home grown nutrition vs store bought

[mzgarden]

I'm looking for some studies or testing information that confirms home grown vegetables have more nutrition than store bought/stored/shipped. Of course, it makes perfect sense to me - grown here, eaten more quickly, at the height of freshness, I don't use pesticides or herbicides, etc.

I can find of references to 'studies have shown' but I'm not finding the study itself. Thanks.

[Muleman]

What you are looking for is information on Micro-nutrients. I know in some of Joel Salatins books he makes some specific references to sources for some of the studies he quotes. Honestly, the subject can get pretty in depth as there are many things at work to complete the whole system. the diversity of inputs is basically what provides the diversity of Micro-nutrients. I know I have read some of the reports and studies, just can't remember the sources off the top of my head. I will post some if I run across them, otherwise maybe you can look at some of Joels books or do a net search for micro nutrient info. You might also try the farm to consumer legal defense fund site, they have some good reference material posted on different subjects?
Hope that helps?

[kasilofhome]

Quality of the soil matter..sorry kindled locked in caps

[farmerDale]

I have a theory:

I think most of the value is because it is fresh, picked at the exact correct time, etc. I believe that if large commercial fruit farms for example, (gunna pick on fruit in this example), had the luxury to take a leisurely stroll down each row of strawberries, and pick only the ones that are prime for picking as we home garden folks would do, the flavor and nutrition would be there as well.

I think the problem of taste and freshness comes mostly because fruits are picked at less than optimal ripeness, not because of farming practices or soil qualities. Farmers generally are up on their soil fertility better than most home gardeners, IMO, because they depend on ensuring good production.

But IMO, along with that good production, comes automation, and the lack of differentiating the prime ripes, from the almost ripes or over-ripe fruits at picking time.

Tis my fruit/veggie theory...

[geo in mi]

As always, maybe the answer should be; "It depends", and the subject should be expanded to look at it in terms of all foods we eat--maybe not just fresh fruits and vegetables you find in the grocery store vs. those you grow in your garden....

In commercially grown foods, there may be a very wide range of nutrient value, depending on the individual grower/farmer and the soil, climate, and many other factors you will get in foods lumped into one commodity "hopper". Maybe in a stack of potatoes or broccoli on the store shelf, you could get a good one, or a deficient one, depending upon who grew it. I'm not all that confident that each and every farmer who grows potatoes or broccoli is so noble as to have your best nutritional interests at heart, deep down....

And, just because you grow a veggie in your own garden, it may or may not be of top nutritional quality, either. Again, the same factors are involved, soil nutrient content, your climate, and your growing conditions, and your own knowlege. A beginning garden more than likely will have soil deficiencies and problems to begin with.


Processing makes a big difference, too, if you consider that most people will simply not have the resources to eat fresh foods year yound, out of season for their area. Even your own home processing can spell a big difference in the nutritional value you put into a jar or freezer package.

Here is some reading you can do to help form your own opinion....;and maybe improve your own gardening and buying practices

http://www.nutrition411.com/articles...life-nutrients

http://www.fruitandvegetable.ucdavis...les/197179.pdf

http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-779.pdf

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...utrition-loss/

Hopefully you will find that these articles, though some are are in "summary" or "survey" format, will have good references.

geo

[buffalocreek]

I think a lot of the heavy dependence on vitamin supplements nowadays can be traced to the fact that store bought food may look good but is just deficient in nutrients necessary for our good health, not to mention the nasty chemicals most contain. My dad lived to age 96 in mostly good health. As far as I know, he never took any vitamins, including C. He was a lifelong organic gardener. Maybe just a coincidence?

[Glacialtill]

Complicated question. As a life long gardener I'm alway interested in learning new stuff. As was noted by Muleman, I think it comes down to micro-nutrients, which are also known as phyto-nutrients.

One thing I've be reading about is applying rock dust to soil. Another thing to research is the brix scale which tests the nutritional quality of food. For example, the nutrition of a carrot or an apple a hundred years ago was higher than it is today. The mineral nutrients that were in the soil, deposited by the last glacial period have been absorbed by the plants and not replaced. An analogy I've heard is that eating food from soil that has been farmed for hundreds of years is like making tea from the same tea bag over and over. The micro-nutrients just aren't in the soil anymore. This is the basis behind remineralization.

I just use a lot of compost and manure as amendments. Food is made out of soil and sun and water. Feed your soil. Feed yourself.

I feel like I understand this better than I can try to explain it. Here's a couple links that might be helpful:

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/pdf/1650.pdf

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/201...utritious-food

http://bionutrient.org