The Secret To Restoring Nutrient Density In Food

Over the past 60 years, scientists have noticed alarming changes in the nutrient values of the food we eat. A popular article, Mineral Depletion of Foods

- Carin Venter

Available to Us as a Nation (1940 – 2002) – a Review of the 6th Edition of McCance and Widdowson, discusses these changes in detail. It shows that the nutrient levels in food have decreased between 10 and 100%.

Table 1 illustrates the significant decline in essential minerals in roast chicken between 1940 and 2002. Closer inspection reveals how levels of potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and iron declined significantly between 1940 and 1991. Between 1991 and 2002 trace elements either increased or remained stable.

Maintaining healthy soil is a sure-fire way to increase the nutrient density of food. Soil without living organisms serves no purpose for growers, which is why it is important to balance its chemistry, physical structure and biology. Unfortunately, some land-use operations, such as industrial agricultural practices, mining, and construction and development, tend to harm soil quality.

Common causes of soil damage include long-term chronic toxicity, pollution due to irresponsible or unbalanced application of herbicides, irrigation and drainage, grazing, tillage, fertilisers or contaminants. Pesticides and insecticides that damage macrofauna (animals that are 1cm or longer in length, but smaller than an earthworm) in the soil can also harm its health and calls into question whether it is possible to revive dead or damaged soil.

Diagnosing soil problems

Dawie van Rensburg of SWP AGRI believes that soil can be revived by following a few crucial steps. He says the process begins with evaluating photosynthesis, making a checklist to measure the soil’s ‘vital signs’, diagnosing the problem, determining which treatment is required and taking responsibility for the environment.