For the food science junky, here is a collection of graphs based on peer review studies presented on this blog. Each graph has a general explanation and provides a quick link to more detailed discussion.
In a study of eel, salmon, and trout, researchers found that wild fish had a more favorable Omega 3 to Omega 6 ratio. As an added benefit, wild fish tends to be lower in toxins. Read about wild salmon and mercury as well as the high content of Omega 3 fatty acids in fish and seafood.
Wild fish has a higher content of Omega 3 fatty acids, it also has lower levels of Omega 6s (a polyunsaturated fat we should reduce in our diets). Note however that farmed fish is still a good source of Omega 3s, just not quite as high as wild, though it does tend to be higher in mercury and other toxins.
Increasing the Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet helps build our brains but it may well be that the key is maintaining a healthy balance of Omega 3s to Omega 6s. The problem is that most "oils" we use in cooking and dressings is extremely high in Omega 6. Improve your ratio and build your brain by learning about oils most healthy for you to consume. (Read more: Vegetable oils and depression.)
Soy has a high phytic acid content, a substance that reduces your absorption of depression fighting minerals such as iron, zinc, and magnesium. Note from this graph that the phytic acid content in soy stay high until the soy is turned into tempeh, a fermented soy food. Read more about soy and phytic acid.
CLA in dairy products is a function of the amount of grass in the cow's diet. All dairy products will have some CLA but a cow on a grass diet will have four or more times the CLA in her milk. Research is finding CLA beneficial for many things including possibly weight loss (CLA and weightloss).
Cattle feeding on pasture will have liver higher in the depression-fighting Omega 3 fatty acids than will cattle on a grain diet. (Omega 3 content of liver.)
For people who have space to freeze produce rather than can it, freezing is easier and it preserves more of the heat-sensitive vitamins in the produce. (Freezing versus canning.)
Phytic acid found in beans reduces your absorption of depression-fighting minerals such as zinc, iron, and magnesium. To get the most of our your beans, you will want to soak them. Note from the graph that simply cooking beans will not be effective in reducing phytate levels appreciably, nor is sprouting. Your best bet is a warm, 18-hour soak. Read more about soaking beans.
The content of the Omega 3 alpha linoleic acid (ALA) improves as pasture in the cow's diet increases, though the content is fairly low regardless. Flax seed is still a better dietary source of ALA.
There is some evidence that modern produce has a lower nutrient content than it has in the past. This graph displays the difference in magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, and copper. Magnesium and zinc are both depression-fighting nutrients and yet may have declined in our modern food supply. Read about the nutrient loss in our food supply.
This study compared the pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables raised under organic, pest managed, and conventional product methods. Fewer organic samples tested in the study had pesticide residue. Watch the Rebuild video about the difference between organic and conventional produce.
Omega 3 fatty acids decline in the fat of steers as a function of their time on grain. The longer on grain, the lower the Omega 3s.Read a comparison of grass fed beef to salmon.
