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The fruits and vegetables Americans eat today may contain substantially fewer essential vitamins and minerals than the same foods consumed by their parents and grandparents, according to new research suggesting that decades of modern agricultural practices have quietly diminished the nutritional quality of everyday foods.

A new analysis by researchers at Deep Science Ventures, a science and technology investment organization, found that certain fruits, vegetables and grains contain between 20% and 50% less of several important nutrients than they did approximately 60 years ago.

The findings suggest that consumers may need to eat considerably larger quantities of some foods to obtain the same amounts of minerals such as potassium, magnesium and copper that previous generations received from smaller servings.

Among the foods identified in the research were carrots, apples, peas, wheat, cereals and bread, all staples of diets around the world.

Researchers say the problem stems largely from the way modern agriculture has developed, with farmers and crop scientists concentrating on producing greater quantities of food while giving comparatively little attention to the nutritional content of what they grow.

The result, according to the report, is a food supply that has become extraordinarily efficient at producing calories but has not necessarily maintained the same concentrations of essential nutrients.

“For sixty years we’ve measured food security in calories and tonnes per hectare, and on those measures we’ve done remarkably well. But we’ve been quietly hollowing out what’s inside our food,” said Will Summers, senior associate for climate at Deep Science Ventures.

The findings, reported Thursday by The Independent, raise questions about the nutritional consequences of agricultural advances that have dramatically increased food production and helped feed a growing global population.

Since the 1960s, cereal yields per hectare have increased by approximately 215%, allowing farmers to harvest more than three times as much grain from the same amount of land.

Those advances have contributed to a substantial reduction in undernutrition in developing countries, where the proportion of people experiencing insufficient food consumption has fallen from approximately 35% to 12%, according to figures cited by the researchers.

However, the report argues that agricultural success has come with an overlooked trade-off: some crops have become less concentrated sources of the minerals and vitamins needed to maintain good health.

Scientists refer to part of this phenomenon as the dilution effect.

When crops are bred to grow faster, produce larger harvests or accumulate more carbohydrates, their uptake of minerals does not always increase at the same rate. Consequently, the nutritional concentration of the harvested food may decline even as overall production rises.

The researchers also point to declining soil health as an important concern, arguing that farming practices and the condition of agricultural land can influence how effectively crops obtain nutrients.

Intensive cultivation, changes in soil management and the selection of crop varieties primarily for yield may all contribute to differences in nutritional content.

The problem is particularly troubling because many people already consume diets that provide sufficient calories but inadequate quantities of essential micronutrients.

Worldwide, more than 2 billion people are estimated to experience at least one micronutrient deficiency, according to figures cited in the report.

These deficiencies are not confined to poorer countries. Researchers warn that inadequate intake of nutrients such as zinc, selenium and folate also occurs in wealthier nations, including the United States and Britain.

One particularly striking finding concerns wheat, a fundamental ingredient in bread and numerous other foods.

According to the report, fewer than one-third of bread-wheat varieties introduced since the 1960s meet the researchers’ recommended zinc target.

Zinc plays an important role in immune function, wound healing and maintaining healthy skin and hair. Inadequate zinc intake can interfere with these processes, particularly among people whose diets are already deficient.

The researchers also examined selenium, a mineral needed for normal immune function and thyroid health.

Their analysis suggests that a woman would need to consume approximately four slices of wholemeal bread to obtain just one-third of her recommended daily selenium intake.

Selenium is found in foods including whole grains and Brazil nuts, although the amount present in plant foods can vary considerably depending on growing conditions.

Iron is another major concern. Insufficient iron intake can lead to anemia, fatigue and difficulties with concentration, while inadequate potassium consumption is associated with increased cardiovascular risks.

The report cites research suggesting that low potassium intake may be associated with a substantially greater risk of stroke, a condition that already imposes enormous medical and economic costs.

The findings have taken on added urgency because of the rapid growth in the use of weight-loss medications, including Ozempic and Mounjaro.

