133: Your Food Isn't as Nutritious as You Think
Your food can only be as nutrient dense as the soil it was grown in. That's the realization I had after testing the soil across our new property and discovering that despite being relatively fertile and rich in magnesium, it was far too acidic for plants to absorb those minerals properly.
Soil pH is a gatekeeper: if it's off, the nutrients stay locked in the ground even when they're technically present.
That sent me down a rabbit hole of soil depletion and food nutrient density, and the data is sobering. A 2004 University of Texas study compared USDA food composition data for 43 crops between 1950 and 1999 and found protein down 6%, calcium down 16%, iron down 15%, and vitamin C down 20%. A 2022 UK study showed iron down 50% and copper down 49% over 80 years.
In this episode, I break down why this matters even if you're eating an animal-based diet; where the biggest mineral gaps are likely hiding; and what you can do about it right now.
If you're thinking this is just a farming problem, consider that cattle, chickens, and pigs eat plants and forage. If they're consuming depleted feed, the resulting meat, eggs, and milk are also depleted. The nutrient density of your ribeye starts in the soil under the grass. Meanwhile, US cropland loses 4.63 tons of topsoil per acre per year, and a third of the corn belt has already lost its entire mineral-rich topsoil layer. It takes about a thousand years to generate one inch of new topsoil, and we're losing it ten times faster than it forms.
The minerals you're most likely missing are magnesium (nearly half of Americans consume less than the estimated average requirement, and standard blood tests won't catch a deficiency because only 1% of body magnesium is in serum), zinc (critical for immune function and testosterone, and lost through sweat during training), and selenium (almost entirely dependent on regional soil content, with up to 34x variability in the same food depending on where it was grown).
The long-term fix is regenerative farming, which studies consistently show produces two to three times the soil health scores and significantly higher vitamin and mineral content. The short-term fix is sourcing from farmers who care about soil quality, eating organ meats and oysters, and supplementing strategically to bridge gaps that even a well-constructed diet can't fully cover.
Learn More:
Our Kummer Homestead Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kummerhomestead
Use code YOUTUBE for 20% off our supplements → https://mksupps.com
Local regenerative farm finder: http://EatWild.com
Thank you to this episode's sponsor, Apollo Neuro!
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In this episode:
00:00 Intro
02:19 Nutrients are declining
04:39 Soil erosion crisis
06:52 Labels vs reality
08:37 Real food variability
10:22 Magnesium testing trap
11:09 Zinc and immunity
12:04 Selenium depends on soil
13:14 Regenerative farming fix
17:01 Local sourcing tips
18:24 Final takeaways
Find me on social media for more health and wellness content:
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Website: https://michaelkummer.com/
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Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/mkummer82
[Medical Disclaimer]
The information shared on this video is for educational purposes only, is not a substitute for the advice of medical doctors or registered dietitians (which I am not) and should not be used to prevent, diagnose, or treat any condition. Consult with a physician before starting a fitness regimen, adding supplements to your diet, or making other changes that may affect your medications, treatment plan, or overall health.
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