How fruits and vegetables have changed in the last 60 years
The soil in America today has become nutrient depleted primarily due to the spraying of chemicals, fertilizers, and pesticides over the decades. Modern day conventional farming system does not help and needs to change.
In 2004, the University of Texas studied the US Department of Agriculture nutritional data and their findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. The discoveries are quite ‘sobering’ to say the least.
A team of researchers studied 43 different fruits and vegetables, both from 1950 and 1999. They found a serious decline in the amounts of protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and riboflavin (vitamin B2)!
Donald David, the lead researcher says, “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, but their ability to manufacture or uptake nutrients has not kept pace with their rapid growth.”
Even the Organic Consumers Association confirms nutritional decline within most produce, and question if it could be causing the rapid increase in chronic diseases.
It’s incredibly rare to find farmers who practice traditional gardening, taking care of the soil without any harmful chemicals.
While it is more difficult to find farms with traditional gardening and amazing soil quality, it does not mean that we should forgo any forms of produce. As Davis tells us, “Vegetables are extraordinary rich in nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals. They are still there, and vegetables and fruits are our best sources for these.”
Source: therawfoodworld.com
