Causes of Nutritional Deficiency in this Century

Are you among millions of Americans who are considering turning to disease prevention and self-care? If so, I've waded through massive information to gather real facts, so that you won't have to. I'll address several reasons a healthy diet may not provide adequate vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Why Soil Lacks Minerals and the Role Mineral-deficient Soil Plays in Disease

Poor farming methods and ecological factors contribute to depletion of minerals in soil, such as zinc and selenium. Risks and actual incidents of heart disease escalate in areas where selenium and magnesium levels are reduced in soils . Scientific research supports mortality rates from cancer increase in US counties testing inferior in selenium. Statistics show that death from lung cancer, cervix, breast, rectum, bladder and esophagus cancer rise concurrently in counties with lower levels of selenium. In a report published in "The Journal of the American College of Nutrition", evidence shows reduced levels of six valuable nutrients examined in vegetables and fruits, grown in mineral-deficient soils. These include: vitamin C, potassium, iron, calcium, protein and riboflavin . Researchers at University of Texas reported a steady decline in vitamins and minerals in US soil from the 1950s to present. Broccoli is an excellent example. You and I expect broccoli to be a calcium-rich vegetable. Commercial growers are touting a hybrid version of broccoli named "Marathon". According to the USDA, Marathon tests approximately 1/3 lower in calcium and magnesium than other available hybrid versions of broccoli. All broccoli hybrids test around 50% lower in calcium than amounts listed in the USDA database dated 1998! You do the math!

Freshness of Food Products

You may have given little thought to methods commercial fruits and vegetables are ripened. This is a must-know piece of the puzzle in order to understand how producers manipulate Mother Nature. You are aware that in order to prevent bruising, some fruits are shipped while they are still green.

From tree to table it's not uncommon for bananas to linger in a "ripening room" for days to weeks. Tree ripened bananas get nature's message to produce Ethylene gas at the correct time. The gas signals natural enzymes to get busy with it and ripen the bananas.

Artificial ripening can cause to neurological disorders

Ethylene can be controlled in the ripening room by artificially applying this gas. While Ethylene is safe when handled by nature, when man manipulates such ripening gases, food becomes carcinogenic and potentially contains arsenic. Some vendors use insecticides or kerosene stoves to hasten ripening. Artificial ripening processes can lead to neurological disorders.

Premature Picking Results in Nutrient Loss

A study of blackberries by Oregon State University researchers concluded when picked while green, the berries contained 74mg anthocyanins (antioxidant flavonoids). In comparison, blackberries ripened on the vine contained 317mg. Polyphenols (antioxidants from plant foods) are under-developed when produce is prematurely picked. Carotenoids (precursor to vitamin A antioxidants) are depleted when tomatoes are prematurely picked, as they receive inadequate sunlight.

Synthetic Fertilizer

Synthetic fertilizers deplete soil

Manure is seldom used as fertilizer these days, excepting by organic farmers. Commercial growers' dependency upon synthetic fertilizers is suspected to be a leading causative of soil depletion. Synthetic fertilizer does not contain the trace elements manure provided. Phosphates in commercial fertilizer stimulate growth, but subsequently deplete soil of valuable nutrients.

Researchers report organic produce contains appreciably higher amounts of enzymes, antioxidants and polyphenols, compared to those commercially grown.

Health Highlight to Ponder: Biofortification

Genetic modification of food poses conundrum for food growers.

In vain efforts to compensate for vitamin loss, commercial producers are forcing vegetables and fruits to generate nutrients with foreign genes. In consequence, scientists are isolating alien compounds in plants that human eyes have never seen.

Tomatoes are a prime illustration of biofortification. To counteract lower folate (member of B-complex) levels in tomatoes, commercial growers are forcing plants to ramp-up production of folate.

The fortified tomato doesn't contain PABA, which helps form folate. Their rather desperate attempt to solve the conundrum is to saturate plants with PABA. Truth really is stranger than fiction, isn't it?

Varying Bioavailability

Dietary bioavailability of nutrients simply means which of the nutrients existing in a particular food is available for our bodies to readily absorb and utilize. Bioavailability of certain nutrients varies in vegetables, which partially accounts for American's deficiency in essential vitamins and minerals.

In a study of participants who had eaten spinach, plasma levels of beta-carotene didn't change. This surprised me, since spinach contains 10 times the amount of beta-carotene of green peas or broccoli.

