New research shows how regenerative farming practices—soil-building techniques that minimize plowing, use cover crops, and plant diverse crops—affect the nutritional content of the food.
Results of the preliminary experiment, which included 10 farms across the US, show that the crops from farms following soil-friendly practices for at least five years had a healthier nutritional profile than the same crops grown on neighboring, conventional farms.
The results showed a boost in certain minerals, vitamins, and phytochemicals that benefit human health.
“We couldn’t find studies that related directly to how the health of the soil affects what gets into crops,” says lead author David Montgomery, a professor of earth and space sciences at the University of Washington. “So we did the experiment that we wished was out there.”
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