Researchers have found that mushrooms are “one of the most sustainably produced foods in the United States,” according to The Mushroom Council.
Here are three huge ways mushrooms use less water and energy to have a gentle impact on the environment.
1. A pound of mushrooms only requires only 1.8 gallons of water.
In the United States, agriculture is responsible for 80% of all water consumed. Many don’t realize that the water used to produce the food we eat leaves a huge water waste footprint. For instance, one six-ounce steak requires up to a whopping 674 gallons to prepare! Wow.
Fortunately, the water required to grow mushrooms is a fraction compared with other foods.
According to the Mushroom Sustainability Report, the average gallons of water to produce one pound of mushrooms is:
- 1.8 gallons per pound of mushrooms for all White and Brown mushrooms
- 1.7 gallons per pound of mushrooms for White
- 2.2 gallons per pound of mushrooms for Brown
Compare that with some other big contenders for water waste like hamburgers, with one patty requiring up to 660 gallons, or even one single egg at 52 gallons, and suddenly less than two gallons for a whole pound of mushrooms is an astonishing feat.
2. The production of mushrooms only requires 1.0 kilowatt-hour of energy.
In addition to water usage, food typically requires a four-step process from agriculture to transportation and processing to handling.
Energy is used during each of these phases, and for many food products, their energy waste footprint is huge. From the energy it takes to make boxed center-store products to the diesel wasted hauling it to the grocer, many foods use quadrillions of Btus (1kWh = 3412 Btu) of energy per year, according to SaveOneEnergy.
Mushrooms, in contrast, require very little energy to grow, significantly cutting down on the energy waste process.
The overall energy footprints for Phase I through harvest are estimated to be:
- 0.9 kWh per pound mushrooms for all White and Brown mushrooms
- 0.9 kWh per pound mushrooms for White
- 1.0 kWh per pound mushrooms for Brown
Plus, the production of a pound of mushrooms generates only 0.7 pound of CO2 equivalent emissions.
3. One million pounds of mushrooms can be produced on just one acre.
Not only do mushrooms use very little water and energy, they also don’t require a lot of land to grow compared with other foods. Think of all the acreage farm-raised cows or pigs use.
“Deforestation is one of the planet’s worst enemies,” Penn State posted, “Since 1990, the world has lost 1,000 football fields worth of forest every hour, almost 30 million acres yearly.”
Luckily, increasing food production is possible without deforestation when growing mushrooms.
A remarkable one million pounds of mushrooms can be produced annually on just one acre of land. Additionally, the soil they’re grown in is made of composted agricultural byproducts and recycled materials — and after the mushrooms have been harvested, the soil is then recycled once again for multiple uses like potting soil.
Learn More About the Mighty Mushroom
What we put on our plates has a big impact on not only our health but also the health of our environment.
Mushrooms are packed with nutritious vitamins and minerals. By eating fresh fungi, you can improve your own health while also benefiting the health of the planet. Remember, every little step counts!
In addition to being a sustainable choice, certain mushrooms come with added benefits, like vitamin D.
Learn more about the importance of incorporating vitamin D into your diet by downloading our free ebook, Everything You Need to Know About High Vitamin D Mushrooms.
Learn More About How to Get Our High Vitamin D Mushrooms On Your Shelves:
FAQs
First, they are highly efficient at converting waste products into food. Unlike traditional crops, which require large amounts of land, water, and other resources to grow, mushrooms can be cultivated in a controlled indoor environment using waste products like sawdust, straw, and agricultural byproducts.
Why are mushrooms a sustainable food? ›
First, they are highly efficient at converting waste products into food. Unlike traditional crops, which require large amounts of land, water, and other resources to grow, mushrooms can be cultivated in a controlled indoor environment using waste products like sawdust, straw, and agricultural byproducts.
What are sustainable uses for mushrooms? ›
You can also use mushroom mycelium, the root-like structure of fungi, to make sustainable, biodegradable paper. By mixing mycelium with agricultural waste products such as straw, you can create a sturdy, eco-friendly alternative to traditional paper.
