H2-Whoa! How much water goes into one steak?

How much water is on your plate? About 70 percent of the world's "blue water withdrawals" irrigate agriculture. World Water Day is March 22, and this year's theme examines food production. To see how many gallons of water bring common foods from field to plate, take our H₂-Whoa! quiz.  

 

Q: How much water goes into one piece of steak?

A) About 850 gallons.

B) About 1,850 gallons.

C) Cow aren't plants, they don't need to be watered.

 

 

A: The correct answer is B, about 1,850 gallons. Cows need to eat too, which means water is required to grow feed crops. Water is also used during livestock slaughtering and meat processing.

If you're not already vegetarian, a water-saving fix would be to consume less or no red meat at all. Begin by instituting "Meatless Mondays" and experimenting with easy vegetarian recipes. Sate protein cravings with local, sustainable seafood — the only H₂O required for that meal is the water where the fish lives.

--image courtesy of iStock/mphillips007