These Foods Will Go Extinct Sooner Than We Think!
By Tom Pearson
1 year ago
Soybeans
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Soy beans are native to East Asia, and are used world wide for multiple foodstuffs. From tofu to milk, the soy beans is very versatile and cheap to produce. However, we could see this useful bean leaving our shelves sooner than we had hoped, due to poor worldwide soil conditions, as well as widespread deforestation, mainly done to farm cattle for beef.Maple Syrup
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A Canadian classic made from the sap of maple tree, maple syrup can be found on breakfast tables and in diners across the united states and Canada, as well as throughout most of the rest of the western world. However, due to rising climate temperatures, some maple trees are no longer able to cope, leading to experts predicting that maple syrup will be a thing of the past by 2100.Olives
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Bitter and disgusting or exotic and delicious? Olives are a polarizing snack. Grown in hot climates like Mediterranean countries, olives can be food on evergreen trees and tend to flourish in hot European summers. As recently as 2004, some species of olive have been declared extinct, usually due to the evergreen trees becoming infected with olive killing fungus.Iced Coffee
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Many of us can not start our day without a coffee, but what do you do if you don't fancy a scolding hot beverage? Get an iced coffee instead. Iced coffee is a great alternative for those of us in a morning rush. Due to both coffee bean shortages and issues with recent sugar crops, iced coffee could soon be a thing of the past. Add health issues into the mix and its not looking good for the future of the drink.Rice
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Rice is the most eaten food in the world. Originating in Asian countries, it has become commonplace across the globe and now many Americans could not enjoy cooking as much without this staple in the pantry. Flooding and issues with insect pests has dramatically impacted rice paddy fields. Infrastructure also threatens the large spaces needed to grow rice.Cola
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Cola is the most drunk beverage in the world, shockingly even more so than water! It's said that in some countries in South America, the Coca Cola logo is more recognizable than the face of Jesus Christ. Due to more people concerned about their health, cola consumption is on the decline. Paired with sugar crop issues, this could soon be a memory rather than a ready alternative drink.Raisins
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From cookies to cereal, raisins are often used as a great healthy alternative to chocolate chips. They are easy to make, as they are essentially just dried out grapes. This process if obviously very cheap (thanks to the sun) and is done in hotter climates like Italy and southern France. Due to issues with grape vines, raisins are endangered and could possibly go extinct.Maize
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Maize, or corn as it is commonly known, is great on the BBQ or even from a can. Used mainly in food and drink, maize has numerous other uses like fuel and even fish bait! However, genetically modified maize is becoming more common and experts warn that America's need for efficiency and volume of maize could impact the vegetable in the long run, leading to its death.Strawberrys
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A classic at the British tennis tournament, Wimbledon, strawberries are loved from one corner of the globe to the other. Due to their seasonal nature, strawberries tend to be less readily available in the winter. In the summer months, strawberries grow in droves, but due to employment issues, there aren't enough people to pick them. This leads the fruit to rot before it is even harvested.Peaches
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Peaches are great in summer (and weirdly delicious grilled and served with ice cream). We enjoy this stone fruit yearly, however the last few years have not been kind to the peace population. 2 very cold winters, followed by 2 very warm winters, followed by a frost snap in March last year almost wiped them out, and it will take time for the plants to recover.Bananas
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Found in Columbia and Peru in 2019 and 2021 respectively, a strain of virus could be responsible for wiping out bananas entirely. The virus, known as TR4 (tropical race 4) was found in the south American countries and caused mass panic. Bananas as we know them are estimated to have been around since 5000 BC, so it would be a shame to lose them now.Plums
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Like its stone fruit cousin the peach, a plum is great served fresh off the grill with some creamy vanilla ice cream. However, since the start of the 20th century, over a million plums have disappeared from Iowa alone. Due to climate change, plum trees struggle to produce the fruit and must instead focus on survival rather than bearing fruit for us to enjoy.Honey
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Bee's are now an endangered species, and as a result the production of honey is a victim caught in the crossfire. Due to less green spaces and more infrastructure, bee's do not have as many flowers to pollinate and as a result do not produce as much honey. Efforts are being made worldwide to ensure that the bee population increases for honey and pollination reasons.Tuna
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Tuna is a lunchroom favorite. From pasta to sandwiches, tuna is a versatile and cheap fish. It can also be stored for years if canned correctly, and most tuna fish live to be around 26 years old (meaning the tuna in your can could in theory be almost 30!) Due to overfishing and ocean pollution, the tuna population is struggling and could soon be wiped out.Chickpeas
