Healthy Food Isn’t Enough?
You are correct if you’re concerned about the quality of the food you’re eating today.
I explain to all of my private clients that even when we eat the best of the best food, we’re still likely experiencing nutrient deficiencies because modern farming has destroyed our soil.
When Tami and I visited Turkey several years ago and ate a tomato were astonished by how flavorful it was. We were like “this is what a tomato is supposed to taste like?” The ones grown here taste likes shadows. It’s like chewing red water.
Here’s a recently published article on the systematic decline in the nutrient density of our food and the consequences that has on the environment and our health
Of course this ends up being really good for the nutraceuticals industry because it’s created a need for supplementation. If we can’t get it from our food then where are we going to get the nutrients we need from?
Some things you can do at home are grow as much as you can, support local growers and farmers, and incorporate high nutrient herbs into your daily diet: a blend of stinging nettle leaves, oat straw, moringa, hibiscus is one of my favs.
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Modern farming techniques since the mid-20th century have led to a dramatic reduction in the nutrient density of common fruits, vegetables, and grains. This includes a significant decline in essential minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, and zinc, with many fruits and vegetables showing up to a 50% loss in mineral content over the last 50-70 years.
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You may have noticed that food today doesn’t taste quite as vibrant or leave you feeling as satisfied. That’s because high-yield varieties of crops, bred to grow faster and resist pests, prioritize quantity over quality, leading to diluted nutrient content. For instance, while apple and potato yields have increased, their nutritional value has dropped significantly.
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Nutrient loss is not just about the crops themselves. The article explains how soil quality has been compromised by the overuse of fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation techniques. These chemicals strip the soil of its natural nutrient reserves and disrupt the balance of microorganisms essential for healthy plant growth.
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The decline in the nutrient content of food has serious health implications. People are consuming more calories but receiving fewer essential nutrients, contributing to the global rise in nutrient deficiencies, including iron, iodine, and zinc shortages, which affect billions of people worldwide.
- The authors recommend strategies such as biofortification (breeding crops for higher nutritional content), organic farming, and soil fertility management to restore the nutritional density of food. It’s also suggested that reviving traditional foods and farming practices can offer more nutrient-rich options compared to the mass-produced crops dominant today.
Link: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10969708/
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