| Getting the most nutrition for every dollar | | | | farmer's careful cultivation of the soil, |
| spent is of great concern for those | | | | depletion continues to be a problem |
| interested in maintaining good health. Yet | | | | throughout the world with little attention |
| for the average consumer, the nutrition | | | | paid to the contribution of trace minerals to |
| derived from fresh food dollars has | | | | good health. |
| substantially decreased over the past three | | | | |
| decades. Why is this happening and what can | | | | How food is stored on the grocery shelf also |
| be done about it? | | | | has an impact on nutrition. Tomato juice |
| | | | retains vitamin C better in cans than in |
| Everyone wants good nutrition from the foods | | | | glass containers, whereas orange juice |
| we eat and we are encouraged to eat five or | | | | retains its vitamin C better in glass than |
| more servings of fruits and vegetables every | | | | plastic or glass containers. Vitamin K as |
| day. Yet in light of the methods used to | | | | well as some B vitamins is depleted by |
| bring food to our tables, getting even | | | | exposure to light, including fluorescent |
| minimal levels of nutrients from the foods we | | | | light present in grocery stores. For example, |
| eat can be a challenge. Why is it such a | | | | enriched pastas can lose up to 80% riboflavin |
| challenge to get good nutrition from our most | | | | content if stored in lighted conditions for |
| basic foods? | | | | just 12 weeks. |
| | | | |
| The answer lies in many of the habits of our | | | | Other factors that influence nutritional |
| modern lifestyle. We no longer live on farms, | | | | quality of fresh fruits and vegetables |
| so our foods often must travel great | | | | include washing, preparation (chopping, |
| distances from field to table. Because | | | | slicing, etc.), and cooking and storage |
| consumers demand produce with an attractive | | | | methods in the home. There are too many known |
| (read 'perfect') appearance, the food | | | | variables in preserving food nutritional |
| industry focus is on producing fruits and | | | | quality to list in this brief article. Yet, |
| vegetables that ship well, not nutrient | | | | very little research has been done to fully |
| content. Picked green in the field and | | | | determine nutrient losses in our modern food |
| shipped in cold storage, many types of | | | | system. |
| produce that look great in the store fail to | | | | |
| produce optimal nutrients that develop only | | | | There is a very good source available which |
| in the ripe state, or lose much of their | | | | summarizes much of what is known. Written by |
| nutrients in cold dark conditions. Examples | | | | Jane Ramberg, MS and Bill McAnalley, PhD and |
| of this are tomatoes and lettuce. Vine | | | | titled, "From Farm to the Kitchen Table: A |
| ripened tomatoes are proven to contain higher | | | | Review of the Nutrient Losses in Foods", |
| levels of beta-carotene, lycopene and soluble | | | | published in the Glycoscience & Nutrition |
| fiber than green picked fruit. Lettuce loses | | | | journal, September 1, 2002 issue, volume 3, |
| up to 46% of certain nutrients within 7 days | | | | number 5, this informative summary is the |
| of cold, dark storage. | | | | basis for information provided in this |
| | | | article. Anyone who desires a free copy of |
| Another reason for nutrient poor produce is | | | | the entire summary may obtain one by |
| the very soils they are grown in. Soils | | | | contacting the author at the source listed in |
| throughout North America have been depleted | | | | the author's bio. |
| since the 'dust bowl' years of the 1930's. | | | | |
| Soil depletion is a problem worldwide, | | | | The best defense against nutritionally |
| because of poor farming methods that take | | | | depleted foods is careful supplementation |
| from the soil without returning the minerals | | | | followed by purchasing fresh foods as close |
| vital to good health. Modern methods replace | | | | to the source and organically grown whenever |
| only the minerals necessary for good plant | | | | feasible. Maximizing your nutrition dollar by |
| growth, not trace minerals essential for | | | | getting optimal nutrition from all sources is |
| human health. Although this trend is | | | | your best offensive move for maintaining good |
| beginning to be reversed by today's organic | | | | health. |