These drugs, which are part of a class of medications known as GLP-1 receptor agonists or related therapies, can significantly reduce appetite and the amount of food people consume.

Researchers warn that if individuals eat substantially less food while the nutritional concentration of that food is also declining, they may face an increased risk of failing to obtain sufficient vitamins and minerals.

The Deep Science Ventures analysis suggests that the combination of reduced food consumption and declining crop nutrient density could leave approximately 5 million working-age adults in Britain below recommended intake levels for essential nutrients.

That figure represents a projected risk rather than a confirmed count of people who have developed deficiencies.

“As weight-loss drugs mean people eat less, the nutritional quality of every bite starts to matter much more. The good news is that we already have the tools to fix this, in breeding, soil health, markets and policy. What’s been missing is the recognition that this problem is worth measuring and solving at its source,” Summers said.

The new findings add to a growing body of research examining changes in the nutritional composition of food over time.

In a widely cited 2004 study, researchers at the University of Texas examined U.S. Department of Agriculture nutritional records for 43 garden crops between 1950 and 1999.

They identified statistically significant declines in six nutrients, including protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and vitamin C.

The reductions ranged from approximately 6% for protein to 38% for riboflavin, although other nutrients showed no statistically reliable decline.

A separate British study examining food composition records between 1940 and 2019 reported decreases of approximately 50% in iron, 49% in copper and 10% in magnesium across the fruits and vegetables studied.

Scientists have also identified rising atmospheric carbon dioxide as a potential contributor to declining nutritional quality.

Research indicates that elevated carbon dioxide concentrations can stimulate plant growth and carbohydrate production while reducing the concentration of certain minerals and proteins in edible crops.

A large scientific analysis published in 2025 examined thousands of observations involving 43 food crops and found that higher carbon dioxide levels were associated with changes in nutrient concentrations, particularly for zinc, iron and protein.

Nevertheless, researchers caution that the evidence does not mean every fruit or vegetable sold today contains half the nutrients it once did.

Some historical comparisons are complicated by changes in crop varieties, geographic growing locations, laboratory testing methods and the way nutritional data were collected decades ago.

A 2017 scientific review challenged the conclusion that agricultural soil depletion has caused a universal decline in food nutrients, arguing that some reported changes fall within natural variations and that differences in crop varieties and measurement methods can distort historical comparisons.

The research therefore points to significant declines in certain nutrients and foods rather than proving that the entire modern produce supply has lost half its nutritional value.

Scientists studying the issue are increasingly examining ways to improve nutritional quality without sacrificing the productivity needed to feed billions of people.

One approach involves breeding crop varieties specifically selected for higher concentrations of essential minerals and vitamins, rather than focusing almost exclusively on yield, appearance and resistance to pests.

Another involves improving soil health through agricultural practices that preserve organic matter, encourage beneficial soil organisms and support the availability of nutrients to growing plants.

Researchers are also investigating biofortification, a process in which crops are developed or cultivated to contain higher levels of particular nutrients.

Such efforts have already produced varieties of staple crops with increased concentrations of iron, zinc and other micronutrients, particularly for use in regions where deficiencies are widespread.

Sian Ferguson, a trust executive at the Mark Leonard Trust, said the findings demonstrate the importance of restoring and maintaining healthy agricultural soils.

“Healthy soil is the foundation of healthy food. This report shows that rebuilding soil health is one of the few measures that can improve nutrient density, yields and climate resilience all at once, and farmers can do it profitably today.”

{Matzav.com}

Millions of Americans will once again be forced to turn their clocks back an hour next month after a congressional effort to permanently eliminate the twice-yearly time changes stalled in the Senate, despite overwhelming approval in the House of Representatives and strong backing from President Donald Trump.

Daylight saving time is scheduled to end on Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2 a.m., when clocks will move backward one hour to 1 a.m., giving Americans an additional hour of sleep while bringing earlier sunsets and darker evenings for the months ahead.

