Vanishing Nutrients

How Modern Processing Strips Our Food of Vital Nutrition

• Rice: Processing to get white rice removes 90% of natural thiamine, 85% of natural niacin, 60% of natural iron (NIH, 2020). The resulting Thiamin/Vitamin B1 deficiency caused a rash of severe disease called beriberi in Asia, 1880s–1920s.

• Corn: Degermination cuts 60% fiber, 50% magnesium (USDA, 2019). Pellagra (from Vitamin B3/Niacin deficiency) marked by dermatitis (skin rash), diarrhea, dementia, death killed 100,000+ in U.S., 1900–1940.

• Flour: Refined flour loses 80% fiber, 70% iron (USDA, 2020). Enrichment, to try to put back some nutrients, began in 1940s.

• Public Health: Obesity (42%), diabetes (10%), gut disorders linked to refined diets (CDC). Fiber intake is at half half recommended levels.

• Consumer Behavior: 60% would choose healthier foods with clear labeling (Am J Public Health, 2021).

  

Ahhh! A bowl of steaming white rice, fluffy and familiar, a staple on tables worldwide. It’s cheap, versatile, and seemingly lasts forever in your pantry.

But what you might not realize is that this popular grain has been stripped of much of its nutritional value to achieve that long shelf life and pristine appearance.

The story of rice is just one chapter in a broader saga of how modern food processing—driven by convenience, cost, and consumer preference—has sapped the nutritional heart from many agricultural products.

From corn to flour to breakfast cereals, the foods we eat today often pale in comparison to their historical counterparts, with profound implications for public health.

If consumers knew the full toll of these changes, and if labels told the unvarnished truth, would we rethink our choices—especially for our kids?

Read on for details on all of the good stuff removed from our food—and why.

Rice: Not So Nice?

Let’s start with rice, a crop that feeds half the world’s population. In its natural state, rice is harvested as a whole grain—brown rice—complete with its bran (the outer layer), germ (the nutrient-rich embryo), and endosperm (the starchy core).

The bran and germ are packed with fiber, B vitamins (like thiamine and niacin), magnesium, and antioxidants.

But bran and germ are also perishable, prone to “rancidity” within months due to natural oils.

To extend shelf life and maximize profits, the rice industry, starting in the early 20th century, began milling and polishing rice to remove the bran and germ, leaving only the endosperm.

Consumers, none the wiser, developed a taste for the softer, whiter product. By the 1920s, white rice dominated global markets. It could sit on shelves for years, travel long distances, and cook up light and fluffy.

But the nutritional cost was steep. White rice retains only a fraction of its original nutrients—losing up to 90% of its vitamin B1 (thiamine), 85% of vitamin B3 (niacin), and 60% of its iron, according to studies from the National Institutes of Health.

The fiber content drops to near zero, making it a high-glycemic food that spikes blood sugar.

This processing wasn’t just a culinary choice; it triggered public health crises. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, beriberi—a debilitating disease caused by thiamine deficiency—surged in Asia, where polished white rice became a dietary mainstay. Thousands died or suffered nerve damage and heart failure until scientists linked the disease to nutrient loss in 1912.

Today, some white rice is “enriched” with sprayed-on vitamins to replace what’s lost, but this is a Band-Aid. Enrichment doesn’t restore fiber, antioxidants, or the full spectrum of minerals, and the synthetic vitamins are less bioavailable than their natural counterparts.

Yet white rice remains the default in most households, preferred for its taste, texture, and convenience.

What if labels disclosed: “90% of nutrients removed for shelf life,” would consumers rethink their choices—at least part of the time? Might parents opt for brown rice or other whole grains for their kids, if they knew the stakes?

Nutrients Torn From Corn

Corn tells a similar story. Once a revered staple in Mesoamerican diets, corn was traditionally consumed as whole kernels or minimally processed masa (used for tortillas).

Whole corn is rich in fiber, magnesium, and B vitamins, with a balanced carbohydrate profile.

But starting in the mid-19th century, industrial milling transformed corn into refined products like cornmeal, corn starch, and high-fructose corn syrup, which dominate modern diets.

Degermination, introduced in the 1870s, removes the nutrient-dense germ and bran to create shelf-stable cornmeal and grits. Once again, this increased shelf life and profits for companies.

But this process strips away 60% of the fiber, 50% of the magnesium, and most B vitamins, leaving a starchy product that’s little more than a carbohydrate bomb.

By the 1930s, pellagra—a disease caused by niacin deficiency—plagued the U.S. South, where refined cornmeal replaced whole corn in diets.

Symptoms included skin rashes, diarrhea, and dementia. Pellagra killed over 100,000 Americans between 1900 and 1940. Like rice, some corn products are now enriched, but the fiber and phytochemicals are gone for good.

Today, corn’s biggest role is as a processed ingredient in ultra-processed foods—think cereals, chips, and sodas.

High-fructose corn syrup, introduced in the 1970s, is a calorie-dense sweetener with no nutritional value, linked to obesity and diabetes.

