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Have Fruits and Vegetables Become Less Nutritious?

R

Robrites

Because of soil depletion, crops grown decades ago were much richer in vitamins and minerals than the varieties most of us get today.

Dear EarthTalk: What’s the nutritional difference between the carrot I ate in 1970 and one I eat today? I’ve heard that that there’s very little nutrition left. Is that true?—Esther G., Newark, N.J.
It would be overkill to say that the carrot you eat today has very little nutrition in it—especially compared to some of the other less healthy foods you likely also eat—but it is true that fruits and vegetables grown decades ago were much richer in vitamins and minerals than the varieties most of us get today. The main culprit in this disturbing nutritional trend is soil depletion: Modern intensive agricultural methods have stripped increasing amounts of nutrients from the soil in which the food we eat grows. Sadly, each successive generation of fast-growing, pest-resistant carrot is truly less good for you than the one before.
A landmark study on the topic by Donald Davis and his team of researchers from the University of Texas (UT) at Austin’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry was published in December 2004 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. They studied U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional data from both 1950 and 1999 for 43 different vegetables and fruits, finding “reliable declines” in the amount of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin C over the past half century. Davis and his colleagues chalk up this declining nutritional content to the preponderance of agricultural practices designed to improve traits (size, growth rate, pest resistance) other than nutrition.
“Efforts to breed new varieties of crops that provide greater yield, pest resistance and climate adaptability have allowed crops to grow bigger and more rapidly,” reported Davis, “but their ability to manufacture or uptake nutrients has not kept pace with their rapid growth.” There have likely been declines in other nutrients, too, he said, such as magnesium, zinc and vitamins B-6 and E, but they were not studied in 1950 and more research is needed to find out how much less we are getting of these key vitamins and minerals.
The Organic Consumers Association cites several other studies with similar findings: A Kushi Institute analysis of nutrient data from 1975 to 1997 found that average calcium levels in 12 fresh vegetables dropped 27 percent; iron levels 37 percent; vitamin A levels 21 percent, and vitamin C levels 30 percent. A similar study of British nutrient data from 1930 to 1980, published in the British Food Journal,found that in 20 vegetables the average calcium content had declined 19 percent; iron 22 percent; and potassium 14 percent. Yet another study concluded that one would have to eat eight oranges today to derive the same amount of Vitamin A as our grandparents would have gotten from one.
What can be done? The key to healthier produce is healthier soil. Alternating fields between growing seasons to give land time to restore would be one important step. Also, foregoing pesticides and fertilizers in favor of organic growing methods is good for the soil, the produce and its consumers. Those who want to get the most nutritious fruits and vegetables should buy regularly from local organic farmers.
UT’s Davis warns that just because fruits and vegetables aren’t as healthy as they used to be doesn’t mean we should avoid them. “Vegetables are extraordinarily rich in nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals,” he reported. “They are still there, and vegetables and fruits are our best sources for these.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/soil-depletion-and-nutrition-loss/
 

Green Squall

Active member
I've often wondered if organic vegetables from small farms are more nutritious than organic vegetables from mega farms for the same reasons you stated. This just encourages me more to grow you own, shop local and hit up a local farmers market for produce.
 

Betterhaff

Active member
Veteran
I would say the breeding of produce that harvests easily, handles good, ships well, and looks good on the shelf is also part of the equation, especially with today’s logistic capabilities.

Those luscious looking tomatoes that taste like nothing.
 

siftedunity

cant re Member
Veteran
I would say the breeding of produce that harvests easily, handles good, ships well, and looks good on the shelf is also part of the equation, especially with today’s logistic capabilities.

Those luscious looking tomatoes that taste like nothing.
that's true. they are watery. but I wonder if most of the time, its because they harvest them while they are green and then artificially ripen them. rather than ripening on the plant.
 
N

noyd666

your right about these green house vine ripened tomato's, they were tasteless but now somebody has got the smell n taste back into them down here in Tasmania. not to bad at all. years to come nobody will know the taste of good old produce. even the humble spud has changed.
 
N

noyd666

the ones here now are just like the old style , smell n taste,
 

Dropped Cat

Six Gummi Bears and Some Scotch
Veteran
Mucus clogged/lined intestinal tract from over consumption
of super processed "food" prevents/inhibits uptake of much
of the nutritive value of anything eaten by western culture.

So yeah, it's the carrot's fault.

lol

Good thread.
 

bigtacofarmer

Well-known member
Veteran
If you breed fruit and vegetables to look pretty and yield well for enough generations I am sure the nutritional value goes down. Look what happens when a crappy breeder gets ahold of a great strain.
 

troutman

Seed Whore
I agree the food is not the same as when I was a kid.

If you can, grow your own food using Heirloom seeds with organic methods and never look back.
 

Dog Star

Active member
Veteran
Grow tomatoes in black rich humus soil with addition of ripe cow shit and you will again sense taste of a past times... this tomatoes have everything,they are not watery,they have sweetnes,smell,vitamins,minerals,etc...


friend here growed on balcony in 25 liter plastic buckets,mixed sheep manure and good black soil and tomatoes was turbo great.. sweet,sour,full of taste.. like those ones that we remember from before..

while on market if its not season its hard to found good merchendise..
 

troutman

Seed Whore
I actually planted 2 tomatoes plants in the mountain forest last year beside one of my guerilla patches.

I was hoping to have tomatoes grown on land that is about as natural as you can get.

Sadly, I didn't protect them too well and the slugs had a nice feast. :moon:

This year I try again and watch out you slugs as I got your number now.
 

Dog Star

Active member
Veteran
Those food that have good taste is growed in active soil,where beneficial microlife
is in aboundance,that is a main reason that food will taste heavenly...

same rule is for weed...alive soils give better tasting,smelling product than hydro,
soiless,aero,and cocos..

soilmixes are best whithouth aerators.. black chernozyom,red soils,vulcanic soils,
terra pretta type of soils that are closest to black chernozyom.. this kind of mediums
give best product out.. add just wormcastings and some ripe manure like cow,horse,
sheeps.. some mineral part thru granite dust,agro lime,zeolite.. and just add water...

fruits this kind growed cant be bad and they are healthy in same way as our grandfathers
eated,full of nutrients...

but today no much folks grow this way or have chance to grow anything,most of them
in city,living in beton jungle where there is no space for crops or gardening..
and off course most eat industrial food that produces illnesses and lacks in nutes
that our body desperatly needs..

Than there is now those GMO and i reading those fruits and veggies have even less
of vitamins,minerals,nutrients overall..
 

shithawk420

Well-known member
Veteran
I think raised beds are the way to go.I think you can control the soil best that way cause there's probably all kinds of bad stuff in the ground sapping nutrients instead of adding them
 

-BRR-

Member
Mucus clogged/lined intestinal tract from over consumption
of super processed "food" prevents/inhibits uptake of much
of the nutritive value of anything eaten by western culture.

So yeah, it's the carrot's fault.

lol

Good thread.

My digestive system agrees

I think raised beds are the way to go.I think you can control the soil best that way cause there's probably all kinds of bad stuff in the ground sapping nutrients instead of adding them


Great point so much easier to manage.And way more fun.

The high brix thread here and on other forums is really interesting in regards to all this.

And thanks for posting this topic Robrites!

Just think if we could all obtain good tasting veggies conveniently how much more we would preference them over sheight.
 
R

Robrites

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Just think if we could all obtain good tasting veggies conveniently how much more we would preference them over sheight. YEP.

[/FONT]
 
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