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In the News, Summer 2022: Regenerative Agriculture Yields Nutritional Benefits
Regenerative farming practices, which rebuild soil organic matter and improve soil health, can also enhance the nutrient density of food, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed, open access journal PeerJ.
The researchers looked at eight pairs of regenerative and conventional farms across the United States, matched for soil type and crop variety. The regenerative farms all utilized a Conservation Agriculture system of no-till, cover crops, and diverse rotations, and the conventional farms were treated with synthetic fertilizers and herbicides.
In addition to receiving better scores on measures of soil organic matter and soil health, the regenerative farms produced crops with higher levels of various phytochemicals, minerals, and vitamins. While results varied substantially among farm pairs, the regenerative farm crops averaged, for example, 34% more vitamin K, 15% more vitamin E, 14% more vitamin B1, 15% more total carotenoids, 22% more total phytosterols, 11% more calcium, and 27% more copper than their conventional counterparts.
The study also included a comparison of wheat grown in two adjacent no-till fields – one regenerative, and one not – revealing a higher density of mineral micronutrients in the regenerative crop. Also, the fatty acid profiles of beef and pork produced by a regenerative farm, a regional grassfed (nonregenerative) brand, and a conventional supermarket brand were compared, with the highest levels of omega-3 fats and the most beneficial ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats found in the regeneratively raised meat.
Source: Montgomery DR, Biklé A, Archuleta R, et al. Soil health and nutrient density: preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming. PeerJ 10:e12848. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.12848.
Published in the Price-Pottenger Journal of Health & Healing
Summer 2022 | Volume 46, Number 2
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