Do you want to maintain strong bones? Have energy? Be able to fight infections? Of course you do, right? Well, having the appropriate and right amounts of micronutrients in your diet is crucial for good health.
The two essential micronutrients your body needs are vitamins and minerals. Although vitamins and minerals are needed in small amounts, they play crucial roles in prevention and treatment of various diseases and conditions, provide structure for bones and teeth, act as antioxidants, regulate metabolism, balance pH, and many other important jobs. Understanding micronutrients will help you maintain or improve your health and eating a well-balanced diet can help you meet your micronutrient needs.
Vitamins
Vitamins are found in two forms, water soluble and fat soluble. Water soluble vitamins include the B vitamins and Vitamin C and are easily lost through bodily fluids and should be replaced daily. The fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K and are not as easily lost and can be stored within the body and don’t need to be replenished on a daily basis.
B vitamins play a role in energy metabolism, red cell production and many other important roles in the body. Good sources are unprocessed whole foods. Processed foods like sugar and white flour have lower B vitamin amounts if any at all. Meats, tuna, liver, legumes, beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables are all good sources of B vitamins. B12 on the other hand is difficult to get from plant foods so if you’re a strict vegan or primarily plant based then it’s recommended to get your serum B12 levels checked to determine if a B12 supplement would be necessary.
Vitamin C is a cofactor for enzymatic reactions, collagen synthesis, wound healing, acts as an antioxidant to decrease oxidative stress, and many other functions. The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI) for Americans is 75 – 90 mg per day and the Tolerable Upper Limits (amounts not to exceed) are 2000 mg per day. Good sources are many fruits and vegetables. Well known foods high in vitamin C are oranges, kiwi or strawberries. Heat does destroy vitamin C so if you want to maintain the vitamin C in food then eat it raw.
Fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, are stored in the body for long periods of time and diseases caused by a deficiency of these vitamins, aside from vitamin D, are rare in our country. Since it’s easy to consume excess amounts of these vitamins, posing a risk of toxicity, it’s recommended to avoid mega dosing with fat soluble vitamin supplements.
Vitamin A is important for eye health, bone growth, tooth development, reproduction, gene expression, and regulation of the immune system. Vitamin A also maintains the integrity and moistness of skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. The plant form of vitamin A is called betacarotene and plays an important role in the prevention of certain cancers by acting as an antioxidant. Betacarotene is converted to Vitamin A in the body. Good sources are animal foods such as dairy, fish and liver and plant foods come from fruits and vegetables, especially those that are orange or dark green in color like carrots, pumpkin, winter squash, dark leafy greens, and apricots.
Vitamin D is important for absorption of calcium in the small intestine, plays a role in the body’s use of calcium and phosphorous, and helping to form and maintain bones. Vitamin D assists with proper immune function and controlling cell growth. Good food sources are fortified dairy products, oily fish like salmon or sardines. Another way to obtain vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. It’s important to get your serum vitamin D levels checked to determine if supplements are necessary.
Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in the body, and protects vitamins A and C, red blood cells, and essential fatty acids from destruction. Good food sources are vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and fortified cereals. Research studies have shown that vitamin E supplements have no health benefits like protecting you from heart disease or cancers; however it has been shown that eating foods that are high in vitamin E have benefits.
Vitamin K, unlike the other vitamins, is naturally produced in your body by the bacteria in your intestines. It’s involved in normal blood clotting, promoting bone health, and helping to produce proteins for blood, bones and kidneys. Good food sources are green leafy vegetables like collard greens, swiss chard, spinach, cabbage, and broccoli and certain vegetable oils like soybean oil, canola oil and olive oil.
Minerals
Minerals are also available in two forms: macrominerals and micromineral and play many important roles in the body like maintaining healthy bones and teeth, providing nerve transmission, acting as an antioxidant, assisting with oxygen transfer, promoting proper immune function, maintaining proper fluid balance, making proteins, and many other functions. A healthy balanced diet usually ensures adequate amounts ingested.
Macrominerals are needed in larger amounts than microminerals and include the following along with food sources:
- Calcium – dairy products, broccoli, leafy greens like collard or kale, nuts, and beans
- Magnesium – nuts and seeds, legumes, leafy greens, chocolate, seafood
- Phosphorus – meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk
- Sodium – table salt, soy sauce, processed foods
- Potassium – meats, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes
Microminerals are only needed in trace amounts and include the following along with some food sources:
- Iron – organ meats, red meats, fish, poultry, shellfish, egg yolks, legumes, dried fruits, leafy greens
- Copper – legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, organ meats, drinking water
- Iodine – seafood, iodized salt, bread, dairy products
- Zinc – meats, fish, poultry, leavened whole grains, vegetables
- Fluoride – drinking water, fish, and most teas
Understanding the importance of your micronutrients and where they are found in foods can help you create a healthy meal plan that ensures you’re meeting your nutrient needs. Focus on nutrient dense foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains making them a large part of your meal plan. Take a vitamin and mineral supplement only as directed by your doctor or if you feel your meal plan is lacking in the nutrients your body needs. A visit to a registered dietitian nutritionist can help you determine if you need to take a multivitamin and mineral supplement.
By Vincent Alvarez, RDN, NSCA-CPT