The diminishing nutritional content of todays fruit and vegetables.
You would think that with the aid of modern agricultural technology that the food we eat would be more nutritious than ever. Unfortunately this is not the case. In many instances, the opposite has eventuated. Consider the following information depicting the decline in mineral content since the widespread adoption of manufactured NPK soluble fertilisers.
Source: The Nutritional Practitioner, vol3(july2001) and The Daily Mirror (Monday March 5th 2001) / Diminishing Nutritional Values of Australian grown fruit and vegetables, C.S.I.R.O Australian 1948 - 1991
| FOOD | FOOD VALUE | 1948 | 1991 | DECREASE | |
| 100 g Artichoke | Magnesium | 27.2mg | 17mg | 37.5% | |
| Calcium | 43.5mg | 29mg | 33.3% | ||
Asparagus | Calcium | 25.8mg | 10mg | 61.2% | |
Butterbeans | Protein | 19.2% | 2.3% | 88.0% | |
Broccoli | Magnesium | 160mg | 29mg | 81.9% | |
Carrots | Sodium
Beta carotene | 95mg as high as 25,000iu | 41mg as low as 91iu | 56.8%
99.96% | |
Potatoes | Potassium Calcium Iron | 650mg 27mg 2mg | 450mg 3mg 0.5mg | 30.8% 88.9% 75.0% | |
Apples | Vitamin C | 25mg | 5mg | 80.0% |
Source: The Nutritional Practitioner, vol3(july2001) and The Daily Mirror (Monday March 5th 2001) / Diminishing Nutritional Values of Australian grown fruit and vegetables, C.S.I.R.O Australian 1948 - 1991
Example 2
UK Study published in the British Food Journal, 1997, compared the mineral content of fruit and vegetables between 1930s - 1980s. The researches found that there was a significant reduction in calcium, magnesium, iron and copper. The calcium content of vegetables fell 80%, magnesium fell 65% and copper fell 20% from their original 1930s level.
Source:"Soil depletion levels of minerals in Europe at 72% over the last 100 years" 1992 Earth Summit Report.
Example 3
Vegetable Mineral Loss
Avocado Sodium 62%
Carrots Magnesium 75%
Potatoes Phosphorous 47%
Spinach Iron 60%
Source: The Medical Research Council UK 1940 / Royal Society of Chemistry & M.A.D.D 1991