Critical Nutrients and Their Main Food Sources – Articles

by


You probably know that taking high-quality multivitamins can be an integral part of your weight loss or health promotion plan, but did you know that some nutrients play a more important role than others when it comes to your health and metabolism?

The following are 5 essential nutrients that we, in truth, should keep track of if we strive to optimize our metabolic function. All of these nutrients are also one of the most common deficiencies in our population, which gives us even more reason to estimate our consumption.

Keep reading to learn more about these nutrients and basic food sources that can help ensure that we receive our full benefits every day.

Critical Nutrient No 1: Magnesium

Magnesium is certainly one of the most powerful and critical minerals. He is not only responsible for maintaining more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body (for example, regulating blood sugar and insulin, muscle and nerve function, generating energy, supporting digestive enzymes, bone formation, etc.), but is also one of the most common nutrients. flaws in this country.

Exercise, certain medications, and stress can quickly deplete our internal levels of magnesium, and our highly processed diets are usually devoid of this powerful mineral. Some symptoms of low magnesium levels include muscle cramps, restless legs syndrome, high blood pressure, low blood sugar, and headaches / migraines.

How to get it:

Your best bet is a varied diet with real food, which includes lots of leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and some types of fish. Try these magnesium-rich foods below and avoid high-processed fortified foods whenever possible.

  • 1 oz seed: pumpkin (150 mg), flaxseed (110 mg) or sesame (100 mg)
  • 1 oz nuts: Brazil nuts (105 mg) or almonds (80 mg)
  • 1 cup leafy greens: boiled spinach (157 mg) or chard (150 mg)
  • 4 ounces of fish: halibut (120 mg)

Recommendations for the use of magnesium usually depend on gender and age, but most adults require at least 300-400 mg per day to meet basic needs. I usually train my clients who strive to achieve optimal health (and who really?), To shoot at least 500-600 mg.

Nutrient No. 2: omega-3 fatty acids

Many of my clients ask, “Is there something that omega-3 does not support?” But seriously, these essential fatty acids are essential for our health.

They not only help maintain our overall heart health, but also include most of the body's natural anti-inflammatory molecules. They help fight high blood pressure and stress, support eye health and serotonin levels, help prevent depression, and support the health of every cell in our body. My dentist even praises me for taking omega-3 because of its effect on gum health!

Because of our highly inflammatory and saturated omega-6 diets (mainly from processed foods and vegetable oils), most of us do not get enough omega-3 inflammation-fighting in our diet to compensate for these negative factors. People who suffer from joint pain, depression, skin problems, difficulties with weight loss and other related diseases may think that they are not getting enough omega-3s.

Check out the sources of omega-3 rich foods below to increase your intake. Also, consider taking a high-quality supplement form daily to make sure you are getting enough.

How to get it:

Omega-3 fats in the diet can be detected as alpha linoleic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are considered the most beneficial and absorbable forms.

Most often, I teach my clients to think about wild-caught fish and salmon in order to support the consumption of EPA and DHA, while some nuts and seeds are common non-animal sources for the hard-to-convert ALA form of this important nutrient. ,

I recommend at least 1200 mg of total EPA and DHA each day to maintain good health. However, if inflammation, fat loss, or heart health is a problem, I will increase and personalize this recommendation. Below are some great food options for DHA and EPA omega-3s.

  • 3 oz. Granular caviar (5.56 g) or caviar (2.56 g)
  • 3 ounces of salmon (1.82 g), herring (1.75 g) or mackerel (1.57 g)
  • 3 ounces sable (1.52 g) or white fish (1.37 g)

Critical Nutrient No 3: Fiber

If you are like most Americans, you probably are not getting enough of this misunderstood nutrient. Most of us know that fiber is important, but we don’t know which foods are high in fiber. Instead, we choose processed foods that are enriched in fiber instead.

Fiber is essential for maintaining a healthy intestine and digestive system, but it can also help improve your immune system, maintain fullness longer, increase the absorption of minerals from food, and improve your body's response to insulin, slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates.

How to get it:

Unfortunately, most Americans lack the recommended 25-35 grams every day. For most of my clients, this recommendation is easy to follow if they know which foods contain fiber and follow a dietary approach to whole foods. When you think about fiber, think about vegetables, peel fruits and legumes. Below are some of the best food categories.

  • 1 cup boiled vegetables, artichoke hearts (7 g), green peas (4.5 g) and broccoli (6 g)
  • 1 cup of fruit: raspberries (8 g), pear (4 g) and apple (4 g)
  • 1 cup legumes: peas (16 grams), lentils (15 grams) and black beans (15 grams)

Critical Nutrient No. 4: Vitamin D

Vitamin D deficiency is the most common vitamin deficiency in our country today. This fat-soluble vitamin, known as the “Sun Vitamin,” which is mainly produced in the skin under the influence of the ultraviolet rays of the sun, supports the function of the whole body and promotes a healthy metabolism.

Vitamin D receptors have been found in almost all body tissues, including bones, heart, adrenal glands, stomach, liver, skin, chest, pancreas, immune system, brain, prostate, ovaries and testicles.

Vitamin D is involved in the formation and destruction of bones and teeth, the regulation of blood pressure and vascular health. In terms of glycemic balance, vitamin D contributes to the release of insulin, and also increases the sensitivity of our cells to glucose and insulin.

Some symptoms or health conditions associated with suboptimal levels of vitamin D include osteoporosis, obesity, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, diabetes, and many autoimmune disorders.

How to get it:

Vitamin D is not common in our food system. Fortified milk contains the highest concentration, while other foods with varying amounts of vitamin D include butter, cream, eggs, cold water, fish, and liver.

Since it is a fat-soluble vitamin, eating healthy fats is crucial for the proper absorption of this nutrient.

The best way to get vitamin D is after 20-30 minutes of exposure to the sun on completely exposed skin, at least 2-3 days a week – without sunscreen. If you find this recommendation difficult, adding liquid drops of vitamin D can also be a safe and effective remedy.

The Vitamin D Advice offers 1000-5000 IU per day for healthy adults and teens, but if you already have a deficiency, you may need extra sun exposure or supplementation. Be sure to check your vitamin D status at least once a year.

Nutrient No. 5: Zinc

Are you focused on getting enough zinc every day? Zinc is involved and necessary for many unique functions in our body, including the regulation of metabolic rate, blood sugar balance, immune function, sexual function (testosterone production), and even our taste and smell.

Since our body does not have a specialized zinc storage system, and our stressful lives and medications can lower our zinc levels, constant and daily consumption is necessary. Some symptoms of low zinc include decreased taste and smell, frequent colds or infections, acne on the face, or low testosterone.

Where can I find him?

To support this mineral, eat meat and poultry that are free of hormones and antibiotics, with an emphasis on some of the best sources listed below. Recommendations for zinc usually range from 8 to 11 mg for adults to avoid deficiency. Those already in short supply may benefit from supplements.

  • 3 oz. Oysters (80 mg) or crab (6 mg)
  • 4 ounces grass fed beef (5.2 mg), lamb, lower back (4 mg) or venison (5.5 mg)

– Anika Christos, nutritionist and lifelong weight loss director of digital programming and events

This article is not intended to cure or prevent disease, nor as a substitute for medical treatment, nor as an alternative to medical advice. The use of recommendations in this and other articles is at the reader’s choice and risk.