Why are mushrooms so good for the environment? ›
Nutrient Cycling
Fungi have the ability to transform nutrients in a way that makes them available for plants. Some fungi are decomposers which mean that they break down plant and animal debris, thus cycling nutrient and increasing their availability in the soil.
How sustainable is mushroom growing? ›
Considered one of the most sustainable foods in the UK, the mighty mushroom is an inherent zero waste food, resourcefully cultivated from raw materials with a unique and fascinating production process. Grown on a year-round cycle, with nothing added and in the absence of sunlight, mushrooms don't rely on the seasons.
Why mushrooms can save the world? ›
1. As a carbon sink. We all know that plants sequester CO2 and convert it to oxygen for us to breathe, but they put 70% of the carbon they absorb below ground. Here, fungi can store it and stabilise it in their network of fine mycelium filaments.
Why are mushrooms a good food? ›
Mushrooms contain high amounts of selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B6. Selenium can help prevent cell damage in our bodies, vitamin D helps with cell growth, and vitamin B6 helps our bodies form red blood cells. All of these nutrients in mushrooms help to maintain a healthy immune system.
How can mushrooms help climate change? ›
Mycelium also sequesters a great deal of carbon, which keeps climate-warming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere (some fungi can store 70 percent more carbon in the soil!).
What are the six ways mushrooms can save the world? ›
Mycologist Paul Stamets lists 6 ways the mycelium fungus can help save the universe: cleaning polluted soil, making insecticides, treating smallpox and even flu viruses. He believes that mushrooms can save our lives, restore our ecosystems and transform other worlds.
What are the sustainable uses of fungi? ›
From helping us grow our food to tackling our plastic waste problem, fungi offer opportunities for a more sustainable future. Fungi are a kingdom of their own, neither plant nor animal. They've been around for millions of years. They sustain plants and are crucial for making soil and keeping life going.
Mushrooms contain macronutrients that support a healthy immune system. According to the Mushroom Council, your immune system will benefit from mushrooms whose nutrients include: Selenium, which helps your body make antioxidant enzymes to prevent cell damage. Choose cremini or portabella mushrooms for the most benefit.
Do mushrooms clean the environment? ›
"They are therefore often able to break down other persistent organic pollutants with similar chemical structures." Fungi have been observed breaking down pollutants such as petroleum, "forever chemicals" known as PFAS, herbicides, and pesticides.
What are the 5 economic importances of fungi? ›
Fungi hold economic significance in agriculture, medicine, industry, and environmental management through roles like decomposition, food production, bioremediation, and antibiotic production.
Is mushroom packaging sustainable? ›
It is a sustainable and home-compostable alternative to the plastic foam that is clogging landfills and waterways. We are reducing plastic pollution with the power of mushrooms.
What foods are sustainable? ›
6 of the Most Sustainable Foods in the World
- Mushrooms. Because mushrooms can make use of by-products recycled from other crops as compost for growth, they have an extremely low environmental impact. ...
- Pulses. ...
- Mussels. ...
- Seaweed. ...
- Cereals and grains. ...
- Organic fruit and vegetables.
From compost to pill casings
In turn, some of these bio-pesticides and fertilisers will also be derived from the mushroom compost refining process, providing a naturally occurring and sustainable source of products that are less environmentally harmful than conventional ones.
What is the mushroom sustainability story? ›
A new mushroom sustainability study reveals the mighty mushroom not only is healthy on the plate, it's also gentle on the planet. The study finds production of a pound of mushrooms requires only 1.8 gallons of water and 1.0 kilowatt hours of energy, and generates only . 7 pounds of CO2 equivalent emissions.
Why are mushrooms so resilient? ›
Mushrooms are a climate-resilient crop as they have low ecological footprints and don't require much time, space, or resources to grow.
Why is mushroom packaging sustainable? ›
It is a completely natural product. Mycelium is a completely natural material found in the environment and the species used have no toxic effects. Made from a renewable resource – no fossil fuels and infinitely renewable. Easy to grow, needing very little water, light or space to produce at an industrial scale.
What is the most sustainable food on the planet? ›
Beans, lentils, peas and other legumes are some of the most widely available sustainable foods on the market, requiring little water to produce a high yield.
