About Vitamins & Minerals
Of course, we know that we need a wide range of vitamins and minerals in our diets, but we're not always so clued up on why they’re so important, and what they can do for our health.
Vitamin C is an obvious one, but there are lots of others that play important roles in our bodies and we don’t always get enough of them in our diet. Let's talk a little bit more about 6 essential vitamins and minerals that will help us to stay healthy...
Vitamin C is an obvious one, but there are lots of others that play important roles in our bodies and we don’t always get enough of them in our diet. Let's talk a little bit more about 6 essential vitamins and minerals that will help us to stay healthy...
Vitamin A
If we want to keep our eyes and skin healthy, we definitely want to make sure we’re getting enough vitamin A in our diets.
There are two types of vitamin A: retinoids and carotenoids. Both are important for keeping skin, eyes, cells and tissues healthy and increasing immunity. The main difference is where we get them from. Retinoids are more readily found in animal products while carotenoids are usually plant based.
As a general rule of thumb, vitamin A can be found in lots of orange foods, including carrots, sweet potato and cantaloupe melon. Some of the less obvious sources include kale, spinach, liver, eggs, red peppers and mangoes.
Most of us will get enough vitamin A in our diet if we eat the right foods but be wary of supplementing, as too much vitamin A can be dangerous, especially if when pregnant. Our body stores it rather than flushing out any excess and if the level gets too high, it can be toxic. If we stick to getting our vitamin A intake from foods, we won't have anything to worry about.
There are two types of vitamin A: retinoids and carotenoids. Both are important for keeping skin, eyes, cells and tissues healthy and increasing immunity. The main difference is where we get them from. Retinoids are more readily found in animal products while carotenoids are usually plant based.
As a general rule of thumb, vitamin A can be found in lots of orange foods, including carrots, sweet potato and cantaloupe melon. Some of the less obvious sources include kale, spinach, liver, eggs, red peppers and mangoes.
Most of us will get enough vitamin A in our diet if we eat the right foods but be wary of supplementing, as too much vitamin A can be dangerous, especially if when pregnant. Our body stores it rather than flushing out any excess and if the level gets too high, it can be toxic. If we stick to getting our vitamin A intake from foods, we won't have anything to worry about.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is more of an antioxidant than a vitamin, and can help to protect our bodies against the damaging effects of free radicals. Without this, oxidative stress is a problem, and this has been linked to lots of health issues, including serious ones.
Almonds are a great natural source of vitamin E. We can also eat sunflower seeds, spinach, kale, asparagus, celery, cucumber and tomato to boost our vitamin E intake.
Almonds are a great natural source of vitamin E. We can also eat sunflower seeds, spinach, kale, asparagus, celery, cucumber and tomato to boost our vitamin E intake.
Iron
When we are lacking energy and feeling out of breath, it could be a sign that we’re not getting enough iron. Women can be particularly prone to iron deficiency anemia, thanks to the blood we lose at that time of the month! Iron helps hemoglobin, the pigment in red blood cells, to transport oxygen around the body.
Liver is a really good source of iron, but if you don’t eat meat, there are still plenty of other options. Spinach, beans, lentils, chickpeas, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds can also give us an iron boost. Bonus points when we can team these with a vitamin C rich food, so that the iron is absorbed more easily.
A good example of this combination is this sweet potato curry recipe. It is full of iron boosting chickpeas and spinach, plus vitamin C to help with absorption.
Liver is a really good source of iron, but if you don’t eat meat, there are still plenty of other options. Spinach, beans, lentils, chickpeas, sesame seeds and pumpkin seeds can also give us an iron boost. Bonus points when we can team these with a vitamin C rich food, so that the iron is absorbed more easily.
A good example of this combination is this sweet potato curry recipe. It is full of iron boosting chickpeas and spinach, plus vitamin C to help with absorption.
Magnesium
When chronic fatigue and muscle cramps are common problems, it may be a sign we need to up our magnesium intake. This is a mineral that lots of people are deficient in, which is bad news given how many key roles it plays in the body. From heart health to protecting against osteoporosis, this is one mineral we really don’t want to be lacking in!
If we want to make sure we are getting enough magnesium, we can get more of it through bananas, dark chocolate, leafy greens and pumpkin seeds.
If we want to make sure we are getting enough magnesium, we can get more of it through bananas, dark chocolate, leafy greens and pumpkin seeds.
Potassium
Potassium is another mineral that can cause a lot of problems if we’re not getting enough of it in our diets. It’s involved in keeping muscles and nerves healthy, and is also important for our kidneys and digestive system.
Good sources of potassium include avocado, bananas, potato, sweet potato, prunes and raisins. We can also drink coconut water, which often also contains other minerals such as magnesium and zinc.
These Banana and Sweet Potato Muffins are a great way to combine two potassium rich ingredients and are totally delicious.
Good sources of potassium include avocado, bananas, potato, sweet potato, prunes and raisins. We can also drink coconut water, which often also contains other minerals such as magnesium and zinc.
These Banana and Sweet Potato Muffins are a great way to combine two potassium rich ingredients and are totally delicious.
Chromium
Chromium is a mineral that lots of people have never heard of, but it’s really important for making sure every cell in our bodies get vital energy. If we don’t get enough chromium, we may even get sugar cravings.
We don’t need to eat very differently to get enough chromium, as whole grains, meat, most vegetables and some herbs all contain it.
This chicken curry recipe offers a healthy dose of meat and veggies and is super easy to make too!
We don’t need to eat very differently to get enough chromium, as whole grains, meat, most vegetables and some herbs all contain it.
This chicken curry recipe offers a healthy dose of meat and veggies and is super easy to make too!
All In All...
Eating a balanced diet full of whole foods is definitely the way to go for getting essential vitamins and minerals into our diets.
The more natural colours we see on our plates, the better! Eating the rainbow and loading up our plates with lots of different colors every day will go a long way towards ensuring we don’t become deficient in key nutrients.
The more natural colours we see on our plates, the better! Eating the rainbow and loading up our plates with lots of different colors every day will go a long way towards ensuring we don’t become deficient in key nutrients.
Make Sure You're Getting Your Vitamins!
| Want to make sure you're getting all the vitamins you should be? Unsure what the best way to integrate certain vitamins into your diet is? Have any additional questions about any of these vitamins? I'd love for you to book a free health coaching call and help you answer those questions. I want to find out what you are struggling with and give you my best tips to start you on a journey toward a lean and healthy body for life. Click on the button below to book your free call now. |  |
References:
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/sweet-potato-chickpea-amp-spinach-curry/
http://sweetlikecocoa.com/vegan-banana-sweet-potato-muffins/
https://80twentynutrition.com/recipe/curry-chicken-healthy-simple/
https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/sweet-potato-chickpea-amp-spinach-curry/
http://sweetlikecocoa.com/vegan-banana-sweet-potato-muffins/
https://80twentynutrition.com/recipe/curry-chicken-healthy-simple/
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