Nutrients in Food

“I can get all of my needed nutrients in food. I don’t need to take supplements.” I have heard this many times but is it true? I decided to do a little research because after all… I love to research things!

What I found was startling.

I love a good salad. How about you?

Leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumber, and a little broccoli. Yum.

But did you know that in order to get the same amount of nutrients in food that was present 60 years ago you would need to eat 4-5 times as much? I’m talking a VERY big salad to get the same nutrients our grandparents received from that same salad.

There have been many studies done to determine nutrient values in our food supply. One particular study done by the Kushi Institute of Becket, Massachusetts, showed some pretty crazy results. They found that between 1975 and 1997 the average calcium levels in 12 different fresh vegetables were down by 27%. They also found levels of iron dropped 37%, Vitamin A dropped 21% and vitamin C dropped 30%.

Another study done by the USDA looked at the years 1963-1992. This study found that the nutrients in fresh fruits and vegetables had decreased in nutritional values.

Calcium down 29.82%

Iron down 32.00 %

Magnesium down 21.08%

Phosphorus down 11.09%

Potassium down 6.48%

Why would the nutrients in food be going down?

There is no definitive answer to this question but the 3 main possible causes are:

Soil depletion

The loss of farmland requiring higher yield crops

Genetically modifying the plants

These issues are possibilities but they are widely contested. Many argue that high yield crops are a necessity to provide for the lack of food worldwide. Food is food even if the nutritional content is reduced. Some theorize that when the crops grow as high yield combined with fewer nutrients in the soil the fruits are unable to absorb as many nutrients. We really do not know the answer to these questions as more studies need to be done.