The change will take place despite a major legislative push in Washington to make daylight saving time permanent, which would eliminate the longstanding practice of changing clocks every spring and fall.

In July, the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act by a bipartisan vote of 308 to 117, raising hopes that the United States was finally approaching the end of its twice-annual clock adjustments.

However, the legislation has encountered substantial opposition in the Senate, where lawmakers adjourned without bringing the measure to a vote before the November 3 midterm elections.

With senators not scheduled to return until after Election Day, there is virtually no possibility that the legislation will take effect before this year’s scheduled clock change.

The proposal, introduced in the House by Republican Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida, would establish daylight saving time as the permanent national standard, allowing Americans to retain the additional hour of evening daylight throughout the winter.

Under the legislation, states that already observe standard time year-round would be permitted to continue doing so, while other states would no longer have to adjust their clocks twice annually.

President Trump has become one of the most prominent advocates for the change, repeatedly arguing that the current system is outdated, disruptive and unnecessarily costly.

In a recent Truth Social post, Trump described the practice of changing clocks twice a year as “ridiculous” and said it “costs our country a fortune, is bad for crime, stress on people, sports, and just about everything else you can imagine.”

“People are sick and tired of having to change their Clocks twice a year,” Trump wrote. “This is an issue that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents can unite behind!”

Despite the president’s lobbying, several Republican senators remain opposed to permanent daylight saving time, warning that the change would create serious problems during winter mornings.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas has emerged as a leading opponent, arguing that maintaining daylight saving time throughout the year would force millions of Americans, particularly schoolchildren, to begin their days in darkness.

Trump publicly criticized Cotton earlier this month and urged Arkansas residents to pressure their senator into supporting the legislation, even sharing what appeared to be Cotton’s personal cellphone number.

Other lawmakers have expressed similar reservations, arguing that the benefits of additional evening sunlight must be weighed against the consequences of significantly later sunrises during the winter.

Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, offered a particularly pessimistic assessment of the bill’s prospects.

“It’s dead as disco,” Kennedy told Reuters.

“My sense is it would have trouble passing … I don’t think the leader is going to bring it up.”

Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, one of the legislation’s leading Senate supporters, has nevertheless expressed confidence that the measure could eventually win approval.

Supporters argue that eliminating seasonal clock changes would provide greater consistency for businesses, families and schools while allowing Americans to enjoy more daylight after work and school.

They contend that brighter evenings could encourage outdoor activities, benefit restaurants and tourism businesses, and potentially reduce certain types of accidents and criminal activity.

Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Florida Republican who supports the legislation, has argued that permanent daylight saving time would be particularly beneficial to states whose economies depend heavily on tourism.

“In a state like Florida, my home state of Florida, where tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, having more predictable daylight hours is a practical improvement that benefits workers, businesses, and visitors alike,” Bilirakis said during congressional debate in July.

Opponents counter that the legislation would shift daylight away from the early morning hours, creating conditions in which children would wait for school buses and commuters would travel to work before sunrise.

In some northern and western portions of American time zones, permanent daylight saving time could push winter sunrises close to 9 a.m.

“Millions of Americans will wake up during the winter months in complete darkness with the sun not rising until long after people get up and travel to school or work or have to go about their days,” Democratic Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania warned.

The debate has also divided health experts. Many sleep researchers support eliminating the twice-yearly clock changes but favor permanent standard time rather than permanent daylight saving time, arguing that morning sunlight is important for regulating the body’s internal clock.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has previously endorsed permanent standard time as the arrangement most closely aligned with natural sleep and wake cycles.

The United States has experimented with permanent daylight saving time before, with controversial results.

During the energy crisis of the 1970s, Congress approved year-round daylight saving time in an effort to reduce energy consumption.

However, public support declined after families complained about children traveling to school in darkness, and Congress reversed the arrangement in 1974.

