Trace minerals found in fruits and vegetables declining over past 50 years http://rgn.bz/XgFj

Originally shared by Before It's News

Trace minerals found in fruits and vegetables declining over past 50 years http://rgn.bz/XgFj


Fruits and vegetables may not be as nutritious for us as they once were, according to researchers. The main reason for this is farming methods that strip nutrients from both the soil and the produce itself. The result is reduced amounts of trace minerals in the crops.

Aggressive ‘modern’ agricultural methods, genetic manipulation and the use of pesticides all take their toll on our food supply. Each successive generation of fruits and vegetables becomes less healthy than its predecessor. While many crops are grown faster today and are more pest-resistant, there is a price to be paid in terms of the quality of the crop and the level of minerals and other nutrients found inside.

Trace minerals in today’s fruits and vegetables up to 37 percent lower than in 1950

A University of Texas study out of Austin’s Chemistry and Biochemistry Department looked at U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional data gathered from the years 1950 and 1999. The researchers focused on 43 different fruits and vegetables.

The scientists found what they called “reliable declines” in trace minerals and vitamins in these fruits and vegetables over the past five decades, including vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin (vitamin B2), protein and iron. It is likely that there have been declines in zinc, magnesium, vitamins B-6 and vitamin E as well; however, these minerals were not measured in fruits and vegetables in 1950, so there are no markers with which to compare today’s levels. The study results were published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition in December 2004.

More http://rgn.bz/XgFj