What food items should you stock up on in case of an emergency?
Extreme weather may be changing the way we need to shop, with the UK government urging people to stock up on canned goods.
Recent extreme weather events have prompted the UK government to advise people to stock up on long-life food items in case the supply chain is disrupted. Experts warn that various factors, such as climate change, cyber-attacks, disease outbreaks, and conflicts, can strain the process of getting food from farms to our plates. Supply chain professional Richard Wilding reassures that while global shipping professionals adapt quickly, it is wise to be prepared for potential shortages.
Senior nutrition scientist Dr Sammie Gill recommends prioritizing complex carbohydrates, such as wheat biscuits, wholegrain cereals, crackers, breads, oats, rice, and pasta. Proteins like canned chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, unsalted nuts, peanut butter, and canned oily fish should also be stocked. Rebecca McManamon, a consultant dietitian, suggests keeping long-life milk for protein, calcium, and fluid, while advising to avoid high-salt and high-sugar tinned items.
Gill recommends limiting sweet treats due to their high sugar content. She advises opting for tinned fish over meats, as fish is less processed and lower in salt and saturated fat. To enhance flavor, McManamon suggests stocking dried herbs, spices, and salt, as tinned foods can be somewhat bland. It is recommended to consume between 1,500-2,500ml of fluid daily, which can come from bottled water or fluid-rich tinned foods if supplies are short.
Although tinned food may be less nutritious than fresh food in terms of vitamin B and C, it can still be part of a healthy diet. Dr Gill assures that the macronutrient content, such as carbohydrates, protein, fats, and fibre, remains similar between canned and fresh food.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
