THE SOIL DEPLETION OF
MINERALS IS REAL
The Root of All Disease Chapter 6
Click to play
I am surprised at the number of nutritionists, medical doctors and even some government officials who do not know or want to acknowledge that mineral depletion of our soils have lessened food value. This has prompted me to publish important portions of a report and study done by two prominent English Doctors and Food Scientists, R.A.
McCance and E.M. Widdowson. This is a study on the mineral depletion of the foods available to the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1991. The data used as a basis of this study was published in five editions, initially under the aesthesis of the Medical Research Council (1940) and later, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fishery and Foods, and the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Part of the analysis includes the mineral content in milligrams per 100-gram portion of that food. The analysis provided information on the amounts of Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Phosphorous, Iron, Copper and Sodium. It was found that only certain foods within the categories of Vegetables, Fruits, and cuts of Meat could be readily traced over these 51 years. Comparing data available in 1940 with that in 1991 demonstrates that in every sub-group of foods investigated, there has been a substantial loss in their mineral content.
THEIR Background
In 1926, Dr. R.A. McCance undertook, with a grant from the Medical Research Council, to analyze raw and cooked fruits and vegetables for their total ‘available carbohydrates’. So began a program of analysis which resulted, in 1940, with the publication of the Medical Research Council’s Special Report No: 235 entitled “The Chemical Composition of Foods”. This report represented the culmination of a comprehensive research program on the chemical composition of foods available to the British public. 100 grams of different Vegetables, Fruits, Cereals, Meats, Seafood, Beverages, Beers, Sugars, Preserves, Sweetmeats, Condiments, and Dairy Products were analyzed for their organic and mineral content as well as portions of traditional British food recipes, including Cakes, Pastries, and Puddings.
This, then, was the first determined effort by a number of dedicated Doctors and Food Scientists headed by McCance and Widdowson to establish definitives by which to compare and contrast individual dietary intakes quantitatively. The Medical Research Council subsequently updated this First Edition in 1946 and 1960 as new foods became available, analytical procedures improved, and new information regarding food constituents (e.g., vitamins/amino acids, etc.) were considered as being needed. Over the next 30 years, the need to continually update information resulted in the 4th and 5th Editions, which were published in 1978 and 1991, respectively, under the title of ‘The Composition of Foods,’ this time under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food in conjunction with the Royal Society of Chemistry.
comparing and contrasting
Several variables exist in comparing and contrasting the 1940 figures with the 1991 figures; enough in some instances, such as cereals, to make comparisons meaningless. Equally, a wealth of data variables provides genuine insights into the change in food values over 51 years. For example, the 1940 data often incorporates work published in 1929, 1933, and 1936; similarly, the 5th Edition published in 1991 contains data originating in 1987.
The Food Analysis
In the first Edition, the foods were analyzed for water content, total nitrogen, protein, fat, available carbohydrates, mineral content, and acid-base balance. In the context of this report, only the mineral analysis was of interest and considered. The minerals assayed for were Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium Ca), Phosphorous (P), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Nitrogen (N), and Chlorine (C1). The amounts were recorded in milligrams per 100 grams of the food.
Details such as a description of the food, where it was sourced, how many samples were used, its preparation (who/with peel/top leaves, etc.), and its condition, raw or cooked (and if so, how and for how long), was often recorded for each item of food. In this way, like could be compared to like with regard to the variety of food and the cooking time. With foods where both raw and cooked values were given, the raw value was the one selected.
Added Info
In later Editions, information on the dietary fiber, energy values, and vitamin content of foods was incorporated; the nitrogen content was dropped, and a complete breakdown of the amino acid composition was given. Zinc analysis was conducted in the 1978 Edition, and Selenium, Iodine and Manganese in the 1991 Edition. Obviously, the analytical procedures changed for the years between 1940 and 1991. However, to quote the Forward of the 5th Edition, “The 1940s methods were no less accurate than the modern automated ones, but they took a much longer to analyze”.
