Fruits and vegetables aren't as nutritious as they used to be. What happened?

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For decades, doctors and nutritionists have recommended eating plenty of fruits and vegetables for good health. But when you dig into a salad or nosh on an apple, are you getting the same nutritional benefits as you would have years ago? Probably not.

“Multiple studies have reported a measurable decline in the nutrient content of fruits, vegetables and grains over the past several decades,” Nicole Avena, a nutrition researcher and associate professor of neuroscience at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life.

Nutritional content has dropped for more than 70 years. One study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition analyzed 43 different garden crops (mostly vegetables) and found “statistically reliable declines” in six key nutrients — protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and ascorbic acid — since the 1950s. The biggest drop (38%) was in riboflavin. The mineral density in wheat has also been dropping over the past 160 years.

The reason for this is complicated, but the basic takeaway is clear: This is not great for our health. “To get as many nutrients from our fruit and veggies as they did in the ‘70s and to hit our recommended daily consumption, we would need to consume seven to 10 servings a day,” Scott Keatley, a dietitian and co-owner of Keatley Medical Nutrition Therapy, tells Yahoo Life. (The American Heart Association currently recommends consuming five servings of produce per day, specifically three vegetables and two fruits, for a longer life).

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/fruits-and-vegetables-arent-as-nutritious-as-they-used-to-be-what-happened-090004774.html