While we may not all be nutrition experts, most people understand that the human body needs certain nutrients to function at its best.
However, it turns out that some key nutrients are missing from the average person’s diet, according to a study by foodfirefriends.com.
To help shed some light on what’s missing from our plates, nutritionists Ellie Busby Y Dr Sarah Cooke tell us why they are so important and how you can tell if you are missing them.
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Zinc
“If your hair is getting thinner or drier, you may need more zinc. Most people don’t get enough zinc because our foods are overly processed, which takes away the goodness, and zinc suffers the most.” “, says nutritionist Ellie Busby.
Other signs of a zinc deficiency are soft nails, dry skin, and getting very sick.
“Foods rich in zinc to integrate into the daily diet are whole-grain bread and pasta, whole grains (quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice) and pumpkin seeds,” he adds.
vitamin B6
Skin rashes, sore lips and tongue, mood swings, and tiredness can all be signs of vitamin B6 deficiency. Vitamin B6 is important for protecting and strengthening the immune system and maintaining an optimal amount of amino acids in the blood.
“Vitamin B6 is one of the most common micronutrient deficiencies in the average person’s diet. Optimal sources of vitamin B6 include avocado, red potatoes, chickpeas, yellowfin tuna, and walnuts,” explains Dr. Dr Cooke.
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Vitamin D
“We can’t get much vitamin D from our diet. In fact, we get most of it from sunlight. The problem? We don’t get enough sun exposure. So our body turns to our food to get what it needs.” , explains the nutritionist. Ellie Busby.
“The only natural food source of vitamin D is oily fish. These days you can also find special mushrooms rich in vitamin D at your local grocery store. Another way would be to look for fortified soy milk, from which I get my daily vitamin D.”
Omega 3
“Most people don’t eat enough nuts and seeds and eat too many processed foods. One is high in omega-3 (anti-inflammatory, good for you) and the other is high in omega-6 (pro-inflammatory, bad for you). you). ),” says Busby.
Our brains are made of fat, and most of it is omega 3. One risk of not getting enough omega 3 is that your brain will age faster, and this will increase your risk of dementia as you age.
“What most people don’t know is that omega-3 and omega-6 need to be in balance. So we can’t just eat omega-3 rich foods and hope for the best. We also need to reduce their intake of omega-6 One way to do that would be to reduce the amount of processed foods in our diet and start eating more nuts and seeds.”
And Dr. Cooke adds: “Omega-3 fatty acids are generally lacking in the American diet. Sources of Omega 3 include fatty fish such as salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds. Adding flaxseed to oatmeal or nuts to salads, we help increase our daily intake of Omega 3”.
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Iron
Iron is found in both animal foods and plant foods (heme iron and non-heme iron, respectively). Foods like red meat, eggs, and oysters contain heme iron, which is more easily absorbed than non-heme iron.
Plant sources of iron include lentils, spinach, tofu, and cashews.
“To increase plants’ uptake of nonheme iron, it’s good to combine these foods with vitamins, such as lemon juice in a salad dressing or adding strawberries or oranges to a snack,” adds Dr. Cooke. “Another way to make it easier for non-heme iron to be absorbed by our bodies is to avoid drinking tea with these foods (the tannins found in tea inhibit iron absorption)”
calcium and magnesium
Busby explains: “Despite the fact that people consume large amounts of milk and milk products, 70 per cent of us are lactose intolerant as adults, which can lead to intestinal problems.
“For those lactose-free, it’s crucial to eat plenty of plant-based foods with calcium, such as fortified plant milks, dark green leafy vegetables, and seeds (especially poppy, sesame, and chia seeds).”
Magnesium is also one of the most recommended supplements by doctors around the world. Why? Because it is almost impossible to get enough magnesium from our diet, especially if we are stressed.
“The body uses up magnesium stores to generate stress hormones. Whole grains, nuts, dark chocolate, and dark green leafy vegetables are optimal sources of magnesium.”
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