Technical Information

February 2012
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From Farm to Table:
Nutrient Losses in Fruits and Vegetables
Insight From Mannatechs R&D Department
Figure B
Average Percent Loss of Reported Vitamins and Minerals When Fruits
and Vegetables Are Canned
8
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Amount of Vitamin C in Raw, Boiled and Canned Fruits and Vegetables
8
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Figure A
Fruits and Vegetables Are Important
for Good Health
Fruits and vegetables are valuable sources of vitamins,
minerals, fber and phytonutrients. Studies have documented
numerous health benefts associated with eating fruits and
vegetables, with the greatest benefts seen in people who
consume more than the recommended daily amounts.
1

Most Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables.
The USDA recommends 5 to 13 servings daily as a part of a
healthy diet,
2
but only 11% of adults meet these guidelines.
3
Surprisingly, 25% of adults do not eat any vegetables and 50%
do not eat any fruits on a daily basis!
3
Nutrient Levels in Fresh Fruits and
Vegetables Are Declining
Four recent studies reported that todays fresh fruits and
vegetables are lower in certain vitamins and minerals than
they were as little as 50 years ago. These studies compared
nutrient data from as early as 1930
4
to
as recent as 1999
5,6
for the U.S.,
6
the
U.K.
4,5
and Canada.
5
No matter the
country nor the timeframe studied,
the results are strikingly similar: the
vitamin and mineral content of fruits
and vegetables is decreasing.
4-7
For
example, two peaches would have
supplied a womans vitamin A RDA
in 1951. Today, she would have to
eat almost 53 peaches to meet this
requirement!
5
Why are these nutrient losses occurring? Many factors
could be involved, including plant breeding practices that
select for high yield and cosmetic appeal, storage and ripening
systems and reliance on chemical fertilizers.
4,6
Cooking and Processing Can Deplete
Fruits and Vegetables of Nutrients
What happens to vitamins and minerals when fruits and
vegetables are boiled or canned? Vitamin C losses are extreme
(Figure A). When 13 fruits and vegetables are canned, amounts
of 9 nutrients are reduced by greater than 50%, with nearly
complete loss of vitamin E, or tocopherols (Figure B).
8
Summary
Fruit and vegetable consumption is vitally important to
sustain health. Most people are not eating enough of these
foods, which contain lower amounts of vitamins and minerals
today compared to 50 years ago. Dietary supplementation is
thus appropriate for most people.
REFERENCES
1. Hyson D. The Health Benefits of Fruits and Vegetables: A Scientific Overview for Health
Professionals. Wilmington, DE: Produce for Better Health Foundation, 2002.
2. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dietary
Guidelines for Americans, 2005. 6th Edition, Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Offce,
2005.
3. Casagrande SS, Wang Y, Anderson C, et al. Have Americans increased their fruit and vegetable
intake? The trends between 1988 and 2002. Am J Prev Med 2007;32(4): 25763.
4. Mayer A-M. Historical changes in the mineral content of fruits and vegetables. Brit Food J 1997;
96(6):20711.
5. Christian J. Charts: Nutrient changes in vegetables and fruits, 1951 to 1999. CTV.ca News 2002.
6. Davis DR, Epp MD, Riordan HD. Changes in USDA Food Composition for 43 Garden Crops, 1950
to 1999. J Am C Nutr 2004; 23(6):66982.
7. Thomas D. A study on the mineral depletion of the foods available to us as a nation over the period
1940 to 1991. Nutr Health 2003;17(2):85115.
8. Souci SW, Fachmann W, Kraut H. Food Composition and Nutrition Tables. 6
th
Edition, Boca Raton,
FL: CRC Press, 2000.