While it is well known that plant-based ingredients have lower carbon footprints than their animal-based counterparts, finding the vegetables that produce the most carbon emissions overall may not be as simple. So we had to ask: What are the 10 vegetables with the highest carbon footprints?

While it is well known that plant-based ingredients have lower carbon footprints than their animal-based counterparts, finding the vegetables that produce the fewest carbon emissions overall may not be as simple. So we had to ask: What are the 10 vegetables with the lowest carbon footprints?

Roasted, fried, boiled, or mashed, sweet potatoes are one of the more versatile vegetables, which is why the popularity of this crop has skyrocketed by over 40% in the last two decades. The US started growing sweet potatoes during WWII, but they were slowly fading from the American cookbook, until the popularity of sweet potato fries. However, much less is shared about the environmental impact, and especially the carbon emissions of sweet potatoes. So we had to ask: What is the carbon footprint of sweet potatoes?

Green onions are immature bulb onions, harvested before the bulb has had a chance to swell. Filled with vitamin C, K, and calcium, the green onion is a nutrient-rich food. This ingredient is commonly found in Asian cooking, such as in Chinese scallion pancakes, or Korean pa muchim, and is often used as a garnish, or seasoning, similar to garlic. Yet, much less is shared about the environmental impact, and especially the carbon emissions of green onions. So we had to ask: What is the carbon footprint of green onions?

The average American eats two pounds of garlic a year, and 14% of us put garlic on nearly everything we cook. Garlic has a host of health benefits and medicinal properties, and could help reduce cholesterol and heart disease. Furthermore, it contains antioxidants that may prevent the common cold, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Yet, much less is shared about the environmental impact, and especially the carbon emissions of garlic. So we had to ask: What is the carbon footprint of garlic?

Chili peppers were one of the first domesticated plants, farmed 6,000 years ago in Peru and Mexico. Since then, this spicy crop has found its way into many popular dishes, from Japanese ramens and Mexican burritos, to condiments like hot sauce. Yet, much less is shared about the environmental impact, and especially the carbon emissions of chili peppers. So we had to ask: What is the carbon footprint of chili peppers?

Known as the ‘King of Vegetables’ in India, or the ‘crazy apple’ in Renaissance Italy, the eggplant can be found in food from around the world. From moussaka, to ratatouille, to brinjal bhaji, this vegetable is nutrient-dense, and high in antioxidants. Yet, much less is shared about the environmental impact, and especially the carbon emissions of eggplants. So we had to ask: What is the carbon footprint of eggplants?