Diet v Nutrients

Why your diet doesn’t supply enough micronutrients

The increased demand for food and the growing populations’ reduction of arable land has resulted in overuse of soils. The consequence of this has been substantial loss of overall food quality.

Studies conducted by the United States government, USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory have demonstrated a decline of up to 50% in many minerals, vitamins and other nutrients sourced from fruits and vegetables over the last 100 years.[1] The UK has also noticed similar depletion levels in its standard foods. A report published by the Food Commission found that since 1940 UK foods; fruits, vegetables, meat and dairy products have lost substantial mineral concentrations. They concluded that if you are eating the same key foods today as those eaten in 1940 you will be consuming between 10% and 70% less essential minerals with each meal.[2]

This problem is then compounded by the fact that people do not eat the daily recommended dose of 7 full servings of multicoloured fruits and vegetables per day.[3] Add in drinking, smoking, preservatives, food additives, UV radiation, cooking, refined carbohydrates, bad fats, and medicines depleting micronutrients and it can quickly be understood how nutrient deficiencies can develop.

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[1] USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy Release.

[2] Meat and Dairy: Where have all our minerals gone?

[3] Oyebode O, Gordon-Dseagu V, Walker A, Mindell J. Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality: analysis of Health Survey for England data. J Epidemiol Community Health Published Online First: [31 March 2014]