Declining Fruit and Vegetable Nutrient Composition: What Is the
Evidence? By Donald R. Davis Journal of HortScience; February
2009, 5 pp. If the economy isn't grim enough for you, just check
out the February issue of the Journal of HortScience, which
contains a report on the sorry state of American fruits and
veggies. Apparently produce in the U.S. not only tastes worse
than it did in your grandparents' days, it also contains fewer
nutrients at least according to Donald R. Davis, a former
research associate with the Biochemical Institute at the
University of Texas, Austin. Davis claims the average vegetable
found in today's supermarket is anywhere from 5% to 40% lower in
minerals (including magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc) than
those harvested just 50 years ago. (Read about Americans'
Incredible, Edible Front Lawns.) 1. On the Difficulty of
Comparing "Then" and "Now:" Davis is quick to note that
historical data can sometimes be misleading, if not altogether
inaccurate. Take early measurements of iron in foo