Healthy Soil, Healthy Food: The Science

Not all food is created equal. How is the nutrient content of plants influenced by the soil? How are these qualities transmitted up the food chain to humans that consume them? How does our body respond to differences in food quality? In order to explore these questions, we need to know not only about the basic science of food production and consumption, but also about soil quality and human nutrition. Recently publications synthesize these seemingly disparate topics that are fundamental to the evolving "food as medicine" approach.

We will examine the concept of soil health and study the biology of the soil that forms the soil's "microbiome," which translated through plants become nutrient-dense foods. We will introduce the quantifiable concept of food quality and nutrient density resulting from various methods of food production. Using the Understanding Nutrition text by Whitney and Rolfes, we will study basic nutrition, how our bodies digest and recover nutrients, and consider the physiological roles of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. We will explore types of food from their coevolution with humans to their transformation through cooking to preserve nutrients using McGee (On Food and Cooking). 

Students will directly apply major concepts learned in lectures to soil labs and cooking experiments in Evergreen’s food-grade Sustainable Agriculture Lab, as well as workshops and nutritional assays of food. Experiential activities will help develop the ability to taste and smell, critical to the appreciation of food. Program themes will be reinforced through invited speakers and in seminar discussions focused on topics addressed by such authors Silvertown (Dinner with Darwin), Montgomery and Bilké (What Your Food Ate) and Van Tulleken (Ultra-Processed People). Field trips will provide opportunities for observing local food production and processing. An independent research project will personalize student learning.

Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:

4 – Sustainable Agriculture and Soil Health with Laboratory

4 - Food Science with Laboratory

4 - Introduction to Human Nutrition

2 - Seminar: Issues in Food and Human Nutrition

2 – Student-directed Independent Research: Your topic