If a bag of corn chips carried a label saying, “Fiber and vitamins removed, empty calories added,” would shoppers reach for whole-grain alternatives? For kids’ snacks, parents might lean toward popcorn or fresh corn, prioritizing nutrition over convenience— at least some of the time.

Flour: Removed Nutritional Power

Wheat flour, the backbone of bread and baked goods, has undergone a parallel transformation.

Whole wheat berries, used for millennia, contain bran, germ, and endosperm, delivering fiber, protein, iron, and B vitamins.

But in the late 19th century, roller milling technology enabled mass production of refined white flour by stripping away the bran and germ.

By the 1880s, corporations were able to turn white flour into a sort of status symbol—its pale color and smooth texture signaling modernity. And once again, this maximized profits making the product last longer on shelves, unlike whole wheat flour, which spoils within weeks.

But once again, the nutritional loss is staggering.

Refined white flour loses 80% of its fiber, 70% of its iron, and nearly all its B vitamins, according to USDA data.

The glycemic index soars, contributing to rapid blood sugar spikes. In the early 20th century, nutrient deficiencies from white flour diets prompted governments to mandate enrichment in the 1940s, adding back iron and B vitamins.

But, as with rice and corn, enrichment doesn’t replace fiber or trace minerals, and the refined product fuels overeating by lacking satiety.

White flour dominates bread, pasta, and pastries, despite whole-grain options.

If a loaf of white bread carried a warning—“80% of nutrients removed, may spike blood sugar”—would come consumers choose whole wheat or sourdough more often?

For children, whose growing bodies need dense nutrition, would some parents prioritize whole-grain cereals or homemade breads to support long-term health?

Other Culprits: From Oats to Fruit Juices

The nutrient drain extends beyond grains. Oats, once eaten as whole groats or steel-cut, are often processed into instant oatmeal, rolled thin and stripped of fiber for quick cooking.

Added sugars in flavored packets turn a nutrient-rich grain into a dessert-like breakfast.

Similarly, fruit juices, marketed as healthy, are often pasteurized and filtered, losing fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins.

A 2020 study in The Journal of Nutrition found that whole fruits retain up to 70% more nutrients than their juiced counterparts. Even canned vegetables, processed for longevity, lose water-soluble vitamins like C and B through heat treatment, with losses up to 50% per the USDA.

The Public Health Toll

The cumulative impact of nutrient-stripped foods is a slow-motion public health crisis.

Since the mid-20th century, diets heavy in refined grains and ultra-processed foods have fueled a surge in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

The CDC reports that 42% of U.S. adults are obese, and 1 in 10 have diabetes—conditions linked to high-glycemic, low-nutrient diets.

Fiber deficiency, rampant in processed foods, is a key driver: the average American consumes just 15 grams of fiber daily, half the recommended 25–30 grams, increasing risks of digestive disorders and colon cancer.

Children are especially vulnerable. Nutrient-poor diets can impair growth, cognitive development, and immune function.

A 2019 study in Pediatrics found that kids eating high amounts of refined grains had lower intakes of iron and B vitamins, linked to poorer academic performance. Over time, these deficits compound, setting the stage for chronic diseases in adulthood.

The irony is that processing was meant to solve problems—hunger, spoilage, and cost. But by prioritizing shelf life over nutrition, we’ve traded short-term convenience for long-term health costs.

The global rise in white rice, refined flour, and corn-based products since the early 20th century correlates with declining nutrient density in diets, even as caloric intake has soared.

Could Transparency Change Choices?

Consumers love white rice, white bread, and sugary cereals for their taste, affordability, and ease. Cultural habits, aggressive marketing, and lack of awareness keep these foods dominant.

But what if more people knew the truth? If labels disclosed, “This product has 80–90% less nutrition than its whole-grain version,” or if ads admitted, “Processing removes fiber and vitamins, increasing health risks,” would preferences shift?

Studies suggest yes.

A 2021 American Journal of Public Health survey found that 60% of consumers would choose healthier options if nutritional losses were clearly labeled, especially for their children.

Parents, in particular, might act. Knowing that brown rice retains thiamine to support brain health, or that whole wheat bread provides fiber for digestion, could nudge families toward whole grains, at least occasionally.

Schools, which serve millions of meals daily, could prioritize whole-grain options if parents demanded it. Even small shifts—swapping white rice for brown once a week or choosing whole-grain pasta—could improve nutrient intake population-wide.

The nutrient loss in our food isn’t inevitable. Policy changes, like mandating clear labeling of nutritional trade-offs, could empower consumers. Subsidies for whole-grain products could make them as affordable as refined ones. Education campaigns, highlighting the beriberi and pellagra lessons of the past, could shift cultural norms.

Meanwhile, individuals can choose minimally processed foods—brown rice, whole wheat flour, steel-cut oats, or fresh produce—when possible.

The story of our food is a paradox: we’ve engineered abundance but sacrificed sustenance. By understanding the toll of processing, we can make informed choices, demand better options, and protect our health—and our kids’ futures.

Read Sharyl’s five star bestseller: “Follow the $cience: How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures, and Prevails.”