Regenerative Agriculture & Nutritious Food
Sustaining Human & Environmental Health
It seems that in recent years, healthy and nutritious food is less affordable than ever. In general, food prices have risen 28% in 5 years (Phaneuf, 2024). Healthy food, which has always carried a steeper price tag, is no exception. For those with a strict budget, sometimes a large volume of food that is not nutrient-dense is a better solution to feed a family than a small volume of healthy, filling food. When there is little or no flexibility in your budget, choices have to be made - but this is a compounding problem that worsens with time. If you can’t afford or simply do not have access to nutritious food, you may develop health issues over time as your body is not getting the proper sustenance it needs. Inability to access fresh, healthy foods can contribute to poor diets and higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases.
The question stands - how can we make healthy, nutritious food not only more affordable, but more accessible across the country? If you are lucky enough to live in an area with ample supermarkets and farmers markets, count yourself blessed. Those who live in low-income communities or urban areas may not have the same access to such food. Part of this is a geographic problem, but part of it is an availability problem (or lack thereof).
Providing affordable, nutrient-dense food is at the crux of both a public health and social justice crisis. The solution is making regenerative agriculture more accessible for producers. Regenerative agriculture practices are environmentally-friendly as they preserve the health and quality of soil, improve water and air quality, enhance ecosystem biodiversity and can even store carbon. But what does that have to do with healthy food? The answer lies in soil health.
Studies have shown that appropriately nutrient-dense soil produces crops with a higher nutritional value. These crops contain higher levels of important nutrients like vitamins (Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Beta-Carotene) and minerals (Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc). By following regenerative agriculture practices to maintain soil health, like minimizing disturbance and keeping soil covered, microorganisms in the soil can thrive. These same microorganisms help break down organic matter and release nutrients that plants need to survive and thrive.
Why is it important to include these vitamins and minerals in your diet?
Vitamin C is responsible for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body; it helps the body make collagen, an important protein used to make skin, cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. It is also needed for healing wounds, and for repairing and maintaining bones and teeth (Mount Sinai)
Vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and eyes, and strengthens the immune system, your body's natural defense against illness and infection (United Kingdom National Health Service)
Beta-Carotene converts into vitamin A (retinol) in the body. Vitamin A is crucial for good vision and eye health, a strong immune system, and healthy skin and mucous membranes (Mount Sinai)
Calcium is needed to build and maintain strong bones. Your heart, muscles and nerves also need calcium to function properly. Some studies suggest that calcium and vitamin D may have benefits beyond bone health: potentially protecting against cancer, diabetes and high blood pressure (Mayo Clinic)
Magnesium is essential for healthy muscles, nerves, bones and blood sugar levels. If you don't get enough magnesium in your diet over a long time, you may be at a higher risk of health problems such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes or osteoporosis (Health Direct)
Zinc helps your immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Your body also uses zinc to make DNA and proteins (National Institutes of Health)
In 2022, Montgomery et al published a study about soil health and nutrient density, which sought to compare nutrient value between regenerative farming and conventional farming methods. Multiple independent studies found that regenerative farming practices enhance the nutritional profiles of crops and livestock alike. Some key takeaways from the study include:
Regenerative farms that combined no-till, cover crops, and diverse rotations produced crops with higher soil organic matter levels, soil health scores, and levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals.
Crops from two regenerative no-till vegetable farms had higher levels of phytochemicals than values reported previously.
A comparison of wheat from adjacent regenerative and conventional no-till fields found a higher density of mineral micronutrients in the regenerative crop.
A comparison of the unsaturated fatty acid profile of beef and pork raised on one of the regenerative farms to a regional health-promoting brand and conventional meat from local supermarkets, found higher levels of omega-3 fats and a more health-beneficial ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats.
Another aspect of placing nutritional value at the forefront of food production is what we feed our food. In a study published by the NIH, it was confirmed that conventionally-raised animal products (often relying on low-quality corn-based feed) have lower levels of important nutrients and are higher in LDL cholesterol (Daley et al., 2010). Another study comparing grass-fed cows to conventionally-fed cows found that grass-fed cows produce meat and milk with higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, high quality fats and precursors for Vitamins A and E (Benbrook et al., 2018). Feeding livestock high-quality feed stock grown through regenerative practices can bolster the nutritional value of the animal products. By integrating sustainable practices into crop production for both human and livestock consumption, we can ensure our food is healthy and nutritious across all dietary preferences.
There are additional ways that regenerative agriculture can make nutritious food more accessible, affordable and available. Many farmers who use regenerative methods report that their produce is tastier and of higher quality. Moreover, regenerative agriculture often emphasizes local food systems, encouraging consumers to eat seasonal produce, which is typically fresher and more nutritious. An added bonus of eating locally-sourced food is the reduction of emissions tied to transporting said food. Eating something that was grown in your county vs. in another state or country can slash the emissions associated with the product that you are consuming.
If multiple independent studies conclude that regenerative agriculture practices produce more nutrient-dense, healthier foods, why are these practices not the norm? In the end, it all comes down to cost. Conventional farming methods, which tend to produce higher yields, deplete the soil and can introduce harmful chemicals into the environment through fertilizers and pesticides. The producer is able to produce a higher volume of crops, but these crops typically are lacking nutritionally, and the ecosystem is marred in the process. On the other hand, regenerative practices can create nutrient-dense products, but some regenerative practices can come with a steep price tag upon initial implementation. While these costs are offset or absorbed over time, sometimes the initial cost is too great a barrier to implementation. Traditionally, the means of food production have been twofold. Higher yields of less nutrient-dense food that is cheaper to produce but can come with a hefty price tag for consumers who aren’t having their nutritional needs met, or more nutrient-dense food that can come with a hefty price tag for the producer. This is where RIPE comes in.
We want to see regenerative agriculture on farmland become the norm, and we think that farmers and ranchers should be adequately compensated for the public value of their conservation efforts. After all, the majority of private land in the United States is agricultural land, positioning farmers and ranchers to be crucial stewards of the environment. Regenerative agriculture practices provide ample benefits to the environment and to human health alike. In order to increase the adoption of such practices in the United States, we need to remove barriers for producers, including hefty time and monetary commitments.
Check out our White Paper “Green Fields, Healthy Yields: Regenerative Agriculture and Nutritious Food” and explore the public health and environmental benefits of using regenerative agriculture in promoting sustainable food systems. Check out the different ways you can get involved with RIPE and join us on our mission to scale regenerative agriculture the RIPE way.
References
The Australian Government. (2023, November 15). Magnesium and your health. Health Direct. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/magnesium
Daley, C. A., Abbott, A., Doyle, P. S., Nader, G. A., & Larson, S. (2010). A review of fatty acid profiles and antioxidant content in grass-fed and grain-fed beef. Nutrition journal, 9, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-9-10
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, November 1). Are you getting enough calcium?. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097
Montgomery, D. R., Biklé, A., Archuleta, R., Brown, P., & Jordan, J. (2022, January 27). Soil Health and nutrient density: Preliminary comparison of regenerative and conventional farming. PeerJ. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8801175/
Mount Sinai Health System. (n.d.). Beta-carotene. Health Library. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/beta-carotene
Mount Sinai Health System. (n.d.). Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid). Health Library. https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/supplement/vitamin-c-ascorbic-acid
NHS of the United Kingdom. (n.d.). Vitamin E. Vitamins and Minerals. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamins-and-minerals/vitamin-e/
Phaneuf, T. (2024, September 11). Food prices rose 28% in 5 years. here’s why. NerdWallet. https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/finance/price-of-food
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Zinc Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/
