Why Food Alone Isn’t Enough for Optimal Nutrition — For Children and Adults
- Ariel Zimmerlein
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
As a mom and health coach, I’ve heard it countless times:
“You don’t need supplements. Just eat whole, real food.”
When I recently asked a professional health group for vitamin suggestions for my two-year-old as I begin to wean him, many confidently replied that food is all you need.
While I love the idea that food alone can meet every need, today’s reality is more complex. Modern agriculture, soil depletion, and long food supply chains mean our meals aren’t as nutrient-rich as they once were. Meaning that even when we’re doing everything right with diet, nutrient shortfalls are still real. And for a two-year-old whose brain, bones, immune system, and attachment wiring are rapidly developing, that matters. Even the most health-conscious eaters — adults and children alike — can experience subtle deficiencies that affect mood, energy, and development.
Soil Health → Crop Quality → Human Health
1. The root of the problem is soil depletion
Over the last 60 years, the vitamin and mineral content of produce has dropped dramatically, many more than 50%. A 2024 study titled An Alarming Decline in the Nutritional Quality of Foods (PMC10969708) found that modern farming practices such as synthetic fertilizers, tillage, and monocropping have stripped soils of nutrients and microbial diversity.
Plants grown in these depleted soils simply can’t access or store the same nutrient levels as those grown in healthy, biodiverse soil systems.
Another review in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems (Montgomery & Biklè, 2021) found that crops grown in regenerative soil — soil enriched through composting, cover crops, and biodiversity — contained significantly higher vitamin, mineral, and phytochemical content than conventionally grown crops.
When the soil is weak, the food looks fine, but nourishes less.
2. Nutrient loss after harvest
Even nutrient-dense crops lose vitality after harvest due to:
Long transportation: Produce often travels 1,000–2,000 miles before it hits a shelf, losing vitamins like C and folate each day.
Storage and handling: Time, light, and temperature fluctuations degrade antioxidants and key micronutrients.
Shelf life over nutrient life: Grocers select lighter, firmer produce for appearance and durability. Yet darker-colored fruits and vegetables such as deep greens, purples, reds, and oranges usually hold more phytonutrients.
Modern breeds prioritize yield and size over “nutrient per bite” — so it’s possible to fill up on volume but still come up short on micronutrients and phytonutrients.
So even if you’re “doing everything right,” your grocery-store kale or berries may be a fraction of the nutrient-density as the same foods grown locally in living soil.
Why This Matters for Children
Children’s brains, bones, and immune systems are growing rapidly. They need concentrated nutrients of iron, zinc, calcium, iodine, magnesium, omega-3s — yet eat small amounts.
When produce is less nutrient-dense, or when picky eating limits variety, nutrient gaps widen. Supplements can play an important bridging role particularly during times of weaning, picky eating, growth spurts, or illness recovery.
Why This Matters for Adults
Adults aren’t growing taller, but we are constantly rebuilding by repairing tissues, balancing hormones, and regulating stress.
When food quality is low, deficiencies build silently and may show up as fatigue, low mood, poor sleep, digestion issues, or inflammation. For example:
Magnesium levels are lower in both soil and people than ever before. Making anxiety, constipation, tremors, fatigue, weakness, and abnormal heart rhythms more common place.
Iron and zinc deficiency remain common, even in meat-eating populations. Low iron and zinc cause symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, shortness in breath, hair loss, skin rashes, and weakened immune systems.
Omega-3s are lower in grain-fed animals and farmed fish. Low omega 3s show signs of dry skin, brittle hair and nails, fatigue, joint pain, and mood swings.
Vitamin D and B vitamins decline with stress and indoor lifestyles. Low vitamin D and B vitamins show symptoms of fatigue (see a theme here!), bone pain, muscle weakness, mood changes, numbness, and cognitive issues.
When adults are under-nourished, our ability to show up calm, grounded, and resilient for ourselves and our children also declines.
Debunking the “Food Is Enough” Myth
Common Belief | The Updated Reality |
“A balanced diet covers everything.” | Only if the soil and supply chain preserve nutrients — which is rarely the case. |
“Supplements are only for deficiencies.” | They can prevent predictable shortfalls in today’s food system. |
“Organic equals nutrient-dense.” | Organic avoids chemicals, but regenerative farming builds real nutrient density. |
“Kids don’t need supplements.” | Modern produce often lacks key micronutrients children need for growth. |
“Healthy adults don’t need extra support.” | Stress, toxins, and soil depletion make targeted supplementation wise for most. |
🌾 Practical Steps for Families
Eat by color. Choose dark, deeply pigmented vegetables and fruits.
Buy local and seasonal. Shorter farm-to-table time = higher nutrient retention.
Support regenerative farms. Ask about composting, cover cropping, and soil care.
Store produce smartly.Refrigerate promptly, use within days, and avoid over-washing greens early.
Supplement intentionally.
For children: vitamin D, omega-3s, iron, and zinc (with pediatric guidance).
For adults: magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3s, and a quality multivitamin (test, don't guess before implementing).
Nourish the whole ecosystem. Healthy soil → healthy food → healthy body → healthy family→ healthy community→healthy country→healthy world
🌻 Rooted and Resilient Nutrition
At AZ Farm and Wellness, I believe true nourishment begins in the soil. When we rebuild the ground beneath us — literally and figuratively — we nourish not only our bodies but also our children’s futures.
Food is foundational, yes. But in today’s world, food plus soil awareness and mindful supplementation equals real, lasting vitality.
Because we’re not just feeding bodies — we’re feeding generations.
Want to feel like who you really are? Vibrant, calm, and at peace within yourself. I invite you to apply to my 6 week coaching program where we assess and customize your health plan so you can start living an empowered life full of well-being. Only taking 3 clients by November 19th. I would be honored to work along side you in your unique health/life journey. Click here to apply now.
References
Vandana et al. (2024). An Alarming Decline in the Nutritional Quality of Foods: The Biggest Challenge for Future Generations’ Health. Nutrients. PMC10969708
Montgomery, D. R., & Biklè, A. (2021). Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs Conventional Farming. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. Link
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