4 ms·

There are over 2000 known edible land plants. So everyone is missing out everywhere

contingencies 11y ago
A meaningless statement. Obviously we are dealing with relative diversity, not absolute. Western supermarkets in my experience (US, UK, continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand) are all very poor in diversity compared to markets in this particular area of China. Also, mushrooms are not classed as plants and this area has the largest diversity globally.
- anexprogrammer 11y ago
  The power of the supermarkets seems to have been the main driver of this. Unless it's available globally in enough bulk to have permanent stock they just won't carry something any more. Most of my favourite varieties of fruit and veg from less than 20 years ago are simply not available any more in supermarkets. I can remember regional variations and seasonality, even in Tesco. Now for apples it's Golden Tasteless, Braeburn and a few Gala and Cox if you're lucky. We all lost something significant (taste) when they started caring more for supply chains than customers. Of course it's our own fault for preferring to get all groceries in one store.
  - LeifCarrotson 11y ago
    Red "Delicious" if you're unlucky. Chosen for their shelf life, thick skin, and red color, and by the marketing spend of the organizations behind it. Chosen lastly (if at all) for their taste. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/04/AR2005080402194.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08... http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/the-evil-reign-of-the-red-delicious/379892/ http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/the-evil-r...
    - anexprogrammer 11y ago
      ...paid Hiatt for the rights, and then renamed the seedling the Delicious as a marketing ploy. Says it all really. If you have to tell us it's delicious, it isn't. Much like the GDR and democratic. Meanwhile hundreds of regional varieties are being pushed to extinction.
  - deleted 11y ago
    [deleted]
pattisapu 11y ago
Interesting article on this point by Simran Sethi on how the diversity of food we eat has dwindled just in the last century: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/sunday-commentary/20160122-simran-sethi-some-of-the-worlds-most-delicious-foods-are-going-away.ece http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/sunday-commentary/20160122...

A meaningless statement. Obviously we are dealing with relative diversity, not absolute. Western supermarkets in my experience (US, UK, continental Europe, Australia, New Zealand) are all very poor in diversity compared to markets in this particular area of China. Also, mushrooms are not classed as plants and this area has the largest diversity globally.

anexprogrammer 11y ago
The power of the supermarkets seems to have been the main driver of this. Unless it's available globally in enough bulk to have permanent stock they just won't carry something any more. Most of my favourite varieties of fruit and veg from less than 20 years ago are simply not available any more in supermarkets. I can remember regional variations and seasonality, even in Tesco. Now for apples it's Golden Tasteless, Braeburn and a few Gala and Cox if you're lucky. We all lost something significant (taste) when they started caring more for supply chains than customers. Of course it's our own fault for preferring to get all groceries in one store.
- LeifCarrotson 11y ago
  Red "Delicious" if you're unlucky. Chosen for their shelf life, thick skin, and red color, and by the marketing spend of the organizations behind it. Chosen lastly (if at all) for their taste. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/04/AR2005080402194.html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08... http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/the-evil-reign-of-the-red-delicious/379892/ http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/09/the-evil-r...
  - anexprogrammer 11y ago
    ...paid Hiatt for the rights, and then renamed the seedling the Delicious as a marketing ploy. Says it all really. If you have to tell us it's delicious, it isn't. Much like the GDR and democratic. Meanwhile hundreds of regional varieties are being pushed to extinction.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]

pattisapu 11y ago

Interesting article on this point by Simran Sethi on how the diversity of food we eat has dwindled just in the last century: http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/sunday-commentary/20160122-simran-sethi-some-of-the-worlds-most-delicious-foods-are-going-away.ece http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/sunday-commentary/20160122...