At first glance, it might seem obvious that people in the United States need MVIs. Since the 1970s, there has been a steady decline in intake of fruits and vegetables, followed closely by an increase in intake of nutrient-poor, high carbohydrate foods.⁷ In 2005, the CDC estimated that only 32.6% of adults consumed fruit two or more times per day and only 27.2% ate vegetables three or more times per day.⁸ A low fruit and vegetable intake becomes increasingly more likely in the elderly due to poor appetite, eating disability, and underlying pathology.⁹ Even with an adequate intake of fruits and vegetables, it may be difficult to meet daily recommended intakes (DRI)due to changes in nutrient content of foods, which can depend on the food’s origin and subsequent processing. For example, some frozen vegetables may lose up to 95% of their folate content after being frozen for only 3 months.¹⁰ Another analysis found that the content of nutrients in dehydrated fruits and vegetables drastically decreased after a shelf life of 3 months.¹¹