We will be able to answer this question after we have looked at some official American government figures, which shows us how the degraded foods that is consumed by most people, fails to provide adequate nutrients. The same results, I would believe, can be
found in other developed countries, like Europe and Australia.
The following nutritional information will be able to convince you, whether we are
deficient in Essential nutrients.
The Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (HANES 1) studied 28,000 people, aged
1 to 74, in sixty-five different areas throughout the United States.
HANES 1 examined their diets, blood nutrient levels and any poor nutrition symptons.
Severe dietary deficiencies were found by using very conservative levels as a standard.
As an example: nine out of ten women had iron deficiency in their diet (less than 18 m ).
One in every two women were deficient in calcium (less than 600 mg).
There was a widespread of iron deficiency in all age groups, sex, race and income groups,
although white bread and cerials are “enriched” with iron in America.
In total, more than 60% of these people showed minimal one sympton of malnutrition,
in spite of their income level.
Similar results were found by the Ten State Nutritional Survey of 86,000 people.
For example, in Michigan, a test showed that half the men and women had folic acid
deficiency. One in every four men and one in every three women in Texas and Washington
had vitamin A deficiency. In southern California, one in three people had vitamin B2
(riboflavin) deficiency.
The figures of the RDA’s to represent proper nutrition were very conservative.
Still, about two thirds of these people had bad nutrition although the number of nutrients
in the deficiency test was only a fifth of the 59 essential nutrients for optimal health.
Simular results were shown by a third government study. The Nationwide Food Consumption Survey of 15,000 households showed that one out of three households
were deficient in calcium and vitamin B6 in their diet. One in five households were
deficient in iron and vitamin A.
In the latest report from the USDA, 37,785 people were examined, analyzing the intake
of only 11 of the essential nutrients. Showing that the fast majority of subjects ate less
than the RDA for vitamin A and B6 and for the minerals calcium,iron,and magnesium.
The results are worse for people of old age. A recent study of older Americans by
Dr. Jacob Selhub at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University,
analyzed the levels of diet and blood of only three nutrients:folate, vitamin B6 and B12.
It showed that 60% of these seniors had insufficient folate to prevent high blood levels
of homocysteine, which is a proven risk factor for heart disease.
The worst result was that 80% of subjects were getting the RDA for folate, but it was
clearly insufficient for them to maintain good health, with this level of intake.
In an editorial, added to the study and published in the very conservative Journal of
the American Medical Association, Professors Meir Stampfer and Walter Willet of
the Harvert University concluded:” a fair argument for the recommendation of ….
multi-vitamins for most individuals can be made.”
Awareness of these problems with our food now exist by many thousands of people,
which results in a movement to return to organic farming. But it will take decades
before only a quarter of American agricultural land is detoxified and then restored
after years of mulching, manuring and crop rotation, to be able to get back the rich
in nutrients soils of our forefathers.
The best way to restore your personal nutrient levels is to use the right vitamin and
mineral supplements as can be found by visiting this site: http://www.nutrobalance.usana.com