Mineral content of vegetables

[rary]

I remember reading an artical about the mineral content of the vegetables that we now eat being down 58%? from what was grown in the 1960s, if that figure is correct what difference does it make to us and how can I increase the mineral content if required

[Aberdeenplotter]

That may be true of shop bought vegetables but I very much doubt it would be true about home grown produce.

If you want to add trace elements to your soil, dig in loads of compost or fym or even seaweed or seaweed meal.

[Jungle Jane]

I remember reading something like that but was it to do with shops produce having less vitamins etc because of the length of time the foods in storage & the way it's artificially treated to prolong storage?

[Thelma Sanders]

I hope we take a little more care of our allotment soil than farmers do, but some people still rely on Growmore and add nothing else to help the soil stay healthy.

There is a pdf giving all the results 1940 compared with 1991-
http://www.mineralresourcesint.co.uk...ral_deplet.pdf
but an overview here
Title: Farming and food chain, diet and disease

I like to add calcified seaweed before the brassicas and seaweed either in liquid form or as meal - in the hope I'm putting minerals back.

2 years ago I also added rock dust - not proven (I know), but can't do any harm

[Chris11]

The mineral content and the vitamin content will be influenced by different factors.

Selenium is an interesting example for mineral content, and will be influenced by the soil richness and geographical variations.
Vitamin content will be more influenced by ripeness at the time of picking, and time between picking and eating, both of which will be dramatically better for home grown.

Lots of commercially grown tomatoes and other crops are grown hydroponically, which is probably a surprise to many people? Thanet Earth

[rary]

If you want to add trace elements to your soil, dig in loads of compost or fym or even seaweed or seaweed meal.

Thanks AP. it was more to bring it to the attention of younger gardeners, as after reading T.S.s attatchments, with two knee replacements I may well have suffered from the deficiency over the last sixty years.

[BUFFS]

did anyone watch "countryfile" last night as the boffins have crossed our broccoli with some Sicilian stuff and the minerals, vitamins, etc are 40% up on normal. at the moment the crop is a bit smaller but they are saying with a few more crosses (not GM meddling) they will be up to required sizes again, and bred so it can be eaten raw, so losing none of the vitamins/minerals etc that leech out in the usual preparation, that's got to be good news, now if they can just stop the smell of cooking swedes/turnips (absolutely yuk) I would be a very very happy boy...

[Snadger]

did anyone watch "countryfile" last night as the boffins have crossed our broccoli with some Sicilian stuff and the minerals, vitamins, etc are 40% up on normal. at the moment the crop is a bit smaller but they are saying with a few more crosses (not GM meddling) they will be up to required sizes again, and bred so it can be eaten raw, so losing none of the vitamins/minerals etc that leech out in the usual preparation, that's got to be good news, now if they can just stop the smell of cooking swedes/turnips (absolutely yuk) I would be a very very happy boy...

Apparently it lowered cholesterol as well................