🌱 Sustainability Report: Nendra Banana Halwa

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1. Product Overview

Nendra Banana Halwa (also called Kerala Banana Halwa) is a traditional sweet dish made from Kerala’s famous Nendran bananas, cooked with jaggery, ghee, and sometimes flavored with cardamom or garnished with cashews. It is popular across Kerala and coastal Karnataka as a festive sweet.

Main Ingredients (recipes from Kerala cuisine):

• Ripe Nendran Bananas

• Jaggery (unrefined sugar)

• Ghee (clarified butter)

• Optional: Cashew nuts, cardamom

Preparation: Bananas are mashed and cooked with melted jaggery, then simmered with ghee until it thickens into a glossy, chewy halwa.

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2. Environmental Impact Analysis

a) Ingredient Sourcing

• Nendran Bananas: A traditional crop of Kerala, generally low carbon compared to dairy/meat products. Bananas are water-efficient and mostly cultivated locally.

• Jaggery: Less processed than refined sugar, often produced in rural India, with moderate energy intensity.

• Ghee: Dairy-based, high methane emissions due to cattle.

• Cashew/Spices: Transport and water-intensive, but used in small amounts.

b) Energy Use

Cooking takes 45–90 minutes of continuous heating, usually on a gas stove. This contributes to the footprint but can be minimized using efficient stoves/induction.

c) Packaging & Storage

Halwa has long shelf life (up to 1–2 weeks without refrigeration, longer when vacuum-packed), reducing food waste. Packaging sustainability depends on whether plastic, tin, or biodegradable alternatives are used.

d) Waste Streams

• Banana peels are usually discarded; however, they can be composted or used for biogas/animal feed.

• Minimal in-process waste otherwise.

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3. Scientific Carbon Footprint Calculation (per 100 g serving)

Assumptions & Emission Factors

• Bananas (Nendran variety): ~0.7 kg CO₂e per kg (FAO data for bananas)

• Jaggery: ~0.8 kg CO₂e per kg

• Ghee: ~9 kg CO₂e per kg

• Cooking energy: ~0.5 MJ for 100 g serving, with LPG = ~0.028 kg CO₂e

Ingredient Quantities (for 100 g halwa serving)

• Bananas: 60 g (0.06 kg)

• Jaggery: 30 g (0.03 kg)

• Ghee: 10 g (0.01 kg)

Emission Calculation

✅ Total Estimated Carbon Footprint = ~0.18 kg CO₂e per 100 g serving

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4. Sustainability Summary Table

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5. Recommendations for Improved Sustainability

1. Reduce Ghee or Replace with Plant-Based Oils → lowers methane-related emissions.

2. Valorize Banana Peels → convert into compost, livestock feed, or biofuel.

3. Use Renewable Energy for Cooking → e.g., induction on solar power, efficient stoves.

4. Eco-friendly Packaging → biodegradable wraps, banana leaf wrapping for traditional style.

5. Local Sourcing → support small farmers and reduce transport emissions.

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6. References

• Banana Halwa recipes: Kamala’s Corner (kamalascorner.com)

• Jackfruit/Banana Halwa preparation methods: My Cooking Journey (mycookingjourney.com)

• Banana carbon footprint data: FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) global banana life-cycle analysis

• Jaggery vs sugar sustainability: Indian Journal of Traditional Knowledge (on jaggery production impacts)

• Dairy (ghee) emissions: IPCC livestock methane emission reports

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Generated by: ChatGPT (AI Sustainability Analyst designed by Cleantech Mart Team)