An earlier attempt to make daylight saving time permanent also advanced in Congress in 2022, when the Senate approved the Sunshine Protection Act without opposition through a unanimous-consent procedure.

That measure ultimately died after the House failed to take it up, illustrating the difficulty of reaching agreement even on an issue that has attracted bipartisan support.

Under current federal law, daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

The modern system was standardized under the Uniform Time Act of 1966, although Congress has modified the dates several times over the decades.

The current schedule, established in 2007, places Americans on daylight saving time for approximately eight months each year, with standard time observed during the remaining four months.

Not every part of the United States participates in the seasonal adjustments.

Hawaii and most of Arizona remain on standard time throughout the year, as do Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Navajo Nation, which extends into portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, does observe daylight saving time.

Numerous state legislatures have approved or considered measures supporting permanent daylight saving time, but federal law generally prevents states from adopting that arrangement independently without congressional authorization.

States may choose to remain on standard time year-round, but they cannot unilaterally establish permanent daylight saving time under the existing federal system.

For now, the stalled legislation means Americans in most of the country will continue following the familiar schedule.

Clocks will move back one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, 2026, and daylight saving time is scheduled to return on Sunday, March 14, 2027.

The Sunshine Protection Act remains pending in the Senate, where lawmakers will have another opportunity to consider it after the midterm elections. Whether the measure can overcome opposition from senators concerned about dark winter mornings remains unresolved.

{Matzav.com}

In a powerful declaration during a meeting at his home in Yerushalayim, Rav Moshe Sternbuch sharply criticized the practice of referring to Jews who have returned to Torah observance as baalei teshuvah, insisting that such individuals must be regarded as full and equal members of the Torah community, without any distinction whatsoever.

Rav Sternbuch made the remarks during a visit last week by Rav Yaakov Dovid Nakash, the rov of the Keter Torah community in Mexico, one of the country’s most prominent Torah communities.

The meeting took place at Rav Sternbuch’s residence in the Har Nof neighborhood of Yerushalayim, where the two rabbonim discussed the condition of Jewish communities throughout the world, the continued growth of Torah life, and the remarkable movement of Jews returning to their heritage.

Among the subjects discussed was the ongoing success of kiruv rechokim, both in Eretz Yisroel and in Jewish communities across the globe, including Mexico, where increasing numbers of Jews have been strengthening their connection to Torah and mitzvos.

During the conversation, one of those present used the familiar expression baalei teshuvah to describe Jews who had embraced a Torah-observant lifestyle.

Rav Sternbuch immediately objected to the terminology, explaining that he considers the very designation inappropriate because it creates an artificial distinction between Jews who grew up observant and those who found their way back to Torah later in life.

“In my eyes, there is no such title as ‘baalei teshuvah,’ because by using it, you place them in a separate category. In my eyes, they are equal to everyone else!” Rav Sternbuch declared.

The posek hador continued, making clear that once a Jew has returned to a life of Torah, there is no justification for treating him as belonging to a separate group.

“I don’t want to hear the term ‘baalei teshuvah.’ To me, there is no such designation, because the moment a person returns to Torah, he is exactly like us,” Rav Sternbuch said.

Expanding on his position, Rav Sternbuch explained that even when the expression is used without any negative intention, it can convey the impression that a Jew who became observant later in life remains somehow different from the rest of the community.

“When someone is referred to by the title ‘baal teshuvah,’ it is chutzpah and brazenness, as though he is distant from us, when the truth is that he is completely one of us. The moment you call someone a ‘baal teshuvah,’ you create a division between these people and others, and that is not good,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

Nearly one-third of secular Israelis believe that Hashgacha Pratis played a role in the extraordinary rescue of the Flydubai passengers, according to a new survey revealing that belief in Divine Providence extends well beyond Israel’s religious communities.

The poll found that virtually every chareidi respondent attributed the passengers’ survival to Divine Providence, along with 94% of religious Jews and 84% of traditional Jews. Even among Israelis who identify as secular, approximately 32% acknowledged a Divine role in the rescue.

