Why bother with homegrown organic? Because you’ll be getting more nutritious food.
A study was published in HortScience, 2009, “Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Comoposition,” which shows that commercially grown vegetables, fruits, and grains are now significantly less nutritious than they were just 30 years ago.
Here are some examples: The protein concentration in wheat and barley declined by 30-50% between 1938 and 1990; 45 corn varieties developed between 1920 and 2001, grown side by side, showed that the concentrations of protein, oil, and three amino acids have all declined in the newer varieties; 14 popular wheat varieties have shown a 22-39% decrease in 6 minerals over the past 100 years; and USDA nutrient data shows that the calcium content of broccoli averaged 12.9 mg/gram of dry weight in 1950, but only 4.4 mg/gram of dry weight in 2003.
Why is this occurring? Two reasons: 1. The environmental dilution effect—researchers have known since the 1940s that yield increases produced by fertilization, irrigation, and other environmental means tends to decrease minerals in those plants. For example, in a study, phosphorus fertilizer was added on raspberries. Yields increased by almost double, with higher levels of phosphorus in the plant, however 8 other minerals declined 20-55%. Therefore, higher yields means cheaper foods, but may also mean lower quality. 2. The genetic dilution effect—this occurs when plant breeders only focus on developing high-yielding varieties (fruits, veggies, and grains with high carbohydrate content) without taking into consideration nutrient content.
So what can we do? From this study, it seems that eating older varieties means that you’re probably getting more nutrients. Therefore, choosing to eat heirloom varieties is a good way to go. Also, using organic methods and slow-releasing fertilizers should help keep homegrown produce nutritious. Lastly, eating fresh food is best, as nutrient content declines as a food is processed.
Taken/paraphrased from Mother Earth News, Vol. 6, Spring 2010
