Mineral Content in Conventional Milk, Meat, and Vegetables Plummets
Mitch Kennedy, ND
A new study by British researcher David Thomas shows a major decline in the mineral content of non-organically produced milk, meat, and vegetables in the United Kingdom. Dr. Thomas, a primary health care practitioner and independent researcher, made a comparison of government tables published in 1940 and again in 2002. His conclusions, published by the UK Food Commission this month, show, for example, that the iron content in 15 different varieties of meat has decreased on average by 47%. Some meat products show a decline as much as 80%, while the iron content of milk had dropped by over 60%. No analysis of organic British food was done, and no comparison with American food can be made because of the different soil types and farming practices. However, other studies such as Rodale’s long-term research on organic farming methods clearly show increases in mineral content for organic foods.
| Year of Analysis | Mineral | Vegetables | Fruit | Meat | |
| (27 Varieties) | (17 Varieties) | (10 Cuts) | |||
| 1940 | Sodium | ||||
| 1991 | (Na) | Less 49% | Less 29% | Less 30% | |
| 1940 | Potassium | ||||
| 1991 | (K) | Less 16% | Less 19% | Less 16% | |
| 1940 | Phosphorous | ||||
| 1991 | (P) | Plus 9% | Plus 2% | Less 28% | |
| 1940 | Magnesium | ||||
| 1991 | (Mg) | Less 24% | Less 16% | Less 10% | |
| 1940 | Calcium | ||||
| 1991 | (Ca) | Less 46% | Less 16% | Less 41% | |
| 1940 | Iron | ||||
| 1991 | (Fe) | Less 27% | Less 24% | Less 54% | |
| 1940 | Copper | ||||
| 1991 | (Cu) | Less 76% | Less 20% | Less 24% |
Mitch Kennedy, ND has a family practice in Avon, Connecticut, and is the first ND with clinical privileges at the University of Connecticut, a teaching hospital. Before graduating from Southwest College, Dr. Kennedy earned an international reputation as a leader in pollution prevention, showing industries around the world how preventing pollution saves money.
