Blue Food: Benefits
A new study suggests that blue food sourced from aquatic environments can help reduce nutritional deficiencies and contribute to employment and export revenue in India.
- Blue food is food derived from aquatic animals, plants or algae that are caught or cultivated in freshwater and marine environments.
- Blue foods are important for the economies, livelihoods, nutritional security, and cultures of people in many countries.
- They supply protein to over 3.2 billion people, are a key source of nutrients in many coastal, rural and indigenous communities, and support the livelihoods of over 800 million people, the majority of whom work in small-scale systems.
- They generate lower emissions compared to terrestrial meat.
- Aquatic foods can also be used to address B12 and omega-3 deficiencies in India.
- Over 91% of countries with vitamin B12 deficiencies also show high levels of omega-3 deficiency
- Promoting blue foods over red meat overconsumption could address health and environmental concerns for about 82% of the 22 countries suffering from a high cardiovascular disease risk.
- Blue foods can help improve nutrition, livelihoods or national revenue for the global south and indigenous communities in the global north.
