nutrients

     Numbers can be useful. Christine Jones, soil scientist, provides these about the recent reductions in nutritional quality of foods.  She compares levels from 1940 with those found in 1991.  27 vegetables show these declines:

copper declined by 76% over that time.

calcium is down 46%

Iron is down 27%

Magnesium down 24%

Potassium is down 16%

In the meats, similar levels are found:

Copper down 24%

Calcium is down 41%

Iron is down 54%

Magnesium is down 10%

Potassium down 16%

Phosphorus down 28%

These are figures from Australia.  Figures here may differ somewhat.  I think the principle concern remains.  Jones does not believe this is primarily a factor of depletion by overuse, however.  She pins the problem on lack of soil life, which is a direct result of our farming practices.  Soil life working with root systems are critical for nutrient uptake. 

This is one more problem we can do something about if we pay attention.