#1 – Vietnamese Cuisine
One of the top eco-friendly ethnic cuisines and possibly the most eco-friendly is Vietnamese food. Vietnamese succeeds because it’s not entirely meatless however it uses minimal meat. Across breakfast, lunch, and dinner, dishes like pho are Vietnamese favourites which are very environmentally sustainable. Contrary to North American eating, meat is used in small quantities only to enrich the taste of the grains and vegetables used here. Some estimates suggest North Americans eat as much as six times the recommended amount of red meat. Eating Vietnamese is a change that could work at creating healthier Canadians.
#2 – Indian Cuisine
Another eco-friendly ethnic cuisine is Indian food, particularly the dishes focused on legumes. Legumes can be remade into so many different dishes, from breakfast pancakes to use in stews. In Indian food, how eco-friendly a dish is depends on what’s in it, who’s cooking it, and what season it is. Regardless, India is filled with legume farmers which are ideal for vegetarians and vegans, as they are generally high in protein and fiber while being low in fat. Legume crops are also very adaptable to the weather and the changing climate, able to withstand rough weather, battle back against degraded soils, and are all-around great ingredients for dishes.
#3 – Other eco-friendly cuisines
Beyond Vietnamese and Indian, there are a handful of other ethnic cuisines which can be very eco-friendly. Venezuelan cuisine, for example, can make use of clams, scallops, and mussels in eco-friendly ways. These are healthy proteins, as long as they come from clean waters. Indigenous Canadian-American cuisine can also be very environmentally sustainable, preparing salads from wild dandelions, cultivating wild onions, and using culinary traditions to derive food straight from the ground. Lebanese foods also make use of the country’s climate to grow unique herbs, chickpeas, spices, and more.
If you’re searching for healthy Vietnamese food in Toronto, visit Toronto Pho. At our Toronto restaurant, you’ll find a number of Vietnamese dishes alongside other East Asian options. Balanced, blended meals await at family-friendly pricing. The next time you’re digging for a hot bowl of pho, here’s where to get it. Drop in anytime at Toronto Pho.
