Eating super foods is one of the keys to super health. You may have heard the term micronutrients before but are unsure what they are. Basically, micronutrients are foods that don’t provide energy yet are a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to the healthy functioning of your cells and tissues. They include:
- Water-soluble vitamins
- Fat-soluble vitamins
- Major minerals
- Trace minerals
Each has a special role, and to get all their benefits, you need to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet every day. Let’s break them down:
Water-soluble B vitamins help you take energy from the carbohydrates, proteins and fats you eat. For example, Vitamin C is high in antioxidants, protecting your body from outside influences, healing wounds and maintaining tissue strength. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. There are also fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D, E and K. Vitamin A helps with eyesight, vitamin D absorbs calcium and leads to strong bones, Vitamin E is essential for optimal cell membrane health. And vitamin K helps the body clot blood.
As for minerals, there are many you need as part of a balanced diet, such as:
- Sodium
- Chloride
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Sulfur
- Iron
- Zinc
- Iodine
- Copper
- Manganese
- Selenium
You should shoot for at least 100 milligrams each day. Sodium, potassium and chloride all help with nerve impulses and muscle contraction, while calcium and phosphorus provide strong bone health. Iron helps facilitate the movement of oxygen through your tissues, while zinc boosts your immunity.
How to Get Them
Ensuring you get a well-balanced diet is key. You can get micronutrients through a variety of meats and seafood, dairy foods, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables and grains. If you don’t get enough micronutrients, you’ll be deficient in these vital elements, resulting in less than optimal. For example, if you don’t get enough vitamin A, your eyesight can suffer, and if you don’t get enough iron, you can develop anemia which leads to fatigue.
Here are some examples of micronutrients you need and where you can get them:
Vitamin A: Red meat, liver, kidney, fish oil, eggs, and dairy products. Beta-carotene, converted into vitamin A by the body, can be found in carrots and leafy vegetables.
- Folic acid: Spinach, kale, orange juice and fortified breakfast cereals.
- Iodine: Fish, kelp, garlic, sesame seeds, spinach and squash.
- Iron: Red meat, liver, poultry, salmon, tuna, egg yolk, dried beans, green leafy veggies, dried fruits, whole grains, and nuts.
- Zinc: Poultry, red meat, oysters, beans, nuts, whole grains and fortified breakfast cereals.
Micronutrients provide many health benefits. Incorporating these vitamins and minerals into your diet, in addition to having an active lifestyle and good fitness routine, is key to maintaining the healthiest life possible. Combining these nutrients with products like Scarfade Gel can help in the healing of cuts and scrapes as well.