The diet of the average American adult is extremely unbalanced. Amidst spiking obesity rates and an abundance of processed food, there is a nutrition gap that gets in the way of overall health.
This problem might be occurring in your own diet, putting you at risk for dangerous diseases and cancers that affect you later on in life. Here are a few nutrients you don’t want to miss during your mealtimes:
Calcium
It’s important to maintain a regulated level of calcium. If your blood is lacking in calcium, your bones will release the calcium that it has stored. This makes the bones weaker and more brittle, not allowing them to strengthen through a process of mineralization. Calcium-rich foods include fish, dairy, and dark green veggies.
Fiber
Fiber is a critical component of your digestive health. It also lowers your LDL levels, which is bad cholesterol that puts you at risk for heart disease. Both of these are crucial aspects of weight management. Sources of fibers include foods such as beans, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Iron
Iron is crucial for healthy blood that is capable of transporting oxygen to different parts of the body. Deficiency in iron is fairly common, and affects more than 25% of the world’s population. In order to boost iron levels, it’s important to consume easily absorbable heme iron found in meat products. This includes red meat, animal organs, and shellfish.
Vitamin C
This nutrient has a multitude of benefits. Immune boosts, heart health, eye function- all of these things are protected by keeping sufficient levels of Vitamin C. Studies even show that there is a general correlation between Vitamin C and overall health, suggesting that the higher these levels are within an individual the healthier they are. Citrus fruits are excellent food sources of Vitamin C.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a major source of nutrients to your body, and nearly every cell you have hosts a receptor for it. Deficiency in this vitamin can be detrimental to your health over time. It can cause muscle weakness, bone fragility, poor immunity, and increase your risk of developing cancer. Foods that are rich in Vitamin D include eggs and fatty fish.
