Incredible article. I have a question though, for general consumers is nutrient content the most important factor? If we get high nutrients and at the same time high pesticides that cannot be good to the body?
Then again if even if we get lower nutrients with lower pesticides that might be healthier in the longer term?
Yeah there's definitely a tradeoff there. Unfortunately pesticide testing is even less commonly done than nutrient testing, so as a consumer you don't have transparency into what that ratio is like to make an informed decision beyond general intuitions if there isn't an explicit label like "organic".
This makes sense for vitamins and phytonutrients. It doesn't make sense for minerals, though. Calcium, magnesium and iron atoms won't degrade in storage and transport, and I don't see any reason they'd become less bioavailable.
I was so hoping you would provide citations for this material...
There's been a lot of interest in the underlying data. I'll ask if he'd ever consider open sourcing it.
Open source : https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327414475_Challenges_in_the_Diagnosis_of_Magnesium_Status
Incredible article. I have a question though, for general consumers is nutrient content the most important factor? If we get high nutrients and at the same time high pesticides that cannot be good to the body?
Then again if even if we get lower nutrients with lower pesticides that might be healthier in the longer term?
Yeah there's definitely a tradeoff there. Unfortunately pesticide testing is even less commonly done than nutrient testing, so as a consumer you don't have transparency into what that ratio is like to make an informed decision beyond general intuitions if there isn't an explicit label like "organic".
Very interesting. I'd never change my eating habits from one data source, especially with something so counterintuitive.
My nonno told me the same thing about frozen produce. Someone told him to only buy frozen orange juice because it was frozen when they were ripe.
This is an incredible post - thank you for writing.
I lived in the desert for a bit and had no option but to shop at Walmart, and I do remember feeling like I was the healthiest I'd ever been.
Maybe... I ... was??
Hahah that's incredible! Maybe so!
Thanks, gee! Also, did you find anything like this for meat?
Sorry, I have not done the deep dive into meat! But if I do, you will be the first to know.
What about for canned foods?
This makes sense for vitamins and phytonutrients. It doesn't make sense for minerals, though. Calcium, magnesium and iron atoms won't degrade in storage and transport, and I don't see any reason they'd become less bioavailable.
Wow that's wild. I was just shopping at a grocery store next to a Walmart tonight and thinking about the pros and cons. Here's another pro.
Thank you for the post!
I would happily join any group if it means getting better produce.