The findings, released Sunday by Arutz Sheva, come in the aftermath of the dramatic attempted hijacking of a Flydubai aircraft traveling from Dubai to Israel, during which passengers and crew intervened to prevent a potentially catastrophic crash.

The survey was conducted by the Mesaker-Rovadim Research Institute as part of the Israel Barometer project, examining how Israelis from different religious backgrounds interpreted the remarkable sequence of events that saved those aboard the aircraft.

Beyond measuring how many people believe Hashem intervened, the researchers uncovered another striking finding: Israelis differed considerably in how they described the relationship between Divine Providence and the courageous actions of the people who saved the plane.

Participants were presented with several possible explanations for the rescue, including two that explicitly recognized Divine Providence and another that attributed the outcome to human intervention and an unusual combination of circumstances.

The two religiously oriented responses were deliberately phrased differently, allowing researchers to examine whether respondents regarded Divine Providence as the primary force behind the rescue or viewed it as one element operating alongside human decisions and actions.

The first formulation described the rescue as “Divine Providence, acting through people and unique circumstances.”

The second characterized it as “A combination of human actions and unique circumstances with Divine Providence.”

Although both explanations recognize Hashem’s involvement, the distinction between them produced substantial differences across Israel’s religious communities.

Among secular Israelis, 21% selected the explanation emphasizing the combination of human efforts, circumstances and Divine Providence. Another 11% chose the formulation placing Divine Providence at the center of the rescue.

Together, those responses accounted for approximately one-third of secular participants, a notable finding given that these respondents do not identify themselves as religious.

Traditional Israelis expressed considerably greater belief in Divine intervention, with 84% selecting one of the two responses recognizing Divine Providence.

Within that group, 50% preferred the explanation emphasizing the combination of human actions and Divine Providence, while 34% selected the formulation describing Hashem’s Providence as operating through the people and circumstances involved.

A similar pattern emerged among respondents identifying with the more liberal religious community. In that category, 53% favored the combined explanation, compared with 32% who placed Divine Providence at the forefront.

Among more traditionally observant religious Israelis, however, the balance began to shift.

In the mainstream religious category, 51% chose the explanation emphasizing Divine Providence working through people and circumstances, while 44% preferred the formulation describing the rescue as a combination of human efforts and Divine intervention.

The difference became considerably more pronounced among Torah-oriented religious respondents, 75% of whom selected the explanation placing Divine Providence at the center. The remaining 25% preferred the alternative formulation, which gave greater prominence to the combination of human actions and circumstances.

The strongest preference emerged among chareidi respondents.

An overwhelming 93% of chareidim selected the explanation describing the rescue as Divine Providence operating through human actions and unusual circumstances. Only approximately 7% preferred the wording that presented Divine Providence alongside human intervention.

Taken together, the results indicate that all chareidi respondents recognized Hashgacha Pratis in the rescue, although they differed slightly in how they expressed that belief.

The survey also found that the same patterns appeared among men and women, suggesting that the differences were associated primarily with religious identification rather than gender.

Across both male and female respondents, the proportion attributing the rescue to Divine Providence increased consistently from secular Israelis through traditional and religious communities to the chareidi population.

The preference for particular wording also remained consistent. Secular and traditional respondents generally favored an explanation highlighting human actions together with Divine Providence, while more observant groups increasingly preferred language identifying Hashem’s Providence as the central force behind the outcome.

The difference is significant because both explanations recognize Divine Providence. What separates them is the emphasis placed on the actions of the people involved.

The first presents the rescue as an expression of Hashgacha Pratis, with the passengers, pilots and unusual circumstances serving as the means through which Hashem brought about their salvation.

The second gives more prominence to the courage and decisions of those aboard, while still acknowledging Divine involvement in the outcome.