Presentation of information; The Vegetables selected represent those that the authors described as being of the same variety, e.g., runner beans (raw) in 1940 with runner beans (raw) in 1991. Many of the vegetables on the original lists were not subsequently analyzed i.e., artichokes, butter beans, celeriac, endive, etc. While others, such as peppers, yam, plantain, okra, garlic, fennel, etc., were only analyzed in later years.
Of the original 28 raw vegetables and 44 cooked vegetables detailed in the 1st Edition, it is found that the change between 1940 and 1991, in what was considered an appropriate time to cook a vegetable, i.e., for broccoli in 1991, it was 15 minutes, and in 1940 it was 45 minutes! Therefore, when comparing the analysis results, it is pertinent to bear this in mind. The MORE minerals in the food, the LONGER it takes to cook.
Fruits
Fruits - 17 fruits were followed through from the 1940 to 1991 editions, and changes in their mineral content were recorded.
Meats
Meats - Comparing Meat, Poultry, and Game (1940) with Meat and Meat products (1991), surprisingly, only ten items were readily comparable. This situation was created, to quote from Edition 5, “The conformation of farm animals had altered, and methods of butchering had changed since the 1930’s.”
Discussion of results
With most vegetables, when they are harvested, it is usually the whole plant that is taken. An exception would be the ‘Pod and Seeds’ and ‘Fruit’ groups, where the rest of the plant could be plowed back into the soil. Consequently, vegetables are probably the best indicators of change relating to the mineral depletion of soils. If the soils become depleted in minerals, the minerals are simply not there to become incorporated within the plant structure, which ultimately affects the plant’s ‘health’ and, consequently, the farmer’s profitability when harvesting the crop.
Obviously, this situation has been known to farmers since the land was first cultivated, and hence the tradition in early cultures to move on after ten years growing at one site, or to regularly replenish the nutrients with fertilizers, or to leave the fields to ‘fallow.’ It was discovered early in the 1900s that Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium were the main minerals required for plant growth. Together with adequate water, light, and carbon dioxide, these minerals seemingly allowed for optimum growth. Consequently, since the 1920s,
NPK fertilizers
NPK fertilizers have been routinely added to agricultural soils in the UK. In addition, calcium, in the form of lime, is also sometimes added to fertilizers. The base figures used in the tables presented must, therefore, not be considered a ‘true, unadulterated’ representation of the mineral content of any specific vegetable. In this regard, it is interesting to note that in their introduction to the vegetable section of the 5th Edition, the authors state, “Any differences arising from the method of cultivation, for example, ‘organic’ methods appear to be small and inconsistent.” Also, in the introduction of the 5th Edition, page 1, the authors acknowledge, “the nutritional value of many of the more traditional foods has changed. This can happen when there are new varieties of sources of supply for the raw materials with new farming practices which can affect the nutritional value of both man and animal products”. Despite these remarks, the summary provides evidence of an alarming change over 51 years. This data illustrates that there has been a severe depletion in the mineral content of the vegetables available.
During this time, there has been an average:
- 49 percent loss of their Sodium content
- 16 percent loss of their Potassium content
- 24 percent loss of their Magnesium content
- 46 percent loss of their Calcium content
- 27 percent loss of their Iron content
- A massive 76 percent PLUNGE of their Copper content
Perhaps not too surprisingly, given the regular use of NPK fertilizer, the only exception is Phosphorous, which shows a 9% rise. These losses include the analytical results of vegetables, which were boiled at least twice as long in 1940 as in 1991, with the probable ensuing more significant loss of mineral content. The individual analysis tables provide insights as to the ranges of highs and lows within these figures.
