When we eat a carrot or apple today are we getting all the nutrients we have been told the food contains? The answer is no. According to the data collected by the USDA (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture), today we would need to eat five apples to get all the same nutrients that one apple contained in 1965. The same USDA data reported significant loss of minerals in both vegetables and fruits between 1940 and 1991. Some of the mineral reductions in vegetables and fruits were reported as below.
(Mineral Reductions from 1940 to 1991)
Vegetables
- Potassium: -16%
- Magnesium; -24%
- Calcium; -46%
- Zinc: -59%
- Copper -76%
- Iron: -27%
- Sodium: -49
Fruits
- Potassium: -19%
- Magnesium; -16%
- Calcium; -16%
- Zinc: -27%
- Copper -20%
- Iron: -20%
- Sodium: -29
Many factors contribute to this loss of nutrient content. These factors include modern farm methods, soil depletion, the use of pesticides and herbicides, and imbalanced fertilizers.
