Are We Deficient in Essential Nutrients?

Submitted by: Adrian Joele

To answer this question , let’s look at some official government figures in America to see how the degraded foods that most people eat do not provide sufficient nutrients. I would imagine that similar results could be found in other developed countries, like Europe and Australia.

The Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES 1) studied 28,000 people, from age 1 to 74, in sixty-five different areas throughout the United States. HANES 1 examined people’s diets, their blood nutrient levels and any malnutrition symptoms.

It found huge dietary deficiencies by using very conservative levels as a norm.

For example: nine out of ten women had iron deficiency in their diets (less than 18 mg). One in every two women had calcium deficiency (less than 600 mg). Iron deficiency in the blood was widespread in all age, sex, race and income groups, despite the fact that white bread and cereals in America are “enriched” with iron. overall, more than 60% of these people showed at least one symptom of malnutrition, regardless off their income level.

The Ten State Nutritional Survey of 86,000 people found similar evidence. In Michigan for example, more than half the men and women tested were deficient in folic acid. In Texas and Washington one in every four men and one in every three women were deficient in vitamin A. One in three persons in Southern California was deficient in vitamin B2 (riboflavin).

These were very conservative figures of the values of the RDA’s as representing adequate nutrition. Nevertheless, about two thirds of these people were malnourished even though the number of nutrients tested for deficiency was only a fifth of the 59 nutrients essential for optimal health.

A third government study showed similar results. The Nationwide Food Consumption Survey of 15,000 households found that one household out of three ate diets deficient in calcium and vitamin B6. One in five households ate diets deficient in iron and

vitamin A.

A recent report from the USDA examined another 37,785 people.

It analyzed intakes of only 11 of the essential nutrients. Results showed that the fast majority of subjects ate less than the RDA for vitamin A and B6 and minerals, calcium, iron and magnesium.

It get worse with older people.A new study of older American by Dr. Jacob Selhub at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University, examined diet and blood levels of just three nutrients: folate, vitamin B6 and B12. They found that 60% of these seniors got insufficient folate to prevent high levels of homocysteine in their blood, a proven risk factor for heart disease. The worst finding was that 80% of subjects were getting the RDA for folate, but that level of intake was clearly insufficient to keep them healthy.

In an accompanying editorial to the study, published in the very conservative Journal of the American Medical Association, Professors Meir Stampfer and Walter Willet of Harvard University concluded: “a reasonable argument can be made for recommending….. multi-vitamins for many individuals”.

I can go on with many more studies with similar results, but I will not make it boring for you with endless examples.

The evidence we have reviewed should be sufficient to show without a doubt that average people eating the average degraded American food are seriously deficient in essential nutrients.

Many thousands of people are now aware of these problems with our food, resulting in a movement to go back to organic farming. However, it will take decades before even a quarter of American agricultural land is detoxified and then restored by years of mulching, manuring and crop rotation, to regain the nutrient-rich soils of our forefathers. Meanwhile, you have to protect yourself.

You can restore your personal nutrient levels by using the right vitamin and mineral supplements.The best way to supplement your diet with nutritional supplements is to visit this site:http://nutrobalance.net



About the Author: Adrian Joele became interested in nutrition and weight loss when he was working for a nutritional supplement manufacturer. He wrote several articles about health and nutrition and achieved expert status with Ezine http://Articles.com Get his free report on nutrition and weight loss by visiting: http://www.nutrobalance2.net

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