mineral losses
The greatest individual mineral losses (mg per 100 gm sample):
- Sodium - Runner Beans 6.5 to trace (nearly 100% LOSS)
- Potassium - Spinach (boiled) 490 to 230 (less 53%) Potatoes 568 to 360 (less 36%)
- Phosphorous - Spinach (cooked) 93 to 28 (less 70%) Potatoes 0.15 t 0.8 (less 47%)
- Magnesium - Carrots 12 to 3 (less 75%)
- Calcium - Broccoli (boiled) 160 to 40 (less 75%) Spring Onion 125 to 35 (less 74%)
- Iron - Spinach (boiled) 4 to 1.6 (less 60%) Swede 0.35 to 0.1 (less 71%)
- Copper - Spinach (boiled) 0.26 to 0.01 (less 96%) Watercress 0.14 to 0.01 (less 93%)
Perhaps two of the most concerning results relate to two regularly used vegetables in the British diet, ‘Old’ Potatoes and ‘Old’ Carrots. During the 51 years, carrots lost 75% of their Magnesium, 48% of their Calcium, 46% of their Iron, and 75% of their Copper, while the traditional ‘spud’ lost 30 percent of its Magnesium, 35 percent of its Calcium, 45 percent of its Iron and 47 percent of its Copper. You would have needed to eat ten tomatoes in 1991 to have obtained the same copper intake as one tomato would have given you in 1940. In addition to the overall mineral depletion changes recorded, there has also taken place significant changes in the ratios of minerals to one another. Given that there are known critical ratios of certain minerals within our physiology (Ca:P, Na:K, Mg:Ca, Fe:Cu), the changes in these ratios were calculated for each vegetable. An overall summary is given below:
1940 – 1991
- Ca:P 1 : 2 1 : 1
- Na:K 1 : 10 1 : 17
- Mg:Ca 1 : 4.8 1 : 3.4
- Fe:Cu 1 : 10 1 : 30
The figures, therefore, represent a significant change in the ratios between the minerals, which could significantly influence our health through the body’s biochemistry.
Vegetables:
(1978-1991), Unfortunately, only seven vegetables could be traced over these 13 years. The results are again disconcerting; during this time, there has been an average:
- 39 percent loss of their Sodium content
- 16 percent loss of their Potassium content
- 14 percent loss of their Phosphorous content
- 33 percent loss of their Magnesium content
- 40 percent loss of their Calcium content
- 6 percent INCREASE of their Iron content
- A massive 72 percent loss of their Copper content
- 59 percent loss of their Zinc content
FruitS:
The analytical results of 17 fruits traced through from 1940 to 1991, a summary is given below:
- 29 percent LOSS of their Sodium
- 19 percent LOSS of their Potassium
- 2 percent LOSS of their Phosphorous
- 16 percent LOSS of their Magnesium
- 16 percent LOSS of their Calcium
- 24 percent LOSS of their Iron
- 20 percent LOSS of their Copper
- 27 percent LOSS of their Zinc
Unlike a vegetable, when a fruit is harvested, the whole plant is not taken. Consequently, the changes evident are not so startling. Nevertheless, there are significant overall losses in mineral content. Also, when individual fruits are considered, you would have needed to eat 3 apples or oranges in 1991 to supply the same Iron content as 1 apple in 1940. Notably, the 10 fruits assayed for Zinc in 1978 show an overall 27% loss in their 1991 values. Blackcurrants, Olives, and Tangerines have the same values in 1991 as given in 1940.
Meats:
10 items of meat could be compared. It is interesting to note that some analyses given in the 5th Edition are precisely the same as those shown in the 1st; these include Pork Loin (grilled), Rabbit, Veal Filet, Venison (roasted), Tripe (dressed), Sheep’s Tongue, Ox Tongue, Grouse, Goose, Partridge, Pheasant, and Pigeon. A summary of the mineral losses is given below; there has been an average:
- 30 percent LOSS of their Sodium
- 16 percent LOSS of their Potassium
- 28 percent LOSS of their Phosphorous
- 10 percent LOSS of their Magnesium
- 41 percent LOSS of their Calcium
- 54 percent LOSS of their Iron
- 24 percent LOSS of their Copper
Again, there is a significant loss in all minerals assayed for, which could reflect the fact that these animals were fed on produce that itself is minerally depleted! The alarming 41% loss in Calcium could be a spurious reading due to the difficulty of extracting all bone from the flesh in the original analysis, but the 54% loss of Iron cannot be so readily explained. Copper in meats and meat products was not routinely assayed in 1940 hence, the lack of data.
