What are naan side effects and benefits every ethical consumer must know? Here are naan pros and cons and how buying it will impact your health, the environment, animals and laborers.
Food is something we consume every day and 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 naan benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about naan side effects and benefits. This will include naan benefits for your health and potential risks, naan water footprint and naan carbon footprint, naan sustainability, if naan is vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if naan is good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be prepared to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about naan side effects and benefits that every ethical consumer should know.
Must-Know Naan Side Effects And Benefits
Health
Naan health benefits may include:
- boosted energy (carbohydrates)
Naan side effects may include:
- increased blood pressure
- constipation
- triggered IBS irritable bowel syndrome
- higher risk for heart disease and stroke
- weight gain (high in fat, devoid of fiber)
Additionally, naan is…
- Acidic pH level once digested
- Not Gluten Free
- Common Food Allergen: WHEAT, MILK
Environment
Water footprint: Low, it takes 1,608 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of wheat bread, 193 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of wheat bread.
Carbon footprint: Low, it takes 0.83 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of bread, a car driving equivalent of 2 miles or 3.25 kilometers.
Destruction: Wheat production is unsustainable when non-organic, moderately sustainable when organic. This is due to heavy pesticide usage when not-organic and monocropping that occurs with all wheat production. Monocropping depletes nutrients in soil, reduces organic matter and causes erosion.
Naan is…
- Moderately Sustainable
Animals
Kills: none, naan production does not directly kill any animals
Harms: possibly cows, naan production does not require the usage of any animals but many varieties include ghee or cheese
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from naan 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
Naan is…
- Possibly 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
Naan is…
- May have laborer issues and human rights concerns (depends on brand)
naan is acidic. naan side effects include not fitting into an alkaline diet.
Is naan alkaline or acidic?
Naan is acidic.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
naan is not gluten free. naan side effects include not fitting into a gluten free diet.
Is naan gluten free?
No, naan is not gluten free. Naan is a type of bread made from wheat which is glutinous.
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
naan contains common food allergens: WHEAT, possibly MILK. naan side effects include being dangerous for some.
Does naan contain common food allergens?
Yes, naan contains common food allergens. Some people who are allergic to wheat or milk will experience allergic reactions to naan.
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
naan has a low water footprint.
Does naan have a high or low water footprint?
Naan have a relatively low water footprint compared to other foods.
What is the water footprint of naan?
It takes 1,608 liters of water to produce 1 kilogram of wheat bread, 193 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of wheat bread.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
naan has a low carbon footprint.
Does naan have a high or low carbon footprint?
Naan has a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods.
What is the carbon footprint of naan?
It takes 0.83 kg CO2e to produce 1 kilogram or 2.2 pounds of bread, a car driving equivalent of 2 miles or 3.25 kilometers.
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
t’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
naan is moderately sustainable if organic and unsustainable if non-organic or dairy products are used.
Overall, is naan eco friendly? Is naan sustainable?
Naan production is moderately sustainable if organic and unsustainable if non-organic or dairy products are used.
Wheat production is unsustainable when non-organic, moderately sustainable when organic. This is due to heavy pesticide usage when not-organic and monocropping that occurs with all wheat production. Monocropping depletes nutrients in soil, reduces organic matter and causes erosion.
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.
naan is possibly vegan but not vegan if ghee or milk is used.
Is naan vegan?
Naan is possibly vegan but not vegan if ghee or milk is used.
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
naan may have laborer issues and human rights concerns (depends on brand).
Is naan a product with laborer concerns?
It depends on ingredients used and the brand.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
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.
This post was all about naan side effects and benefits.
Sources:
Kalonji Seed Naan | Bread Recipes | PBS Food
