Vegetables Not As Nutritious Compared To the Past?

Data collected by the U.S. Government show that the nutritional content of America's vegetables and fruits has declined during the past 50 years, and in some cases dramatically.

The University of Texas, said that of 13 major nutrients in fruits and vegetables tracked by the Agriculture Department from 1950 to 1999, six showed noticeable declines -- protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and vitamin C. The declines ranged from 6 percent for protein, 15 percent for iron, 20 percent for vitamin C, and 38 percent for riboflavin.

Suspicion falls on the trend in agriculture toward encouraging crops that grow the fastest and biggest is a reason for the decline. When the increase in speed, the downside is that the nutrients do not appear to be absorbed as well as the slower growing crops.