Study draws attention to biodiverse food. You know?

Brazil is a country with remarkable biodiversity from fauna to flora. But have you ever heard of biodiverse foods? Biodiverse foods are food resources that are generally overlooked or whose use is restricted to certain groups and geographical contexts. This classification includes non-conventional food plants (Panc), game meat and edible mushrooms. All this richness can guarantee the safety and quality of the Brazilian diet.

However, in practice, this is not what happens. A study by the Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP) of the USP, in collaboration with the federal universities of Pará (UFPA), Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Campina Grande (UFCG), Paraíba (UFPB) and Pernambuco (UFPE), examined the consumption of these foods by Brazilians and found that only 1.3% of the population actually has access to a biodiverse diet.

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Research

The study analyzed data from the Household Budget Survey, from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), on the dietary habits of more than 46,000 people.

The research analyzed the frequency of consumption and the socio-economic variables that determine it. All Brazilian states and regional differences in food naming were taken into consideration.

Discovery

It is worth mentioning that, even if it occurs in practice, hunting wild animals is prohibited in Brazil, with the exception of subsistence hunting (the need to feed oneself or one’s family) and in some cases authorized by the competent bodies.

overlooked foods

FSP professor Aline de Carvalho mentions the lack of studies on the consumption of these foods and says that they are also neglected by a part of the population. This can happen both due to the cultural aspect of the place and due to the lack of food on the market.

The weakening of the relationship between humans and nature and the removal of diversity from urban centers may also be factors in the lack of biodiversity in the Brazilian diet.

Furthermore, the lack of consumption of these foods is associated with an increase in the consumption of ultra-processed and poor quality foods.

We are losing our relationship with food over time. It’s very important to reconnect so you can have a healthier diet, with less impact on the environment.

Aline de Carvalho

With information from USP Journal

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Source: Olhar Digital