This will make many kids happier

When Little Billy is told to eat his fruits and veggies, he can note to his Mom that it’s not nearly as good for him as it was for her.

Donald Davis, a biochemist at the University of Texas, said that of 13 major nutrients in fruits and vegetables tracked by the Agriculture Department from 1950 to 1999, six showed noticeable declines — protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and vitamin C. The declines ranged from 6 percent for protein, 15 percent for iron, 20 percent for vitamin C, and 38 percent for riboflavin.

“It’s an amazing thing,” said Davis, adding that the decline in nutrient content has not been widely noticed.

The culprit is breeding plants that grow big (which reduces nutreant density) and fast (reducing the opportunity to acquire and store up nutreants). The result is a lot of plants that don’t carry as much nutricious punch.

Alas, even if not as nutricious, they’re still important.

Davis said he doesn’t want his study to encourage people to stop eating vegetables on the grounds they lack nutrients.

“That’s completely wrong,” he said, contending his study shows that people need to eat more vegetables and fruits, not less. “Vegetables are extraordinarily rich in nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals. They are still there, and vegetables and fruits are our best sources for these.”

Rats.