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According to the CDC, nutrient deficiencies have been rising for the last 20 years. [*] Data from 2022 found that more than 90% of American adults have at least one mineral deficiency.
Even if you eat well, there’s a good chance you’re short on a few key minerals. Research shows that our food is less nutritious than it used to be. Nutrient density in crops has declined over the past century, and it’s getting harder to meet your mineral needs through diet alone.
March is National Nutrition Month, so let’s talk about how to bridge these nutrition gaps. We’ll cover why nutrient deficiencies are on the rise, which ones are most common, and a few simple ways to correct them—so you can look and feel your best.
Nutrient Deficiencies Are Surprisingly Common
In today’s world you’d expect nutrient deficiencies to be rare. We have plentiful access to a wide range of foods. Surely incomplete nutrition should be a thing of the past.
But according to the latest data, the opposite is true: among U.S. adults, nutrient deficiencies have been rising steadily since the early 2000s. [*][*]
We’ve even seen a resurgence of mineral deficiencies we thought we’d solved. Iodine deficiency, for example, hasn’t been a problem in the U.S. since the introduction of iodized salt in the 1920s. But a 2025 study found that over the past 20 years, iodine deficiency has become increasingly common in pregnant mothers. [*]
A 2020 study found that more than 40% of U.S. adults are deficient in key nutrients that regulate immune health, and that number has been increasing since 2005. [*]
And a hallmark 2022 study using CDC data found that 97% of U.S. adults are deficient in potassium. [*] Almost nobody gets enough of it.
Nutrient deficiencies are even common in people who eat good diets—plenty of fruits, vegetables, and so on. How can that be?
Our Food Is Less Nutritious Than It Used to Be
A big part of the problem is that our food isn’t as nutritious as it used to be. It’s an issue agricultural scientists call “the dilution effect”: we’re growing more food than ever, but it’s becoming less nutrient-dense.
A 2024 review found that since the 1960s, the mineral content of most U.S. fruits and vegetables has fallen by 25-50%. [*]
A 2022 study found similar results in the United Kingdom. Between 1940 and 2019, U.K. crops have seen a large decline in every single mineral except phosphorus. [*]
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The mineral content of food has been declining worldwide for more than 60 years. [*]
Mineral |
Average decrease in crops since 1960 [*] |
Sodium |
29-49% |
Potassium |
16-19% |
Magnesium |
16-24% |
Calcium |
16-46% |
Iron |
24-27% |
Copper |
20-76% |
Zinc |
27-59% |
Why Is Today’s Food So Low in Minerals?
Why are modern fruits and vegetables so nutrient-poor?
There are two main reasons: declining soil quality and the dilution effect.
Declining Soil Quality
We’ve managed to increase food yield enormously in the past century. Advances in commercial farming have allowed us to grow large amounts of crops on farmland.
The problem is that constant commercial farming degrades soil quality. [*] It “stresses” the soil—or possibly bacteria in the soil—and decreases soil stability. With heavy farming pressure, the particles that make up soil are less able to bind together. They don’t trap and deliver nutrients into roots as efficiently, which leads to less nutritious food. [*]
More and more evidence suggests that pesticide use is damaging soil, too.
A 2019 review found that glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in the world, does more than just kill weeds. It also builds up in soil and damages the bacteria that allow that soil to thrive. [*]
Broad commercial pesticide use in crops started in the 1940s, which is when nutrient density in food began to decline. But with glyphosate, things have accelerated considerably. Since the 1970s, we’ve sprayed more than 20 billion pounds of glyphosate on crops worldwide.
And according to recent research, all that weedkiller has disrupted soil bacteria, degrading soil quality. The trouble is that crops can’t pull as many nutrients from damaged soil. Food quality is declining as a result.
The Dilution Effect
There’s another problem with modern agriculture: farmers get paid for growing more food, not better food.
This has led companies to breed plants for maximum yield. They’ve created fruits and vegetables that grow quickly and pack densely into farmland.
But while yields continue to increase, there hasn’t been a matching increase in nutrient uptake. Agricultural scientists call this the dilution effect: we can grow more apples than ever before, but each one of those apples is nutrient-poor.
Researchers believe the dilution effect is a driving cause of our declining food quality. [*] One 2024 study called it “the biggest challenge for future generations’ health.” [*]
In short, the nutrient content of our food is declining. We’re already seeing the effects: more and more people are struggling to meet their mineral needs, even with a healthy diet.
A Simple Way to Get More Minerals
As food’s nutrient content continues to decline, it’s becoming harder and harder to get enough minerals from diet alone. The effects are broad—minerals influence your brain function, immune system, metabolism, sleep, hormones, and more.
One of the best things you can do is replenish your mineral stores. BEAM Minerals is a simple solution. It’s full-spectrum, meaning it contains every essential mineral the human body requires.
It comes in a concentrated liquid form, so all you have to do is take two shots of it each morning—one from each bottle. It tastes like water and delivers the full range of minerals you need, all in 30 seconds a day.
Our formula also contains special flavonoids that bind to the minerals and carry them directly to your cells. That means BEAM Minerals absorb faster and better than outdated pill supplements. Your body can actually use what you’re taking.
If you want to replenish your mineral stores, give BEAM Minerals a try. It’s a simple, effective way to get more nutrients and give your body what it needs to thrive.
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