The Greatest Food on the Planet?

[BlueOak]

140 times the amount of tonnage of protein that soybeans can produce per hectare.
45% Protein, doubles its mass every 2 days.
Purifies water.
Complex Protein, not needing additions to get what you need.
Taste is mild, with no adverse effects.

Classified as a weed and never taken seriously in developed nations. But its the same as corn or any major crop.
You don't need seeds. It's too efficient. It gives too much protein, so people suppress it.

But it should be in every nation, on every table, and in every hungry country or area.
*And if your a farmer, use it to feed your chickens!

Edited yesterday at 10:26 AM by BlueOak

[Basman]

I also watched that video and I thought it was a bit exageratory, so I did some more research.

It absorbs toxins and heavy metals like a sponge, so you have to grow it on the right water. 

It also destroys native ecosystems by blocking out sunlight. Once it is introduced it's impossible to get rid of. A single tiny plant can take over a whole pond like the flood from Halo. 

[BlueOak]

29 minutes ago, Basman said:

I also watched that video and I thought it was a bit exageratory, so I did some more research.

It absorbs toxins and heavy metals like a sponge, so you have to grow it on the right water. 

It also destroys native ecosystems by blocking out sunlight. Once it is introduced it's impossible to get rid of. A single tiny plant can take over a whole pond like the flood from Halo. 

Yes it purifies the water you put it in. Which is another good property of it.
But like any plant if you put toxins in it, you get junk out.

This is no different to any plant you want to eat, only it has the added bonus of being able to purify as well, and being extremely fast growing. Which is the point. If you put this inland in your own water, you get huge yields. If you put it in some random river, the result is a weed.

Edited yesterday at 01:58 PM by BlueOak

[BlueOak]

Some objective 5.2 GPT Analysis along with countries that would most benefit:
 

Duckweed as a Tool to Reduce Hunger: Climate Limits and Realistic Potential

There is a recurring claim that duckweed can double its mass every two days and reach ~46% protein when dried. These claims are largely accurate under optimal conditions and warrant serious discussion regarding its role in food security.

Biological facts (well-supported):

• Several duckweed species (Lemna, Wolffia, Spirodela) can double biomass in ~24–48 hours under ideal conditions.
• Dried duckweed commonly contains 40–46% protein by dry weight.
• It contains all essential amino acids, with relatively high lysine compared to cereal crops.
• Growth requires still or slow-moving freshwater and adequate nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus).

Climates where duckweed grows well

Tropical climates (optimal)
Temperature: ~20–35 °C

Examples: Sub-Saharan Africa (non-arid zones), Southeast Asia, parts of Latin America

Advantages:

• Year-round growth
• No winter die-off
• Highest protein yields per area
• Subtropical climates

Temperature: ~10–30 °C

Examples: India, southern China, northern Africa, southern US

• Seasonal slowdown but reliable production most of the year
• Warm temperate climates (seasonal)

Temperature: ~5–25 °C

Examples: Europe, northern US, East Asia

• Strong summer growth
• Winter dormancy or die-back; not year-round without indoor systems

Climates and conditions where duckweed struggles or fails

Cold climates
Sustained temperatures below ~5 °C

• Growth halts; surface freezing kills biomass
• Only dormant survival, not productive cultivation

Arid and semi-arid regions (without infrastructure)

• Duckweed requires standing freshwater
• High evaporation and water scarcity limit feasibility
• Can work only with wastewater reuse or lined ponds

Saline or brackish water

• Duckweed is not salt-tolerant
• Unsuitable for coastal or saline aquifers
• Fast-moving water
• Rivers and flood channels prevent biomass accumulation

Why duckweed is promising for hunger reduction

• Extremely high protein yield per unit area (higher than soy, maize, wheat, or rice)
• No soil required
• Minimal land footprint
• Can grow on nutrient-rich wastewater
• Rapid harvest cycles (days, not months)

Best applications:

• Protein supplementation (not a sole food source)
• Animal feed to boost meat, egg, and fish production
• Dried protein powder for emergency nutrition

Why duckweed is not a standalone solution to famine

The limiting factors are not biological but structural:

• Cultural acceptance varies widely
• Requires processing (washing, drying) to be safe
• Accumulates heavy metals if grown in polluted water
• Needs basic infrastructure for storage and distribution
• Most famines are driven by conflict, governance failure, or distribution breakdown—not absolute food scarcity

Bottom line

Duckweed is biologically exceptional and climatically viable in many famine-prone tropical regions. However, it is not a silver bullet. It is best understood as a high-efficiency protein tool that can strengthen food systems where water access, governance, and basic infrastructure exist.

