Why You Cannot Solely Rely on Food for Nutrition

 The British government are the only government that I am aware of to have done a study over time on the depletion of the nutrient value of food caused by modern farming methods. The study that I am referring to was started in the 1930's and concluded in the 1990's. The years 1940 and 1992 are of particular importance in the study. A selection of vegetables, fruits and meats from those two particular years were compared in the raw and, where appropriate, cooked states to determine the loss of critical minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc etc. 

A very brief summary of the findings of the losses over this 52 year period is as follows: vegetables lost on average 31% of their mineral content; fruits lost on average 23%; and meats lost on average 30%. There is no reason to suppose this loss of essential nutrients hasn't continued from 1992 to the present time. The reasons for the losses are modern methods involving intensive farming, the mechanisation of farms, fertilizer policy and the use of chemicals and sprays on crops. 

That particular study just related to the state of the land that the selection of vegetables, fruits and meats came from. Whilst the condition of the land from which products are sourced is important, the other variables to consider with food in order to get the best nutritional value from it is: how fresh is it; how is stored; and how is it cooked ? Vital nutrients can be lost with cabbage, for instance, simply by overcooking it. These variables are such that there is no guarantee that you are getting all the nutrients that you need on a daily basis from what you consume.  

If we cannot derive all the vitamins, minerals and fibre we need daily from the food we eat, what can we do to compensate? The answer to that question is to take supplements to make up for the deficiency in the diet. A good way to do this is to take a multi-vitamin and mineral tablet or capsule daily. Most of these contain all the essential vitamins and minerals required to maintain good health, and compensate for any deficiencies in the diet. These tablets or capsules can be obtained from health food shops, from the major supermarkets or can be obtained from suppliers via the Internet.

People concerned about aging could additionally take Brewer’s Yeast on a daily basis which usually comes in tablet form. Brewer’s Yeast is an excellent food supplement containing large amounts of iron, magnesium zinc and other minerals, as well as essential amino acids and all the B vitamins.

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