12 Foods That Have A Very Real Possibility Of Going Extinct – These Foods Might Disappear For Good
I've got some bad news to bring to light. Some of your favorite foods are going extinct. They're not going to be around much longer and it's depressing to think about, but as the old saying goes, 'all good things must come to an end.'
Climate change is not only making animals extinct, but it's massively impacting agriculture as well. So, savor the time you have with these foods that I've listed here because they're a dying breed.
Chickpeas
There's a reason that chickpeas are so expensive. They use a whopping 76 gallons of water for every ounce. Not surprisingly, water droughts around the world have caused a serious shortage of chickpeas.
Worldwide production of these legumes has gone down nearly 50% due to droughts all across the globe, and by that rate, hummus may become a thing of the past. It's unfortunate because they're so healthy for you.
Coffee
70% of the world's coffee could be wiped out by 2080. Most coffee is made from Arabica beans, which grow best between 64F and 70F. If the temperature rises above that, the plants ripen too quickly, which affects the taste of the coffee.
If the temperatures keep rising because of climate change, the coffee yield and quality are going to decrease. So, savor your morning cup while it lasts because you might have to get used to tea later in life.
Bananas
The Cavendish banana, the one that is loved in North America, is being taken over by a disease called Tropical Race 4. This disease affects the vascular system of the banana plant which means they can't properly absorb water and nutrients.
The disease is quickly spreading across continents, wiping out banana plantations. Why is it that the best fruits and vegetables are going extinct? I guess we'll still have our sweets.
Fish
We're killing fish, and we're killing them FAST. At the rate we're going, researchers say there will be no more eatable fish in the ocean by 2048.
This is due to overfishing, and destructive fishing practices, like trawling, which uses a weighted net to scoop up all the fish that come its way. Often times that means that endangered fish are caught and killed too. It created a deadly cycle under the sea.
Avocados
I don't know if you're aware, but it takes 72 gallons of water to make one pound of avocados. If you're wondering how much that is, it's about two medium-sized avocados. That's like, one slice of avocado toast.
72 gallons of water is the same amount of water that's used in four average showers. Not only that, but 80% of avocados are grown in California, which is currently in a drought. Yikes.
Peanuts
If you have a peanut allergy, you're probably very excited about this. Some say that they might be extinct by 2030, so I guess it's good and bad news. They're considered high maintenance plants because they require five months of warm weather.
They also need a combined 20-40 inches of rain. Too little rain and the pods won't germinate, too much and they will mold making the peanuts inedible, which isn't good.
Maple Syrup
Similar to peanuts, maple syrup requires quite the process to get made. They're produced from sugar maple trees and require a very specific and stable weather condition that our changing climate can't offer.
Maple syrup production has been greatly affected by global warming. The trees need freezing in the winter and warm spring days to produce the sap. The drought conditions and increasing temperatures aren't ideal by any stretch of the imagination.
Honey
This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, but honey might be gone very shortly. As the bee population is continuing to decline, so is the production of honey.
The population of bees has decreased by more than 40% within the last decade all because of the Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder. Sure, we might hate the buzzing of bees, but they're a vital part of our ecosystem and we really need them.
Chocolate
This is scary to realize. We're eating chocolate faster than it can be made. Yes, this is not a joke. Last year, the world ate 70,000 metric tons more cocoa than was produced. By 2020, experts say that the number could skyrocket to 1 million more tons.
West Africa produces 70% of the world's cocoa and is seeing rising temperatures and less water. The cocoa plants are getting fungal diseases because of it.
Italian Durum Wheat
Grab your Nonna, and let her cry on your shoulder. Yet again, warmer temperatures are negatively impacting the growth of durum wheat, especially in Italy. If you don't recognize the word Durum, you might recognize it as pasta wheat or macaroni wheat. It's the second most cultivated species of wheat in the world.
It is predicted that wheat yields will start declining by 2020 and may be completely gone by the end of our lifetimes.
Wine
Oh no, hide your wine-loving mom from this knowledge. She might go on a little binge drinking streak thinking that wine is going to be extinct very shortly.
Grapes for wine are the best when picked after the rain after a long drought, but since droughts are lasting longer, some grapes are dying before they even get picked. If the grapes can't be harvested, wine can't be made. It's tragic.
Oranges
If you thought that you could maybe swap your morning coffee for some freshly squeezed OJ, you're wrong. Citrus Greening Disease is attacking the oranges nationwide and there's no cure once a tree becomes infected.
The disease is carried by an insect called Asian citrus psyllid and it has spread to every state where oranges are grown for juice. If this doesn't depress you then I don't know what will.