Used correctly, duckweed can reduce vulnerability to hunger. Used alone, it cannot solve famine.

Countries that would most benefit

Nigeria

• Largest population in Africa
• Extensive freshwater systems (Niger Basin)
• High protein deficiency rates
• Even modest supplementation would affect tens of millions

Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Abundant freshwater and ideal climate
• Chronic food insecurity driven by conflict, not land scarcity
• Duckweed could provide decentralized nutrition in unstable regions

Ethiopia

• Large population facing recurrent food crises
• Highland limits exist, but lowland and wastewater systems are viable
• Strong gains as protein supplement during drought cycles

Uganda

• Dense freshwater access (Lake Victoria basin)
• Existing aquaculture sector (duckweed fits naturally as feed + food)
• High feasibility relative to neighbors

Kenya

• Strong urban wastewater reuse potential
• Useful especially in informal settlements and peri-urban zones

South Asia (population density + protein deficits)

India

• One of the world’s largest undernourished populations
• Subtropical climate ideal for duckweed
• Extensive irrigation canals, ponds, and wastewater streams
• Cultural barriers exist but are not prohibitive

Bangladesh

• Near-perfect climate and hydrology
• Chronic land scarcity but abundant water
• Duckweed already known locally in some areas
• Extremely high protein-per-hectare payoff

Pakistan

• Significant malnutrition burden
• Viable in canal systems and wastewater ponds
• Best used as animal feed multiplier and supplement

Southeast Asia (high feasibility, fast scaling)

Indonesia

• Tropical climate, abundant water
• Decentralized island geography favors local protein production
• Strong fit for aquaculture integration

Philippines

• High food import dependence
• Duckweed can boost domestic protein resilience
• Strong compatibility with fish farming

Vietnam

• Mekong Delta provides ideal conditions
• High institutional capacity for agricultural scaling
• Fast adoption potential
• Latin America (lower hunger rates, high efficiency)

Brazil

• Hunger exists in pockets, not nationwide
• Duckweed could significantly aid poor northern and urban regions
• Strong wastewater-to-nutrition potential

Haiti

• Severe food insecurity
• Suitable climate
• Infrastructure constraints are the main barrier, not biology

⚖️ Key analytical clarification

Duckweed would not “end world hunger” even if adopted everywhere.

However:

• In the countries above, protein availability—not calories—is often the binding constraint.
• Duckweed directly addresses that constraint at unprecedented efficiency.
• If implemented at scale, it could reduce global undernourishment by tens to hundreds of millions, especially among children.

🧠 Bottom-line judgment (strictly analytical)

• Biology: Excellent
• Climate fit: Strong in most hunger-affected regions
• Impact potential: High but uneven
• Main obstacles: Governance, conflict, infrastructure, cultural acceptance
• Duckweed is best understood as a force multiplier for food systems, not a replacement for them.

[Basman]

Regulations will have to be strict, but that is true of any food product.

[Jannes]

Sounds good in theory, what are some actual recipes though? If you wanna get that protein you gotta consume a lot of it. 

[Hojo]

French fries are.

[NewKidOnTheBlock]

Wow, I've literaly never heard of it, how is it even possible that such an innocuous and tiny looking plant is so fuckin protein dense in dry weight, it shouldn't be possible or make sense and yet it's true. Damn.

Wonder if all species are edible or it doesn't matter, also wonder if I can just personally grow them on a small scale indoors, by putting them on a watery pot or something like that. Since they would grow so quickly, it would be something like nutritrional version of a perpetual motion machine

[Basman]

2 hours ago, NewKidOnTheBlock said:

Wow, I've literaly never heard of it, how is it even possible that such an innocuous and tiny looking plant is so fuckin protein dense in dry weight, it shouldn't be possible or make sense and yet it's true. Damn.

