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
detailed home cleaning Lake Forest ..Several years ago, Marilyn M. couldn't even spell fibromyalgia.Now she... Read More
Salt was used long before recorded history began. One of... Read More
A green and lush oasis in the middle of a... Read More
I read a lot about the topics of health and... Read More
The Benefits of SnackingYou may feel regretful about snacking, but... Read More
I confess: I'm completely addicted to Pringles. My determination weakens... Read More
Fats (triacylglycerols) ...Some basic terminology ...fat or fatty acid ...In... Read More
Heart Disease remains the number one cause of death in... Read More
After we have eaten a meal -- and often we... Read More
With the array of different diets and diet foods available... Read More
Nutrition has everything to do with health. This isn't news,... Read More
Post nasal drip is a sensation of mucous build up... Read More
Following these simple nutrition guidelines will allow you to lose... Read More
Whether you're concerned about cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or simply... Read More
Did you know that there might be poison in many... Read More
Have you seen those "fat free" foods in supermarkets? Have... Read More
You can trust me that I make sure to take... Read More
People who consume too much alcohol have good chance of... Read More
The nutritional support in critically ill patients can be explained... Read More
Enzymes are the workers in our body that make everything... Read More
Summer brings a lot of fantastic things with it, but... Read More
Constipation is a condition whereby the fecal matter traveling through... Read More
Salt is vital for our health. Right now, you have... Read More
Whenever possible, we should try to get our antioxidants and... Read More
I'm 40-something years old, and for 40-something years breakfast has... Read More
trusted cleaning company Des Plaines ..Please feel free to comment, so that the article may... Read More
Nature works mostly on the principle of thing and no... Read More
While there are many effective ways to get more energy... Read More
When you actually sit down and think about it, bottled... Read More
Toxic metals exist in our environment as pollutants in our... Read More
Despite the fact that accurate nutrition information can be accessed... Read More
If you're looking for a power-packed entr?e or soup to... Read More
The field of nutrition is awash with charts, tables, diagrams,... Read More
Millions of people around the UK consume dairy products on... Read More
Get back to the basics - eat fresh at home... Read More
As you've probably heard before, your post-workout meal may very... Read More
Incorporating these fat loss tips will improve your nutrition program.... Read More
The Omega Zone Diet and specialists' opinion"Omega RX Zone -... Read More
In health circles there has been much recent talk about... Read More
If you do not take time to stand back at... Read More
The topic of food additives is not quickly addressed in... Read More
You've heard that old saying: True beauty comes from within.... Read More
Did you know that the food you eat could be... Read More
"To eat an apple before going to bed will make... Read More
Essential Fatty Acids are oils, omega-3 and omega-6, that you... Read More
Instead of Butter: Use top quality, cold pressed, extra virgin... Read More
Are You Half The Man Your Father Was?It is a... Read More
Some people say to themselves, junk food is not that... Read More
Zingiber officinale has been held in the highest regard by... Read More
Most digestive disorders develop because of the bodys inability to... Read More
Nutrition |