{Matzav.com}

Israel has permitted Qatar to channel more than $100 million in humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip throughout the war against Hamas, including extensive fuel shipments and reconstruction initiatives involving institutions affiliated with the terrorist organization, according to information released by Qatari authorities.

The figures, published Sunday by Yisroel Hayom, reveal the scale of Doha’s continuing financial involvement in Gaza even as Israel has sought to dismantle Hamas’s military capabilities and prevent the organization from rebuilding its infrastructure.

Qatar, which has maintained longstanding ties with Hamas and played a central role in negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages, continued financing a wide range of activities inside Gaza during the fighting and subsequent ceasefire arrangements. The assistance included fuel deliveries, food supplies, medical equipment, water infrastructure and projects to remove debris from damaged neighborhoods.

The arrangements have raised concerns about whether Hamas has benefited from assistance intended for Gaza’s civilian population, particularly when projects are conducted through local bodies connected to the terrorist organization.

According to the Qatari figures, approximately 30 million liters of fuel were delivered to Gaza between the Hamas massacre of October 7, 2023, and the end of March 2026. An additional shipment of more than 1.3 million liters entered the territory by truck in September.

The fuel deliveries were coordinated through an arrangement between Qatar and the United Nations, with the stated purpose of maintaining essential services, including hospitals, humanitarian organizations and critical civilian infrastructure.

However, the substantial volume of fuel entering Gaza has prompted questions about whether Hamas could have obtained access to some of those resources or benefited indirectly from their distribution.

Fuel has been a particularly sensitive issue throughout the conflict because of its importance to civilian services as well as its potential use in transportation, generators and other activities that could support Hamas’s operations.

Israeli concerns extend beyond the fuel shipments to Qatar’s involvement in reconstruction and infrastructure projects carried out with organizations associated with Hamas.

During the summer, Qatar reportedly organized an initiative to remove rubble from hundreds of damaged residential buildings across Gaza. The work was undertaken in cooperation with institutions linked to Hamas, despite Israel’s declared objective of preventing the terrorist organization from reestablishing its governing capabilities.

Another Qatari-funded initiative involved drilling and maintenance work at more than 30 water wells, intended to restore access to water in areas affected by the fighting.

In February 2026, Doha announced an additional project to clear debris from roads throughout the Strip. That initiative was coordinated with local authorities identified as having affiliations with Hamas.

The involvement of such bodies has intensified questions about whether humanitarian projects could help preserve Hamas’s administrative networks, even when the assistance itself is designated for civilian purposes.

The latest revelations also revive longstanding concerns about Qatar’s financial relationship with Gaza’s Hamas-run administration, which predates the current war.

For years before the October 7 massacre, Qatar provided substantial financial assistance to Gaza with Israeli approval, including monthly payments intended to support impoverished families, civil servants and electricity generation.

Under earlier arrangements, Qatari money was delivered through a combination of direct payments, fuel supplies and internationally supervised mechanisms. Israel permitted many of those transfers as part of efforts to maintain stability in Gaza and prevent humanitarian conditions from deteriorating.

However, Israeli officials and security analysts have repeatedly warned that assistance directed toward civilian needs can also strengthen Hamas indirectly by allowing the organization to devote other resources to its military infrastructure.

Previous arrangements demonstrated how complicated that distinction can become. In 2021, Qatar and Egypt discussed a mechanism under which fuel supplied to Gaza would be sold locally, with the proceeds used to pay public-sector salaries, including employees working under the Hamas administration.

The current report raises similar concerns about the relationship between humanitarian assistance and the financial resources available to Hamas, although it does not establish that the entire $100 million was diverted to terrorist activity.

The central question is whether sufficient oversight exists to ensure that Qatari-funded projects benefit civilians without enabling Hamas to retain control over essential services or strengthen its governing institutions.

Despite those concerns, Israel has continued allowing Qatari humanitarian activities in Gaza, including deliveries coordinated through international organizations and infrastructure projects involving local authorities.