by Karen Voelkening-Behegan
Another one of our tasty and informative potluck dinner meetings took place at Nature Friends Clubhouse in October. This time, our guest speaker was Jamil Avdiyev talking about High Brix nutrient-dense produce grown on nutrient-replenished soil.
In the past century, the nutrient content of our soils has been so depleted by poor agricultural practices that most of our foods, whether from plants or animals, have shown a steep decline in mineral density. From 1930 to 1990, for example, the calcium content of our soil has decreased an average of 50-75%, while the trace mineral content of our soil has decreased an average of 50-90%, depending on the region. Jamil explained that the mineral content of the soil carries over to the food we eat. Both plants and animals absorb minerals, so the fewer minerals available in the soil, the poorer the soil ecosystem, and the lower the nutrient-density of both our produce and our animal products.
Another one of our tasty and informative potluck dinner meetings took place at Nature Friends Clubhouse in October. This time, our guest speaker was Jamil Avdiyev talking about High Brix nutrient-dense produce grown on nutrient-replenished soil.
In the past century, the nutrient content of our soils has been so depleted by poor agricultural practices that most of our foods, whether from plants or animals, have shown a steep decline in mineral density. From 1930 to 1990, for example, the calcium content of our soil has decreased an average of 50-75%, while the trace mineral content of our soil has decreased an average of 50-90%, depending on the region. Jamil explained that the mineral content of the soil carries over to the food we eat. Both plants and animals absorb minerals, so the fewer minerals available in the soil, the poorer the soil ecosystem, and the lower the nutrient-density of both our produce and our animal products.
But why are minerals so important? Aren’t there other micro- and macronutrients
to be gained from our foods? Jamil gave
us the answer: Minerals build not only
the tissues and structures of our foods, they also build the enzymes and
vitamins we need to assimilate our foods. So if the food is low in minerals, it will also be low in enzymes and vitamins too. Minerals also keep our foods strong, healthy, and disease resistant,
and pass those traits along to us. In
fact, the cultures with the most mineral-rich diets also show the least disease
and the greatest longevity.
Jamil’s slideshow presentation was loaded with charts and
graphs and photos illustrating his point.
He also passed around a refractometer, a small instrument used to measure
the the total dissolved solids in produce, including vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and other phytochemicals. To show us
how it worked, Jamil simply squeezed some juice from a lemon into the device
and then passed it around for each of us to view. He proudly stated that in his produce, his aim is to get the nutrient-density to go off the charts! Organics, move over! Certified Organic foods are no competition
for High-Brix nutrient dense foods. Even
highly-priced organic produce sold in health food stores will generally score very low in
nutrient-density. Though it may be free of toxins and grown without synthetic pesticides, as long as it comes from
nutrient-depleted soil, organic produce is no more nutritious for you than standard grocery
store fair. Just buy a refractometer and test it for yourself!
If you search for this type of food online, just note that it goes by a variety of names including: High Brix nutrient-dense farming, nutrient-dense farming, nutrition farming, bionutrient-rich farming, and even biological farming, to name a few. Sometimes it's even referred to as bio-dynamic farming, though they're not the same thing. But the main point is, you can always check your produce with a refractometer. If you find that the produce you're buying is nutrient-deficient, then look for a farmer who sells High Brix nutrient-dense foods. And if you're interested in growing your own nutrient-dense garden, Jamil recommends getting your supplies from the following website: http://www.tandjenterprises.com/. Then as you replenish your soil, you can watch the nutrient-density of your harvest rise as your health well-being improves.
Thank you, Jamil for an excellent presentation, filled with great information that was professionally and delightfully delivered!
To contact Jamil or to get more information about High Brix Nutrient Dense Foods, go to Jamil’s website at: http://highbrixnutrientdensefoods.com/
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