Depleted Soil Means Food Isn't As Nutritious

Our food may look the same as it used to. It may even look better. But it doesn't have as many minerals in it as it used to. Why? Soil depletion. This is causing nutritional deficiencies. For example, the amount of calcium in a typical modern apple is only half of what it was eighty years ago. It also has less iron and phosphorus, and only about 20 percent of the magnesium.

What's the problem? The living things in soil — the worms, insects, bacteria and fungi — help make minerals accessible to the plants growing in that soil. If the soil isn't healthy because of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, etc., then the plants can't absorb as many minerals, so you don't get them in your diet.

Soil health is important for many reasons. When you buy organically grown food and holistically grazed grassfed meat, you are directly financially supporting the growth of healthy soil, and you will benefit personally because your food will be more nutritious.