What are falafel benefits and side effects every ethical consumer must know? Here are falafel pros and cons and how buying them will impact your health, the environment, animals and laborers.
Food is something we consume every day. If you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on falafel benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about falafel benefits and side effects. This will include falafel benefits for your health and potential risks, falafel water footprint and carbon footprint, sustainability, if falafel is vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if falafel is good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be able to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about falafel benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Top Falafel Benefits And Side Effects
HEALTH
Falafel benefits may include:
- aid digestion
- anemia prevention
- appetite suppression
- blood sugar levels
- lower the risk of chronic disease
Falafel side effects include:
- increased risk of weight gain (falafel is deep-fried)
- plaque buildup in arteries and risk of coronary artery disease
- heart failure, heart attack, and stroke
Additionally, falafel is…
- Acidic pH level once digested
- Gluten Free
- Not a common Food Allergen
ENVIRONMENT
Water footprint: likely moderate, 4,177 liters of water used to produce 1 kilogram of chickpeas / 501 gallons of water used to produce 1 pound of chickpeas
Carbon footprint: likely low, 0.64 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of chickpeas, a car driving equivalent of 1.5 miles or 2.5 kilometers
Destruction: low, chickpea production is relatively sustainable, there is no known significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as pesticides have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Falafel is likely…
- Sustainable
ANIMALS
Kills: none, falafel production does not require any animals
Harms: none, falafel production does require any animals
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from falafel production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Falafel is…
- Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
LABORERS
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Falafel…
- May have laborer issues
falafel is gluten free.
Is falafel gluten free? Yes, falafel is gluten free. Falafel does not contain gluten. Falafel is not made with flour or wheat, rather chickpeas and spices, therefore making it a gluten free food.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
falafel does not contain common food allergens.
Is falafel a common food allergen? No, falafel does not contain common food allergens. Some people may experience allergic reactions to ingredients in falafel but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies in the United States.
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
falafel is sustainable.
Overall, is falafel eco friendly? Is falafel sustainable?
Falafel production is relatively sustainable.
There is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. as long as there are no pesticides. Be sure to buy Non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
A 2010 United Nations report said that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world the worst impacts of climate change.
Read more about ‘What Makes Food Sustainable Or Unsustainable?’
falafel is vegan.
Is falafel vegan? Yes, falafel is vegan. Falafel is a fried ball or fritter typically made from ground chickpeas and not an animal product or byproduct, therefore making it a vegan food.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non Vegan Foods List
falafel is a product that may or may not have labor issues.
Is falafel a product with labor issues? At this time, there are no known specific reports of worker mistreatment regarding chickpea farming but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Sadly, many labor concerns exist around the world in both developed and developing countries. We must be vigilant to ensure what we buy is not contributing to industries that are unfair to their valuable workers. Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
Be sure to read up on this list of ‘Foods You Should Always Buy Fair Trade‘
This post was all about falafel benefits and side effects.
Sources:
traditional falafel, traditional – FoodData USDA
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