It all began in the spring of 1969. I was a college student concerned primarily about maintaining my figure, not about maintaining my health. I enjoyed snacking on roasted soy nuts and wanted to know how many calories they contained. Unable to find any information on the nutritional value of soy nuts (this was long before nutritional labeling was required), I bought a book by health food guru, Adelle Davis, entitled Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit. It had a ?Tables of Food Composition? that included soybeans.



I actually read the book and got a crash course in nutrition. I had no idea that nutrients could make such a difference in a person's life. That book started my avocation in the field of nutrition.

I have come to believe that nutritional supplements are vital for maintaining good health in the 21st Century. Studies have shown that the foods we eat today do not contain the same level of nutrients as the foods consumed 50 years ago. We need to eat more servings of fruits and vegetables today to get the same amount of nutrients that were in our produce grown 50 years ago.

Doctors used to say that if you eat a healthy, well-balanced diet you will get all of the vitamins and minerals you need. The problem with our modern food supply is that it can no longer provide all of the nutrients we need. In 2002 the Journal of the American Medical Association recommended that it is prudent for all adults to take nutritional supplements.

There are many reasons why supplementation has become necessary. Crops today are harvested when they are still ?green? (not fully ripened) so they can be shipped to the marketplace without spoiling. The fruits and vegetables in your grocery store may look fresh, but it's likely that they are at least a few days old. (Some out-of-season fruits and vegetables may even be months old if they have been held in cold storage.) Studies have shown that fruits and vegetables begin to lose many if their nutrients when they are picked; the longer it has been since harvest, the more nutrients are lost.

Another reason is that the soil has become depleted of nutrients. Chemical fertilizers put back just enough to make the plants grow and to produce crops. The soils are not replenished with all of the nutrients that are lost.

Organic produce is definitely a better choice nutritionally. Studies have shown that organic produce does contain more nutrients than conventionally grown produce. That is probably because organic farmers understand the importance of healthy soil. They use methods besides chemical fertilizers to ensure the health of their soil and their crops. So you will receive more nutrients in organic produce.

What may be missing in any produce you buy, even organic, are the phytochemicals. These phytochemicals, or phytonutrients as they are also known, are not considered essential, but studies have shown that they are extremely beneficial. Many of the antioxidants that you may have been reading about are actually phytochemicals. What the magazine and newspaper articles don't tell you is that phytochemicals do not develop in the plants unless the fruit or vegetable has been vine-ripened. They develop in the final stages of the ripening process. So unless you grow your own vine-ripened produce or get it from the farmer who picked it ripe today, you are not getting the benefits of phytochemicals from your food.

As for me, I'll continue to search for the best quality, natural foods for myself and my family, but I will also make sure we have high-quality supplements to fill in the nutritional gaps. I believe these choices will help insure that I will continue to enjoy good health and the best quality of life as I age.