New Data On CO2 and Plant Nutrition

Several years ago I was reading somewhere that nutrient levels in plants had declined over my lifetime (last 66 years). I thought it probably had to do with declining soil fertility, the over-reliance on the chemical additives of industrial agriculture rather than the regenerative practices of organic agriculture…..and maybe that contributes to declining fertility. Many food plants have also been bred to increase growth rate, pest resistance, or “shipability”, not taste or nutrition. Also, numerous species of fruits and  vegetables are picked a little before ripeness to keep them from spoiling en route to stores.

Well, here’s new data from scientific studies (what few there are) that shows that rising levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere are negatively impacting plant’s nutritional profile; i.e., they contain less protein and minerals. And this is happening with WILD plants as well.

I consider this info crucial to the current debates on both climate change and public health. Please read and spread the word.

http://www.politico.com/agenda/story/2017/09/13/food-nutrients-carbon-dioxide-000511

 

Tags: climate change and public health, nutritional content of food