Every year in Canada, we throw out over $31-billion worth of food. In the world, 3.9 billion tons of food are produced for human consumption. And we consume it in different ways - whole foods, fried foods, sugar consumption and a variety of meals to meet our preferences and needs. But how much do you know about food, something that is a staple in an every day life? This quiz looks at questions around production, consumption, calorie intake and the glycemic index. Take it and see how much you know.
Answer: f. They are all true. You can read more about this here.
Answer: b. There are around nine teaspoons (35 grams) of sugar in a typical 12-ounce can of cola. In a 590 ml bottle of cola, there are a whopping 15.5 teaspoons of sugar!
Answer: b. According to the World Health Organization, about 39 per cent of adults aged 18 years and older were overweight in 2014, and 13 per cent were obese. This number is expected to grow over subsequent years.
Answer: c. Ontario’s Healthy Menu Choices Act introduced calorie counts on menus at all food-service chains with 20 or more locations in Ontario. So, your favourite diner is not required to list the calories found in its signature fish and chips dish.
Answer: b. Even though the doughnut has 250 calories and the mocha frappuccino has 520 calories, 100 grams of Lay’s potato chips have 570 calories.
Answer: c. Iron is an important mineral. The average adult women needs 15 mg of iron a day, and the average man 9 mg per day. It’s essential for brain development, immune system efficiency, and life-long brain functioning.
Answer: a. According to the FAO, about one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally, which is about 1.3 billion tons per year. Food is lost or wasted through the supply chain, from the initial production all the way to you consuming it at home.
Answer: e. According to the FAO, changes to food loss and waste reduction start with consumer awareness and best practices, such as using all of your food and only buying what you can eat. Food is wasted at every point of the “from the farm to the plate” process. With best practices, the FAO hopes to cut food losses and waste by half by the year 2030.
Answer: a. According to the FAO, fruits and vegetables, plus roots and tubers, have the highest wastage rates of any food. Global quantitative food losses per year are roughly around 40-50 per cent for fruits and vegetables, compared to 30-35 per cent for cereals, fish, meat and dairy.
Answer: a. The glycemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrate-rich foods by how much they raise blood glucose, or sugar, levels compared to a standard food. The standard food is glucose or white bread. Eating foods with a low GI may help you control your blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels and your appetite, and lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Answer: c. A Kaiser roll has a high glycemic index, like white bread, of 73 (for 30 grams). A better alternative would be whole-wheat bread, and an even better option would be pumpernickel bread.
Answer: a. Ecuador is the largest exporter of bananas in the world and, according to the FAO, its share of the world banana trade is on the rise.
Answer: a. According to the FAO, India and Brazil have held the top spots for beef exports over the past decade, each exporting around 1.85 million metric tons of beef in 2016. Each country is responsible for almost 20 per cent of the world’s beef exports.
Answer: c. In 2014, 49.8 million tonnes of finfish were harvested, while 16.1 million tonnes of molluscs, 6.9 million tonnes of crustaceans and 7.3 million tonnes of other aquatic animals (like frogs) were harvested, according to the FAO. Almost all fish produced from aquaculture is destined for human consumption.
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