Since I hail originally from Los Angeles and grew up there during another drought not quite so severe, I was intrigued to read about how much water it takes to grow the common foods we eat. Vegetables and fruits, not surprisingly, are efficient water users, beating out cattle and processed foods no contest. Based on a UNESCO Institute for Water Education publication, the LA Times rates foods graphically by quantity of water required to produce food. The least thirsty vegetables and fruits are cabbage, strawberries, onions, lettuce, carrots, eggplant, grapefruit and tomatoes.
Of course, vegetables have adapted for thousands of years to produce in years of abundant or minimal rain. When you consider the nutrients packed in vegetable and fruit superfoods along with their water-efficiency, vegetables are winners all the way around.
