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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Environment
Miranda Lipton

Vegetables are losing their nutrients. Can the decline be reversed?

Person holds bag of vegetables and fruit and picks up a vegetable from a crate
According to research, calcium in green beans has dropped and vitamin A levels plummeted by almost half in asparagus in the 20th century. Photograph: Oscar Wong/Getty Images

In 2004, Donald Davis and fellow scientists at the University of Texas made an alarming discovery: 43 foods, mostly vegetables, showed a marked decrease in nutrients between the mid and late 20th century.

According to that research, the calcium in green beans dropped from 65 to 37mg. Vitamin A levels plummeted by almost half in asparagus. Broccoli stalks had less iron.

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