Because of consumer demand, the food industry focus is on producing fruits and vegetables that ship well, not nutrient content. How food is stored and processed has an impact on nutrition. The best defense against nutritionally depleted foods is careful supplementation followed by purchasing fresh foods as close to the source and organically grown whenever feasible.
Getting the most nutrition for every dollar spent is of great concern for those interested in maintaining good health. Yet for the average consumer, the nutrition derived from fresh food dollars has substantially decreased over the past three decades. Why is this happening and what can be done about it?
Everyone wants good nutrition from the foods we eat and we are encouraged to eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Yet in light of the methods used to bring food to our tables, getting even minimal levels of nutrients from the foods we eat can be a challenge. Why is it such a challenge to get good nutrition from our most basic foods?
The answer lies in many of the habits of our modern lifestyle. We no longer live on farms, so our foods often must travel great distances from field to table. Because consumers demand produce with an attractive (read 'perfect') appearance, the food industry focus is on producing fruits and vegetables that ship well, not nutrient content. Picked green in the field and shipped in cold storage, many types of produce that look great in the store fail to produce optimal nutrients that develop only in the ripe state, or lose much of their nutrients in cold dark conditions. Examples of this are tomatoes and lettuce. Vine ripened tomatoes are proven to contain higher levels of beta-carotene, lycopene and soluble fiber than green picked fruit. Lettuce loses up to 46% of certain nutrients within 7 days of cold, dark storage.
Another reason for nutrient poor produce is the very soils they are grown in. Soils throughout North America have been depleted since the 'dust bowl' years of the 1930's. Soil depletion is a problem worldwide, because of poor farming methods that take from the soil without returning the minerals vital to good health. Modern methods replace only the minerals necessary for good plant growth, not trace minerals essential for human health. Although this trend is beginning to be reversed by today's organic farmer's careful cultivation of the soil, depletion continues to be a problem throughout the world with little attention paid to the contribution of trace minerals to good health.
How food is stored on the grocery shelf also has an impact on nutrition. Tomato juice retains vitamin C better in cans than in glass containers, whereas orange juice retains its vitamin C better in glass than plastic or glass containers. Vitamin K as well as some B vitamins is depleted by exposure to light, including fluorescent light present in grocery stores. For example, enriched pastas can lose up to 80% riboflavin content if stored in lighted conditions for just 12 weeks.
Other factors that influence nutritional quality of fresh fruits and vegetables include washing, preparation (chopping, slicing, etc.), and cooking and storage methods in the home. There are too many known variables in preserving food nutritional quality to list in this brief article. Yet, very little research has been done to fully determine nutrient losses in our modern food system.
There is a very good source available which summarizes much of what is known. Written by Jane Ramberg, MS and Bill McAnalley, PhD and titled, "From Farm to the Kitchen Table: A Review of the Nutrient Losses in Foods", published in the Glycoscience & Nutrition journal, September 1, 2002 issue, volume 3, number 5, this informative summary is the basis for information provided in this article. Anyone who desires a free copy of the entire summary may obtain one by contacting the author at the source listed in the author's bio.
The best defense against nutritionally depleted foods is careful supplementation followed by purchasing fresh foods as close to the source and organically grown whenever feasible. Maximizing your nutrition dollar by getting optimal nutrition from all sources is your best offensive move for maintaining good health.
Karen Walker is a home business consultant specializing in the health and wellness industry.
http://www.newamericanfamily.com
eMail to: http://www.newamericanfamily.com
efficient cleaning crew Highland Park ..Each and every person living in the UK is... Read More
With so many people concerned about natural and organic foods... Read More
Fruit Advantage Tart Cherry capsules are a nutritious, all-natural alternative... Read More
Fad diets have been around for more than 50 years... Read More
You can spot a juicer a mile off at the... Read More
You are a mineral bodyEvery part of you is made... Read More
Health food or heart attack on a plate? Eggs had... Read More
The concept isometric has been a part of the health... Read More
I know you've heard this many times - "Drink more... Read More
East Meets WestAsian cultures have realized the medical benefits of... Read More
When you actually sit down and think about it, bottled... Read More
It seems as if the health of America is failing.... Read More
Cherries?A Supercharged FruitThe little red fruit that has been enjoyed... Read More
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed.... Read More
Coconut oil is less known compare to olive oil, corn... Read More
As you've probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very... Read More
Heart disease results when plaque builds up inside the arterial... Read More
What is health? Everyone wants this thing called health, and... Read More
A fictional overheard conversation at a Thelma's Fine Dining.Hi, I'm... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
In this newsletter we will discuss the current controversy about... Read More
Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer... Read More
1. Water. If you're thirsty you're already dehydrated. The majority... Read More
"It's not what you eat, it's what's eating you that... Read More
All carbohydrates are not the same. Generally it is assumed... Read More
scheduled maid service Park Ridge ..Today's tip is on hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).Hypoglycemia affects both... Read More
"You are what you eat."Does it sound familiar? You probably... Read More
Salt is vital for our health. Right now, you have... Read More
I know that the headline is a oldie, but it... Read More
Dieting is a pain. I think basically everyone would agree... Read More
What if you could actually slow your rate of aging,... Read More
Cholesterol is present in our bodies by one of two... Read More
Meal replacements have been part of the diet landscape for... Read More
All carbohydrates are not the same. Generally it is assumed... Read More
Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the... Read More
One way to combat the boredom many people complain accompanies... Read More
Whether you're concerned about cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or simply... Read More
With all the news about Splenda of late and the... Read More
Recently I found the book : "Eating and health according... Read More
Are there any benefits to be obtained from drinking water... Read More
The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992,... Read More
The Immune System is probably the most important system in... Read More
If you have a business trip tomorrow morning, you've probably... Read More
You would probably think that I was writing a lot... Read More
Unhealthy eating is a harmful problem in America, and contrary... Read More
Glowing skin comes free of charge to you. Our simple... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat when you... Read More
What is the Atkins diet and how can it help... Read More
With the array of different diets and diet foods available... Read More
Nature works mostly on the principle of thing and no... Read More
Nutrition |