The decrease in nutritional values in fruit and vegetables

May 4, 2022

Several studies have come to the same conclusion: fruits and vegetables contain fewer nutrients than they did fifty years ago. What are the causes of this and how do we tackle this problem? We discuss it in this blog.

Fewer vitamins and minerals

Various studies indicate a large decrease in vitamins in fruit and vegetables. Research by the Swiss company Geigly showed that the broccoli from 1985 contained no less than 73% more calcium than the broccoli from 2002. The magnesium content in carrots also appeared to have decreased by 71% during this period.

Ronald Davis, professor at the University of Texas, decided to measure an average decrease in different fruits and vegetables. He noted, among other things, a 6% decrease in proteins, 16% in calcium, 18% in vitamin A and 38% in vitamin B2.

Causes of decrease

Fruits and vegetables are grown differently than they were 50 years ago. We use more pesticides and consumers are becoming increasingly critical of smell, color and taste: A bent cucumber is no longer acceptable. Below we discuss the main causes of the nutritional decline in fruit and vegetables.

Soil depletion

Soil depletion has various causes. The main cause is the decline in agricultural land. Because farmers have to grow a crop time and again on the same piece of land, the soil does not have to recover time. A second important cause is manure injection. Through fertilizer injection, the nutrients seem to disappear from the soil due the negative influence on biodiversity in the soil.

Addition of minerals

Crops are fertilized with minerals that support the plant in question. For example, a raspberry plant is fertilized with extra phosphorus, so that the plant climbs higher faster. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, one extra mineral or vitamin can throw the overall balance upside down. For example, the extra phosphorus in the raspberry plant causes a reduction in calcium, magnesium and potassium.

Bigger, bigger, bigger!

A large pear is more expensive than a small pear. As a result, farmers spend a lot of time growing large plants. This results in large fruit with a high water percentage. So you eat more pear, with fewer nutrients.

Seed manipulation

An apple with a dent? We don’t do that anymore! We prefer to buy fruits and vegetables that look perfect. Knowing this, the farmer uses improved (manipulated) seeds. These seeds contain good properties for optimal sales. Flavor and looks are a priority, nutrients are an afterthought.

Unripe harvesting

People used to eat seasonally: asparagus in the spring, kale in the winter. Today we eat what we want, when we want. This is possible due to large, worldwide imports. Because fruits and vegetables have to travel a long way, they are picked unripe. The products develop during the journey so that they are ripe on the shelves. Because the vegetables are picked unripe, they do not achieve their optimal nutritional value.

Our solution

Due to the large decrease in nutrients, a serving of 200 grams of fruit and vegetables per day is no longer sufficient. Our advice is to eat more vegetables and to alternate a lot. So don’t eat an apple every day, but alternate with pears, oranges and bananas. Do not only eat vegetables with dinner, but also during lunch. Do you find it difficult to eat enough fruit and vegetables or do you want extra support for your body? Then a high-quality food supplement from MySup is a good addition to a healthy diet.

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