9 ways to improve the water footprint of my food

On average, 70% of your water footprint comes from your diet. Growing the plants we eat daily requires huge amounts of water, making it the biggest contributor to our water footprint. This includes both the plants we eat directly and those used to feed the animals that we eat. What habits should we change to minimize our diet’s impact on the global water cycle? ⬇️

Calculating the water footprint

What is the water footprint?

The water footprint is a calculation designed to quantify the impact of our consumption and lifestyles on water resources worldwide. It tracks water consumption throughout the production cycle of a good or a service (in this case, food). These water usages are then multiplied by the water stress factor of the region where they occur, a factor that accounts for the scarcity of water: using one liter in India has a very different impact than using one liter in Norway.

Water stress

The water footprint is therefore highly dependent on where food is produced. The higher the water stress factor, the greater the water footprint. To preserve water resources, it’s best to choose products from regions not affected by repeated droughts (those in blue on the map below). The stress factor varies from 0 to nearly 100 in the most arid areas.

The worst regions for water-intensive crops include North Africa, Spain, India, Chile, Argentina, the western United States, Turkey, the UAE, China and Australia. These should be avoided whenever possible, especially for foods that require large amounts of water.

Water and carbon: the same fight

In general, the lessons learned from carbon footprint reduction also apply to the water footprint. The messages align and shifting toward a *ower-carbon diet also reduces pressure on water resources:

• Fewer animal products
• More fruits and vegetables
• More beans and legumes
• More local and seasonal foods

Let’s break these points down to better understand their impact on water resources.

9 ways to reduce your food's water footprint

These actions are listed in decreasing order of impact, based on an average French diet. You may already be practicing some or all of these habits!

1. Eat less meat

Animal products have a huge water footprint, mainly due to the water needed to grow their food. In most cases, plants are grown to feed animals, which are then eaten by humans, either as meat, milk or eggs.

Meat production, in particular, has a high water footprint, going from 2,800 liters (pork) to 10,000 liters (lamb) per kg of product.

Reducing our consumption of animal products is crucial since their prevalence in modern diets supports an intensive production system that heavily impacts the water cycle. Less but better is the best approach to eating animal products. When it comes to water footprint, “better” means:

• Choosing poultry and pork over red meat (while paying attention to sourcing)
• Aiming for pasture-raised animals instead of grain-fed livestock grazed grass does not count as "consumed water" since it relies on natural rainfall
• Prioritizing local meat from countries not affected by water stress

2. Buy fewer animal-based products

Meat production is closely linked to the dairy and egg industry. Reducing meat consumption should go hand in hand with*cutting back on all animal-based products like milk, cheese, butter and eggs. The same principles apply: less, but better.

Best practices:

• Choose products from pasture-fed livestock rather than grain-fed.
• Buy eggs labeled 1 or 0 (meaning free-range or organic).

3. Reduce fish consumption

Water and fish have always been connected… 🎣 But humans and fish? Not so much anymore.

Farmed fish have a high water footprint due to the water used to produce their food. However, wild fish are not a viable alternative due to overfishing and threats to species sustainability.

As with meat, the goal is to eat less fish but choose better options:

• Prefer artisanal, small-scale fisheries.
• Choose low-water-footprint fish like mackerel and sardines.
• Alternate between fatty and lean fish (for health reasons).

4. Eat more fruits and vegetables

Vegetables generally have a low water footprint. On average, all vegetables require less than 1,000 liters of water per kg. Increasing plant-based foods in your diet is one of the best ways to lower your water footprint.

However, be cautious with fresh fruits, they often have a high water footprint due to irrigation needs. Choose local fruits or those grown in high-water regions. Avoid water-intensive crops like avocados! 🥑

Other important considerations:

• Choose vegetables suited to your local water conditions (in drought-prone areas, prefer low-water-demanding crops).
• If possible, shop produce from regions not affected by repeated droughts (see the map above).

5. Eat more legumes

Legumes or dry beans are the champions of water efficiency. They have the lowest water footprint of any food category! Plus, they have other superpowers:

• They act as natural green fertilizers, needing little or no external inputs while fixing nitrogen in the soil.
• Rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals and proteins, they help create a balanced diet.

6. Choose grains wisely

Grains generally have a relatively low water footprint (under 1 m³ per kg), so they can be consumed without concern. Except one: rice. Rice has a very high water footprint due to excessive evapotranspiration, averaging 14,000 liters per kg.

To reduce your rice-related water footprint:

• Choose rice from regions with lower water stress, such as Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines) or France (Camargue rice is an excellent option!).

7. Prioritize local and seasonal products

The more local and seasonal your food is, the less artificial irrigation it requires. Buying directly from local farmers and markets is always the best option!

8. Avoid single-use packaging

The best packaging is the one you don’t use. Through our purchasing choices and consumption habits, we can favor products with less packaging. Additionally, reusing packaging extends its lifespan and preserves water resources that would otherwise be needed to manufacture new ones.

For some foods, the water footprint of the packaging is even higher than the food itself!

9. Reduce food waste

This is one of the most unnecessary water footprints. Did you know? One-third of the world’s food production is wasted every year. In France, this amounts to 25 kg per person annually, 7 kg are still in their packaging! It’s time to rethink how we handle food waste.

Some simple solutions:

• Save leftovers, at home and in restaurants.
• Learn to cook creativelywith leftovers.
• Check expiration dates carefully. If it’s a "best before" (DLUO) rather than "use by" (DLC) date, trust yourself!
• Only remove the damaged part of vegetables (compost it!) and use the rest.
• When buying food for immediate consumption, choose items close to their expiration date to help reduce waste.