Why is it more difficult now to obtain all essential nutrients from a healthy diet than it was 50 years ago? I think modern farming methods have a large part to play in the quality of modern food. Pesticides and other chemicals are commonly used and I don’t believe that we truly know the full effect that these have. However, I do know that soil is generally considered to be deficient in many nutrients essential for health and well-being. But what is the cause of this? With an increased population and a growing demand for food, are the soils being overworked to meet demand? Are pesticides stripping the soils of essential nutrients? And then there is the introduction of genetically modified food in the 1980s (and the ever increasing use in modern day), which again, I don’t believe we know the full extent of the side effects on humans. Studies have shown that animals fed on GM foods showed significantly more health defects than animals fed on a non-GM diet. With regards to the livestock, if they are eating plant based foods which have grown from nutrient deficient soil or GM food, then they themselves may be nutrient deficient. In order for the farmers to maximise profits and feed the ever expanding population, are they keeping their livestock in unsanitary conditions? If so, then the stress of the situation may have negative side effects on the animals, resulting in poor health. These effects are likely to work their way up the food chain into humans. With the evolution of technology, transport and storage, we now have the option to eat food from all over the world, whereas in the 1950s the population was fed on a diet of locally grown foods. So the prospect of eating fresh produce from overseas sounds great, however the longer food is kept in transit/storage or away from its natural environment, the less nutrient dense it becomes. There are also other factors why it’s harder to achieve all nutrients e.g. more active and a sedentary lifestyle, people living longer and the difference in the way foods are processed in modern day. A diet high in processed foods, sugars and grains, saturated fats and salt may reduce the nutrient absorption within the body making it more difficult to achieve a healthy intake of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, aswell as a healthy diet and active lifestyle, with plenty of fresh, organic foods, supplementing with high quality food-based vitamin/mineral supplements may prove to be beneficial. #Feel Supreme
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 10:41:39 +0000
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