction of exploring the real yield potential of pulses. It will provide a road map to producers, researchers, policymakers, and government planners working on pulses to promote them in rainfed agroecosystems to achieve the United Nations (UN's) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Pulse Crops: Nutrient Density, Affordability, and Environmental Impact¹⁹

Sustainable foods need to be nutrient-rich, affordable, environmentally friendly, and socially acceptable. Pulses, which include beans, lentils, chickpeas, and dried peas are a food group that can fit all those criteria. This study tested these concepts using nutrient profiling methods that focused on protein and were extended to include food prices, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy demand. Results showed that pulses were among the lowest-cost protein sources (per 100 g and per 100 kcal) and had the lowest greenhouse gas emissions GHGE and energy demand. Pulses were among the most sustainable foods when monetary and energy costs were expressed per 50 g of protein (equivalent to 100% DV). Pulses scored well on the Nutrient Rich Food (NRF9.3) nutrient profiling system and on the related Affordable Nutrition Index that assessed nutrient density per penny.

Agri-ecological Dataset from Vegetation Surveys on Organic Legume Fields in Tuscany, Italy²⁰

Legumes are becoming increasingly important regarding the transformation of food consumption and production systems towards more sustainability. Apart from supporting and production services, legumes can also enhance biodiversity in agroecosystems. In this dataset, authors present results from vegetation surveys of 244 samplings on 32 lentil and chickpea fields of five organic farms in Tuscany, Italy. Additionally, the dataset provides a comprehensive summary of the associated management practices applied to the respective fields as well as a characterization of the site conditions through soil texture, organic matter, local weather data during the legume growing period and the diversity of the field's landscape contexts. This additional extensive characterization of the management system and environment allows the data to be used for a variety of multivariate analysis on biodiversity and agroecosystems.

Dataset on Biodiversity and Agronomic Performance of Lentil and Chickpea Field Trials in the Mediterranean Region²¹

Pulse crops have become more important in food production and consumption systems for the transition towards sustainability. This paper presents an agroecological dataset from 304 samples from 12 legume field trials in five locations across three countries in the Mediterranean. The field trials were established in the seasons 2021/22 and 2022/23 and tested different lentil or chickpea cultivars, inoculants, intercropping and weeding regimes. The comprehensiveness of the dataset, including all relevant agroecological information, enables other researchers to employ the dataset for various statistical analyses of agroecosystem processes, such as plant-environment interactions or biodiversity-yield trade-off analysis.

Reuniting the Three Sisters: Collaborative Science with Native Growers to Improve Soil and Community Health²²

Before Euro-American settlement, many Native American nations intercropped maize (Zea mays), beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), and squash (Cucurbita pepo) in what is colloquially called the "Three Sisters." This study reviews the historic importance and consequences of rejuvenation of Three Sisters intercropping (3SI), outlines a framework to engage Native growers in community science with positive feedbacks to university research, and presents preliminary findings from ethnography and a randomized, replicated 3SI experiment. The overarching purpose of this collaborative project is to develop a deeper understanding of 3SI, its cultural importance to Native communities, and how reinvigorating the practice—and intercropping in general—can make agroecosystems more sustainable for people and the environment.

Pulses for Sustainability: Breaking Agriculture and Food Sectors Out of Lock-In²³

Crop diversification can improve the sustainability of Western Culture. In particular, pulses are crops that can help both agriculture and the food industry more ecological, as they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offer opportunities to reduce animal-based food consumption. This article proposes to adopt a co-evolution framework to tackle with a dual transition of both agriculture and food systems. Authors argue that to develop pulses, strong support is required from public institutions to coordinate and guide the multiple actors involved in the same direction.

Dry Beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) as a Vital Component of Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security—A Review²⁴

This review article covers common beans' role in agricultural sustainability (biodiversity, SNF, rotational diversity, harvest management) and as a sustainable source of nutrition and food security. Further discussion includes measures to enhance dry beans sustainability through breeding and crop management practices by addressing biotic and abiotic stresses (diseases, drought, high temperature, waterlogging, conservation tillage).

Evaluation of Environmental Impacts in Legume Crops: A Case Study of PGI White Bean Production in Southern Europe²⁵

A small-scale organic crop producing the protected geographical indication (PGI) cultivar “Faba Asturiana”, located in northern Spain, was considered to be a case study for analyzing the environmental impacts associated with the production of this legume (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). The results demonstrated that the main contributor to the environmental impacts was electricity consumption (with percentages above 75% for ionizing radiation, freshwater eutrophication, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and non-carcinogenic toxicity). In conclusion, it can be established that the carbon footprint (CF) of the studied PGI bean is within the range reported by other researchers for leguminous crops. The easiest way to reduce the CF for this particular crop would be to compost the organic waste instead of burning it.

Multiple Benefits of Legumes for Agriculture Sustainability: An Overview²⁶

This article highlights the many ways that legume crops have high potential for conservation agriculture, being functional either as growing crop or as crop residue. Food security, lowering the risk of climate change and meeting the increasing demand for energy will increasingly be critical challenges in the years to come. Producing sustainably is therefore becoming central in agriculture and food systems. Legume crops could play an important role in this context by delivering multiple services in line with sustainability principles. Legumes could also be competitive crops and, due to their environmental and socioeconomic benefits, could be introduced in modern cropping systems to increase crop diversity and reduce use of external inputs. They also perform well in conservation systems, intercropping systems, which are very important in developing countries as well as in low-input and low-yield farming systems. Legumes fix the atmospheric nitrogen, release in the soil high-quality organic matter and facilitate soil nutrients’ circulation and water retention.

The Contributions of Legumes to Reducing the Environmental Risk of Agricultural Production²⁷

This chapter examines how legumes can improve biodiversity and ecosystems services outcomes while also reducing the risk of environmental damage associated with the present high reliance on N fertilizers by the following: (1) providing a renewable input of N to agricultural soils through symbiotic N2 fixation, (2) lowering the fertilizer N requirements and fossil energy use of farming systems, (3) reducing the net release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and (4) slowing the rate of decline in soil organic carbon or improving the capacity of soils to sequester carbon.

Steel Cans - Sustainability

Determination of Steel Container Recycling Rates in the United States²⁸

The American Iron & Steel Institute report states that the recycling rate for steel food cans is 58 percent. This is significantly higher than alternative food packaging including plastic (13%), glass (33.9%), cartons (16%) and pouches (2%). Nearly 30,000 steel cans are recycled every minute in the United States.

Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) Study²⁹

The World Steel Association report states that food can production with recycled steel entails 75 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than making food cans with virgin steel. The climate impact of steel food can production has gone down over time. Steel cans have reduced their environmental impact by 32 percent from 2000 to 2013. This reduction is attributed to three factors: (1) Higher recycling rates; (2) Increased amounts of green energy used for packaging manufacturing; and (3) Continuous improvement via lightweighting. The lightweighting of steel food cans has been dramatic with a 40 percent decline over a recent 30-year timespan.

Our World in Data - Tables and Links

GHG Reduction

Water Conservation

Water Quality Improvement

Food Waste