Wonder if all species are edible or it doesn't matter, also wonder if I can just personally grow them on a small scale indoors, by putting them on a watery pot or something like that. Since they would grow so quickly, it would be something like nutritrional version of a perpetual motion machine

You can buy them from pet shops I believe. Aquarium bros use them for their fish, but be careful. Apparently there is some bacteria in the duckweed that has been near fish. 

[Hojo]

Why hasn't it taken over all the oceans? Throw a couple hundred plants in the ocean and we have fresh ocean water in a couple months.

Edited 12 hours ago by Hojo

[BlueOak]

15 hours ago, Basman said:

You can buy them from pet shops I believe. Aquarium bros use them for their fish, but be careful. Apparently there is some bacteria in the duckweed that has been near fish. 

Yes they say to grow them in clean water, not use it direct from pet shop tanks. I saw a comment on exactly that. So if you take them out of tanks, give them some time reproducing in clean water afterwards, clear most of it and then you've got a fresh batch. 

Here is a better guide:
https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Duckweed

Disinfect the duckweed with potassium permanganate when you've first bought it. Apparently you can purchase it directly also.
 

17 hours ago, NewKidOnTheBlock said:

Wow, I've literaly never heard of it, how is it even possible that such an innocuous and tiny looking plant is so fuckin protein dense in dry weight, it shouldn't be possible or make sense and yet it's true. Damn.

Wonder if all species are edible or it doesn't matter, also wonder if I can just personally grow them on a small scale indoors, by putting them on a watery pot or something like that. Since they would grow so quickly, it would be something like nutritrional version of a perpetual motion machine

Yes people supplement their food sources with it and farmers are beginning to see the benefits also. Its perfectly possible to grow a lot very quickly in your back garden, turning it into shakes or using it as a meal supplement. I am considering launching a business using it, it's one option on my mind, but there are many hurdles to selling it, as the video mentions.

@Jannes

Here is an example recipe from a chef for a salad

https://zareflytrap.com/duckweed-recipes/

Here is another for pasta:

https://triplemethodrecipes.blogspot.com/2025/12/eat-well-recipe-duckweed-pesto-pasta.html

And here is a shake:
https://www.vinatura.store/blogs/articles/duckweed-shake-recipes

Edited 3 hours ago by BlueOak

[BlueOak]

2 hours ago, Hojo said:

Why hasn't it taken over all the oceans? Throw a couple hundred plants in the ocean and we have fresh ocean water in a couple months.

It does not do well in saltwater.

[Hojo]

@BlueOakSeems like a good plant to GMO that into. Maybe not.

 

[BlueOak]

32 minutes ago, Hojo said:

@BlueOakSeems like a good plant to GMO that into. Maybe not.

 

Although it would get eaten, and we might get more fish. I imagine a great green tidal wave of GMO duckweed. It doubles every 24-48 hours. Nothing could eat all of that. Unless it somehow was engineered to perish quickly also.

Edited 9 hours ago by BlueOak

[Hojo]

@BlueOakYea it might kill all the fish. Could be the worst idea ever thought of.

Edited 8 hours ago by Hojo

[Basman]

I bet there's a market for a cheaper (and vegan) alternative to whey. 

[NewKidOnTheBlock]

7 hours ago, BlueOak said:

I am considering launching a business using it, it's one option on my mind, but there are many hurdles to selling it, as the video mentions.

On the contrary, the barier to entry would be practically non existant in such a business, so you wouldn't make any money. Same with opening coffee places nowadays - unless you don't sell only coffee

Edited 2 hours ago by NewKidOnTheBlock

[BlueOak]

1 minute ago, NewKidOnTheBlock said:

On the contrary, the barier to entry would be practically non existant in such a business, so you wouldn't make any money. Same with opening coffee shops nowadays - unless you don't sell only coffee

I agree. 
But there are several problems you'd have to overcome to get this to market effectively.

Not least of which starts with the appeal of the product itself in modern culture. These sorts of things would create the barrier to a successful business.