http://www.sciencenews.org | May 7, 2022 & May 21, 2022 35CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MATT MACRO/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES; MOAIMAGE/MOMENT/GETTY IMAGES;
ILTONROGERIO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS; MIKE GOLDWATER/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
Mussels
SOURCE OF: Protein, omega-3, vitamin B12, minerals (iron,
manganese and zinc)
USES: Steamed; added to pasta dishes, stews, soups
A delicious mussel linguine might someday become a week-
night regular on the family menu. Mussels and other bivalves,
including oysters, clams and scallops, could make up about
40 percent of seafood by 2050, according to a 2020 report
in Nature. With no need to be watered or fertilized, bivalve
farms are prime for scaling up, which would lower prices for
consumers. All bivalves have merit, but Halley Froehlich of
UC Santa Barbara singles out mussels as “super hardy,” “super
nutritious” and underhyped. One downside: Shell-forming
creatures are threatened as rising carbon levels boost ocean
acidification. Kelp might be able to help.Kelp
SOURCE OF: Vitamins, minerals (iodine, calcium and iron),
antioxidants
USES: Salads, smoothies, salsa, pickles, noodles and chips; also
found in toothpaste, shampoo and biofuels
Kelp has a few cool climate-friendly tricks. For one, by taking
in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, it can lower the
acidity of its watery surroundings. Farmers in Maine and
Alaska grow kelp and bivalves together so that the shelled
critters can benefit from the less acidic water. Kelp also
sequesters carbon, like underwater trees. That means grow-
ing and eating more kelp could be good for the environment.
While kelp and other seaweeds have been widely consumed
in Asia for thousands of years, they’re still an acquired taste in
many Western countries.Enset
SOURCE OF: Carbohydrates, calcium, potassium and zinc
USES: Porridge or bread; also used to make rope, plates and
building materials
The drought-tolerant enset, cultivated in Ethiopia, is nick-
named the “false banana” because the plant resembles a
banana tree, though its fruit is inedible. It’s also called “the
tree against hunger” because its starchy stems can be har-
vested at any time of year, making it a reliable buffer food
crop during dry periods. A 2021 report in Environmental
Research Letters suggests that the enset’s range could be
expanded to other parts of Africa, and possibly beyond. The
processing required to make enset edible is complex, says
study author James Borrell of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
So any expansion would have to be led by the communities
who hold that Indigenous knowledge.Cassava
SOURCE OF: Carbohydrates, potassium, vitamin C
USES: Whole cooked root; gluten-free flour; tapioca pearls in
bubble tea
Cassava, a starchy root vegetable from South America, checks
the boxes for climate resilience, sustainability and nutrition.
Now grown in over 100 countries, cassava can withstand tem-
peratures of up to 40° Celsius and is salt and drought tolerant.
An added plus: Higher atmospheric CO 2 levels enhance the
plant’s tolerance to stress and can lead to higher yields. Raw
cassava can contain toxic levels of cyanide, but the chemical
can be removed by peeling, soaking and cooking the root.Explore more
Christopher Costello et al. “The future of food from the sea.”
Nature. August 19, 2020.