It can be difficult to get in all the nutrients that we need, particularly in modern diets as these tend to be low in some key nutrients. What can start as just lacking a few nutrients here and there can quickly turn into nutrient deficiencies, which results in some negative impacts on our health. So to stay ahead of the game, here are 6 common nutrients that we tend to not get enough of these days.
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Calcium
Low calcium intake is quite common, particularly in women and older adults. A survey conducted in the US discovered that less than 15% of adolescent girls and less than 10% of women over the age of 50 were meeting the recommended calcium intake. Additionally, they found that less than 22% of adolescent males were meeting the intake for calcium. These statistics are quite concerning as calcium is a vital nutrient for our body. Your heart and muscles need it to function, and it helps bone maintenance. Someone with a calcium deficiency may experience fragile bones and osteoporosis later on in life. Additionally, if children experience a calcium deficiency long term, this might lead to them suffering from skeletal disorders such as rickets.
To incorporate more calcium in your diet, try consuming high quantities of milk, yoghurts, cheese and even orange juice, which comes as a surprise to some. If you are vegan, then fear not as soya milk and almond milk are also good sources of calcium.
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Iron
Getting enough iron in your diet is essential for brain function and physical wellbeing. Your red blood cells contain iron that binds with hemoglobin and carries oxygen to your cells. Without this essential mineral, your body can experience an iron deficiency which causes fatigue, anemia and a weak immune system. Iron deficiency affects a large portion of the world’s population, with over 25% of people experiencing an iron deficiency. This number is even higher for young children, as 47% are not getting enough iron in their diet. As we all know, getting your kids to eat fruits and vegetables isn’t always easy, but there are tricks and tips available online to help you out if you have children.
Iron comes in two forms, heme iron and nonheme iron, the simplified difference between the two is that heme iron is easily absorbed and non-heme iron is not as easily absorbed. There are plenty of foods to choose from to help you meet your intake, for example, red meats, fish, beans, kale, broccoli, seeds, chickpeas and more! These ingredients are easy to integrate into your diet, and if you are on a plant-based diet, you can still get plenty of iron in despite not eating meat or dairy products.
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Omega-3
Omega-3 is a fatty acid that is essential to your diet and has been shown to prevent strokes, cancers and improve your cardiovascular health. Research into the benefits of omega-3 shows that its strongest beneficial effect is its prevention of heart disease. The fats seem to regulate the heartbeat at a consistent rhythm, which steers it away from dangerous or erratic rhythms that can lead to cardiac arrest. In the US alone, one person will die every 36 seconds due to cardiovascular disease. That is a scary statistic, but we can do things to help our heart health, including exercise and getting in the right nutrients and minerals for our body.
Vegans and vegetarians have struggled in the past to get enough Omega-3, but this has become easier to overcome with supplements such as Omvits vegan supplements, these supplements are sourced from algae making them 100% vegan. That's a trustworthy way to meet your omega-3 intake.
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Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is important for your nerves, brain and blood formation. It is found in animal products, so those who do not eat meat, are at risk of a B12 deficiency. What this entails is possible blood disorders, high homocysteine levels, and can even impair how your brain functions. Research has shown that between 80-90% of non-meat eaters are deficient in vitamin B12. This is concerning as the cells in your body rely on B12 to function, so if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you ought to consider using supplements to avoid deficiency.
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Magnesium
Magnesium is an important mineral for our bodies, and we need it to strengthen our bones and our teeth. It supports their growth and structure. Consequently, if you are not getting enough magnesium in your day to day diet, this can lead to problems later down the line, including heart disease, osteoporosis and type 2 diabetes. While might all sound a bit scary, rest assured as it is quite easy for us to up our magnesium intake, regardless of whether you are vegan, vegetarian or not. Some great ways to source magnesium are through eating nuts, dark chocolate, kale, grains and many more.
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Vitamin D
A lot of people are familiar with the name vitamin D but are not necessarily familiar with why we need it. We need vitamin D to absorb calcium and phosphate, without it, our immune system may become weakened and our bones more fragile. It can be difficult to get enough vitamin D as it is not easy to come by in food, and the few foods you can find it in, tend to not have substantial amounts. For example, cod liver oil, salmon, sardines and egg yolks will provide you with some vitamin D. If you are lucky enough to live in a sunny place, then you are likely to be getting enough vitamin D through your increased exposure to the sun. If you are not lucky enough to be exposed to sunshine all the time, you might want to consider taking supplements to help give your body what it needs.
Ultimately, it can be quite tasking to make sure that we get every nutrient and mineral we need in a healthy and sustainable diet. Pay attention to the foods you are eating, combine a well-balanced diet with an intake of appropriate supplements and your body will likely be fighting off the common deficiencies listed above.
