We all
consume various foods and drinks every day. The question however is; are you
getting some of the most important nutrients
and minerals that your body needs in order to remain healthy. In this day
and age, the answer to that question for most people is no and a very big one too.
It is for this reason that I have decided to take all of you back to Biology
class for a lesson in vital nutrients that your body needs.
Calcium
It is
impossible to talk about the most
important nutrients and minerals without touching on calcium. I am pretty
sure you have been hearing about the importance of calcium ever since you were
young. Calcium plays a major role in bone construction; in fact it’s primarily what
your bones are made of. Without it therefore your entire skeletal structure
will be compromised; this simply means that your bones will be more prone to
breakage and more so as you age. Calcium also regulates blood pressure as well
as facilitates muscle contraction. The recommended daily intake is 1000 milligrams.
As you might be aware, dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese etc contain significant
quantities of calcium. Bone soup, which happens to be a favourite for quite a
number of Kenyans, is also laden with calcium.
Iron
Iron also
features quite high up there in the list of most important nutrients and minerals. This particular mineral
helps red blood cells carry oxygen to different parts of the body. If you don’t
have enough of it therefore, the cells in your body will be denied sufficient oxygen
supply and as a result you may end up suffering from chronic fatigue. Iron
deficiency may also cause hair loss – something that I’m sure you wouldn’t want
to happen to you anytime soon. The good news is that you can get iron from
foods that are readily available including beef, pork, spinach and beans. An
interesting fact for you: the average person has enough iron in their body to
make a small nail.
Vitamin D
Just like
calcium, vitamin D is necessary in maintaining strong bones. Without it
actually, your body would have a hard time absorbing calcium. It also plays a
major role in keeping your immune system strong and consequently preventing you
from falling ill every other time. Vitamin D helps in warding off cancer,
diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis among other ailments. Simply, put, you can’t do
without it. Now I am sure that you have ever been told that standing in the sun
is the best way to get your daily dose of vitamin D. That is indeed true but it
doesn’t mean that sunlight comes packed with vitamin D. What happens is that
when energy from the sun hits your skin, it converts the cholesterol underneath
it to vitamin D. Of course the process is a bit more complex than what the explanation
suggests but hopefully you are now a bit wiser on the topic. Vitamin D is found
in milk, fish oil and orange juice.
Folic Acid
Contrary to
what some people might think, folic acid is not just good for pregnant women. It
is recommended that everyone consumes at least 400 micrograms of folic acid
every day. It offers protection from cancer of the colon and heart disease. In
pregnant women it reduces the chances of delivering babies with spinal and
brain defects among others. Cereals and grain products are great sources of
folic acid.
Magnesium
Also in the
list of most important nutrients and
minerals is magnesium. It helps maintain a balance of hormones in the body
hence keeping at bay various unpleasant conditions such as migraines. Also,
without magnesium, your muscles and nerves wouldn’t be able to function properly.
Fish, oats and nuts will deliver magnesium to your body.
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