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Chickpeas are great to have in the pantry. You can make hummus from the chickpeas themselves, and also use the run off chickpea water as a great meringue substitute for vegan friends and family as it contains no egg whites. For 15 ounces of chickpeas, 76 gallons of water is required to grow them, meaning they are becoming uneconomical to grow and hard to grow in warmer places.Cheese
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Cheese sales are on the decline, with vegan and dairy free alternatives becoming more common place. Dairy farmers are also struggling more to make ends meet in the current economic climate, meaning lost of milking cows are being sold and dairies closed down. With cheese being such a favorite for so many, it would be sad to see this industry close down.Liver
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Liver was common in the early 1900's right up until the early 2000's. Nowadays liver is not stocked in supermarkets due to low demand, and needs to be purchased from specialist butchers usually with advanced notice. Liver was once a cheap meat, which then became more desirable, but has now entered back into the unwanted realm and is on the decline sales wise.Salmon
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Warmer climates means warmer rivers, and warmer rivers mean a struggle for salmon to move upstream for mating and to find food. Coupled with overfishing, salmon may struggle to get through the next couple of decades and could be one of the first mass consumed fish products to leave our shelves. This could impact other wildlife and drastically change the Ecosystem.Apples
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It is estimated that there were once over 15,000 varieties of apples in the United States. This figure has since said to have dropped by almost 12,000 to around 3,000 now. Commonplace in lunchboxes across the world, we could soon see this lunchtime snack disappear due to adverse weather, insect pests and not enough biodiversity, possibly by the end of the century.Peanut Butter
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Less than 7 years in the future, 2030 is when scientists warn that we could see the end of peanuts entirely. From peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to Reece's pieces, peanuts could soon leave the shelves for good in less time than we would have hoped. Global warming along with rising sea levels and deforestation is resulting in lower peanut harvests.Cereal
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America is the birthplace of cereal, but its consumption and production has been steadily falling every year. Its estimated that cereal sales fall by 1.5% per year, and due to healthier choices becoming more readily available, this is a trend likely to carry on. With profits down by a third since the year 2000, its likely big companies will cut their losses and ditch this breakfast staple.Chocolate
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By 2050 cocoa plants may go extinct due to climate change and mainly deforestation in their natural rain forest environment. As cocoa is the main ingredient in chocolate, this could spell disaster for the industry. Paired with more Americans becoming health conscious, as well as high costs for foods high in fat and sugar, chocolate may soon be in the garbage.Avocados
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Avocados are one of the least environmentally friendly foods, due to high growing costs, use of materials needed to grow plus export via plane. Compared to many other fruits and vegetables, avocado production is dropping at an alarming rate, meaning that by 2050 we may need to update our brunch menus and change what we have on toast (maybe go back to butter)?Cherries
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Like many other stone fruits, cherry harvests are also on the downturn. Normally served in deserts or as an easy snack, cherries are enjoyed in their millions by Americans each year. Due to again, climate change, as well as a high chance the fruit will be eaten by insects (mainly wasps) the cherry industry is looking to cut its losses early before it becomes too difficult to produce cherries.Bacon
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Pig farming is in one of its worst ever recessions. As a result, the production of pork, aka bacon and sausages, is heading down a slippery slope. Disease and high animal costs are the main factors that could leave us without bacon. More people are also choosing vegetarian and vegan options, and with these becoming more like the real thing it could spell the end for bacon.Wine
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Grape production is heading south due to extreme weather events paired and climate change. High import costs as well as pesticide management costs mean that many vineyards and grape farmers no longer want to deal with the hassle of growing them, leaving the consumer wine-less. Many Americans are now opting for a healthier lifestyle meaning cutting booze altogether.Wheat
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Very dry, hot and long summers mean that wheat does not get enough water to grow. The alternative short but wet and cold summers mean that farmers do not get chance to dry wheat sufficiently, meaning it sits in the barn and goes moldy before it can be bought by larger companies for resale. As a main money maker for farmers, it's not a crop they can afford to lose.Coffee
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Coffee is becoming extinct due to threats against the plant and its natural habitat. Pathogens like fungus, heatwaves, flooding, droughts and theft is already making it difficult for coffee to flourish in come parts of the world. Experts predict that the two main types of coffee we drink could be gone as quickly as 2050. Who can even start the day without a coffee?Grapes
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Extreme weather events paired with climate change had a major effect on grape production. This means that this great healthy alternative could soon be gone for good. High import costs as well as pesticide management costs mean that many vineyards and grape farmers no longer want to deal with the hassle of growing them, leaving the consumer without.Processed Meats
