Archive for January 30, 2010
Nutrition Can Not Be Just A Label
There are many foods that are packaged with accompanying nutritional information stated on the packaging. There is a high probability that this is read and thought to never alter. Nonetheless, there are many factors which determine anyones true gain of nutrients.
Recognise that farming conditions can alter a plants level of nutrients! A seasons harvest can have different nutritional levels to another seasons harvest. While we receive our nutrients from plants or other foods, all foods receive their nutrients from the soil or sea; which receive their nutrients from rocks. There is more to a rock or stone than meets the eye, as these hold nutrients! By the processes of erosion there is minute chipping away to permit release of nutrients. The released nutrients can then be taken up by the surrounding sea or ground.
Do note that your garden is improved by having stones in the ground. Just planting over and over and taking from the ground does deplete our soils. We really need to give back. Packaged foods do not have a fixed set level of nutrients as the packet or box said it will have it! Remember that plants can only take what is available for them to feed upon and if they grow from nutrient poor soil they reflect that in their health.
Plants growing in colder climates may have a higher level of certain nutrients in comparison to the same plant in warmer climates or vice versa. Our needs alter according to where we live and the climate affectsnutritional needs. You may read the nutritional information of two similar foods but from different brands. Sometimes information on brands is derived from different sources. Then even if we all ate exactly the same level of nutrients our absorption tends to differ. A person who is stressed tends to have a lower rate of absorption of nutrients and they tend to retain fewer nutrients.