Studies Show We Need More Vegetables Now than Ever Before

Tuesday, April 28, 2009 by: Sheryl Walters
Tags: vegetables, health news, Natural News

(NewsTarget) Vegetables have been the main stay of our diet for centuries. They have been the back bone of entire countries, offering not only sustenance to its citizens but also a way to make a living through farming and trade. But most important of all they are the main source of many vitamins and minerals that are essential for maintaining a long healthy and fulfilling life, and we need more now than ever before.

The U.S. dietary guide states that we should eat between 2 and 6 cups of vegetables every day. The problem with this is that the recommendation was made around 60 years ago when veggies were considerably smaller than they are today. The rise of the super veggie may sound like a good thing, bigger veggies more vitamins and minerals, but the truth is that it actually has the opposite effect.

Results from tests conducted at the Biochemical Institute at the University of Texas, Austin, seem to show that today's vegetables can be anything from 5-40% lower in nutritional value than in our grandparent's day, and that they are mainly made up of dry matter. This is thought to be due to what is known as the "genetic dilution effect" brought about by selective farming or breeding. In this type of farming growers select their seed specifically to increase their crop size. "When breeders select for high yield, they are, in effect, selecting mostly for high carbohydrate with no assurance that dozens of other nutrients and thousands of phytochemicals will all increase in proportion to yield," says Donald R. Davis research associate with the University of Texas. Another problem comes from the modern day high turnover of cops. In our rush to feed we are simply not leaving the vegetables in the ground long enough to absorb the nutrients from the soil.

There are many people who are still unsure exactly what they get when they cough up the extra money to buy organic food. They are smaller and more expensive, so why would anyone bother? But research shows that there are actually many benefits to buying organic foods. The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association says that organic veggies grown in soil that has been prepared with manure, that is undisturbed and buzzing with microbiotic organisms, creates a healthy soil eco system. This eco system is packed full of the vitamins and minerals that are absorbed in to the veggies making them healthier with a fuller flavor.

The pesticides and other chemicals used in mainstream farming actually destroy this careful balance, therefore producing an inferior product. Buying organically grown local produce can also help the local economy. This is because it takes a higher number of staff to run an organic farm to produce the same yield as a regular farm. But the only way to know exactly what goes in to your veggies is to grow them yourself. Creating a veggie patch can be a very rewarding experience for the whole family and may even save you a few pennies.

news.ycombinator.com/item?id=516155

www.healthcastle.com/organic-produce.shtml

www.scientificblogging.com/jane_poynter/orga...

About the author

Sheryl is a kinesiologist, nutritionist and holistic practitioner.
Her website www.younglivingguide.com provides the latest research on preventing disease, looking naturally gorgeous, and feeling emotionally and physically fabulous. You can also find some of the most powerful super foods on the planet including raw chocolate, purple corn, and many others.