Fruit and veg is up to 50% less nutritious than it was in the 1960s, scientists suggest

The nutritional value of Britain’s most common crops including wheat, apples and carrots, has fallen by up to 50 per cent, scientists have suggested. 

A new study found adults today need to consume twice as many vegetables than they did in 1960 to get the same amount of vital vitamins and minerals, due to a decline in soil quality.

The researchers, from tech firm Deep Science Ventures, found that many crops have lost between 20 and 50 per cent of their key nutrients including potassium, iron, selenium and zinc. 

The effects of this are ‘enormous’ researchers say, potentially pushing around five million working-age adults into deficiency. 

‘This would have enormous implications for public health,’ they said of the findings. 

‘Selenium deficiency weakens the immune system, raises heart disease risk and impairs thyroid function – with a range of heath impacts including infertility, depression and fatigue.’

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that helps the immune system fight intruders and protect cells from damage. Studies even suggest that it may help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s. 

Low selenium levels have also been linked to depression. 

According to the NHS, men need around 75mcg per day, while women need 60mcg. 

Good sources include fish, meat, wholegrains and Brazil nuts – with just one to two nuts providing an adult’s daily requirement. 

However, with the nutrient density of wheat declining, women would now need to eat four slices of wholemeal bread to get just a third of their recommended daily selenium intake, the report suggests.

Iron deficiency, thought to affect one in four UK women and one in 20 men, can, over time, put strain on the heart and make the body more vulnerable to infection. 

Globally, iron deficiency remains a major contributor to pregnancy complications, and is responsible for nearly a quarter of maternal deaths. 

Meanwhile, inadequate potassium intake can increase the risk of stroke by a fifth. 

Experts behind the report estimate the impact of less nutrient-dense crops could translate into ‘millions of people taking increased sick days due to being tired or exhausted, and with impaired concentration’.

‘Given that strokes carry an estimated £26 billion per year cost to the UK, ensuring people are getting enough potassium presents a significant prevention measure.’

According to the modelling, increasing nutrient density by just a third could significantly reduce deficiency rates, without people having to change their diet. 

Nature-friendly farming techniques, such as planting crops that replenish nutrients in the soil and expanding the use of organic farming methods, could help improve the health benefits of vegetables, the researchers said.  

The findings come amid growing concern about nutritional deficiencies across Britain. 

Millions of children and adults are thought to lack at least eight vitamins and minerals essential for good health, with mass consumption of ultra-processed foods thought to be partly to blame. 

Writing in the journal Food and Nutrition Sciences, researchers warned that without a huge shift in eating habits, the future health of the nation ‘could be at risk’. 

Around one in ten children and adults were found to be deficient in calcium, while even greater numbers were lacking in potassium. 

The experts blamed rising food prices, with fresh fruit and vegetables being ditched in favour of cheaper, less healthy choices. 

Experts are now calling on the Government to look at ways to bolster public consumption of essential nutrients.