However, plasma folate levels of study participants improved considerably after eating their spinach. The degrees of folate didn't increase at all after consuming green peas or broccoli.

This proves that bioavailability of folate varies considerably in different foods. In order for the body to utilize folate correctly, it first changes folates into bioavailable form or folic acid for absorption to take place.

High-folates in foods like tomatoes or legumes may not be bioavailable.

A great deal of the time, you simply cannot expect to obtain enough nutrients from food alone.

A good example is the role cruciferous vegetables play in disease prevention. Numerous studies have shown phytonutrients contained in Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, etc. fight skin cancer, breast and vaginal cancer. But, to protect yourself from these cancers, you'd need to eat in excess of one pound of cruciferous vegetables every day!

Even if you could consume this outrageous quantity of cabbage, soil conditions enter in, causing varying nutrient levels.

Cooking and Over Processing

I've long suspected that processing, freezing and cooking could strip vital nutrients from food. But, I didn't know that the cooking process contributes to aging!

The scientific name for lost nutrients is the Maillard reaction. Cooking appears to effect milk products significantly. When milk products are heated-up, lysine levels plummet. Lysine is one of the essential amino acids. Ultimately, the Maillard reaction will decrease amounts of vitamins B1, B6, B12 as well as methionine and tryptophan.

Canned foods lose nutrients

When fresh or canned foods are processed, frozen or cooked, healthy vitamins are destroyed. For instance, during the sterilization process, canned meats and vegetables are subject to lose 50-100% of their vitamin A content. Even more shocking, all vitamin A is lost after 3-5 years in storage, according to one study. Also, panthothenic acid is reduced 50%; thiamin and niacin 25%. On the upside, folic acid Increased 50% following sterilization, but researchers allowed cooking would probably defeat the gain.

Researchers studied vegetable soup and found that after cooking it, fish, cauliflower and beefsteak didn't retain any folic acid.

Other vitamins are at risk as well. Freezing Brussels sprouts for six months reduced vitamin C by 14-32%. After boiling, vitamin C declined an additional 30-39%. In comparison with raw Brussels sprouts, the end product only retained 33-48% of its vitamin C.

Confirmed by a different study, thiamin content remaining after cooking foods such as rice or green vegetables was a mere 50-60% of expected nutrient values.

Are you nursing your infant? I was astounded to leran when human breast milk is stored about two hours, 73-79% of gluthathione is lost! Gluthathione is an essential antioxidant within body cells that neutralizes free radicals.

Poor Diet and Poor Digestion

For over 30 years, the US Government has sponsored a study to improve the health of Americans. Based on clearly defined goals and objectives, health indicators are reviewed in 10-year increments. Now that over 72 million Americans are obese, it's not a shocker to learn that improving diets lacking in fruits and vegetables is a health indicator.

However, I was shocked to find, according to "Healthy People 2010", not even one state met dietary goal requirements!

Guidelines suggest 5 or more vegetables per day Only 3% of Americans eat 3 servings of vegetables per day Only 28% eat 2 servings of fruit per day

Among people who eat a healthy diet, 50% of Americans produce insufficient stomach acid.

One half of US population doesn't produce enough stomach acid

This results in:

Poor absorption rate of nutrients Increased inflammation Overproduction of harmful bacteria in stomach, such as yeast Bloating and pain potentially leading to depression Deficiencies in Vitamin B complex are often a culprit.

Negative habits, such as smoking and weight loss programs based on drastic calorie restrictions can create a nutrient deficiency. Medical conditions such as insomnia, chronic stress and hormonal imbalance are also factors.

Health Highlight to Ponder: Environmental Toxins

The Green Revolution is in full-force. I applaud your efforts to help clean-up our planet. I'd suggest that you perform an in-depth investigation about harmful effects environmental toxins pose to human health.

For example, Dr. Mark Schauss exposes numerous toxins in his book, "Achieving Victory Over a Toxic World". Of great interest to me, is a study of white-collar workers whose blood profiles were tested. Over 100 chemicals were isolated in their blood. None of these toxins existed on earth 40-years ago!

Become an avid reader of food labels. You'll routinely find MSG, sodium nitrate and aspartame listed. All are toxic substances. Pesticides are dangerous to human health. Conscious awareness is your best defense!