Many people want to eat clean and try to go with a balanced diet, but, well, nobody’s perfect! And even women in great shape are often neglecting some of the highly critical nutrients that our bodies require through training and recovery. In fact, the most recent Americans’ dietary guidelines have identified SEVEN key nutrients that are generally under-consumed even in some of the most comprehensive diets. Keep reading for more ideas of how to get more of these nutrients into your diet starting today!
1. IRON
Iron helps form hemoglobin, the part of the red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body, as well as myoglobin, a similar compound found in heart and muscle tissue that provides the extra oxygen you need to work out. Also, it is necessary to make connective tissue and some hormones and for a strong immune system.
When the iron supply is too low, iron-deficiently anemia occurs, characterized by weakness, tiredness, headaches, increased sensitivity to cold, and a paleness that reflects the reduction in the number and size of the red blood cells. To improve iron status, women and adolescent girls should consume foods containing heme iron, such as lean meats, poultry, and seafood, which is more readily absorbed by the body than non-heme iron, such as beans, vegetables, fruits, and some other plant foods.
KEY SOURCES:
Lean red meats, Liver, Fish, Oysters, Clams, Beans, Spinach, Tofu, Enriched cereal
HOW MUCH:
18 mg/day (women: 19-50 years old)
30 mg/day (pregnant women)
8 mg/day (women: >50 years old & men)
2. VITAMIN C
This antioxidants nutrient helps destroy free radicals, prevents oxidative damage to cells, as well as blocks damaging chain reactions that appear to promote heart disease and cancer. It’s also key for the production and maintenance of collagen, the proteinaceous foundation material for the body’s connective tissue, including bones, teeth, SKIN, and tendons.
Vitamin C is especially important for vegan as the absorption of iron from non-heme sources can substantially be enhanced by consuming them along with vitamin C-rich foods.
KEY SOURCES:
Yellow bell pepper, Kiwi, Orange, Green bell pepper, Strawberries, Cantaloupe, Broccoli, Potatoes
HOW MUCH:
75 mg/day (women)
90 mg/day (men)
3. POTASSIUM
This mineral balances sodium to prevent bloating and promote normal blood pressure, as well as prevents calcium loss from bones. It’s also key for the nerve cell function, muscle contraction and energy storage in muscles for later use and, most importantly, maintaining the heartbeat.
The sudden deaths that occur during fasting, severe diarrhea, or severe vomiting are considered to be due to heart failure caused by potassium loss.
KEY SOURCES:
Potatoes, Yogurt, Milk, Beans, Orange juice, Banana, Spinach, Broccoli, Cantaloupe
HOW MUCH:
4,700 mg/day
4. CALCIUM
Well known for strengthening bones, calcium is also critical for proper function of every cell, especially those in your skeletal muscles and heart. Everyone knows that children need calcium daily to support the growth of their bones and teeth, but not everyone notices adults’ needs for daily intakes of calcium.
Sufficient evidence now supports the importance of calcium for adults, especially women, who need about as much calcium in their later years as they did as a teenager. A common calcium deficit during the growing years and in adulthood causes to gradual bone loss — osteoporosis.
KEY SOURCES:
Milk and Milk products; Green vegetables such as Broccoli, Kale, Bok choy; and a few Fish and Shellfish
**Tofu: The calcium content of tofu varies depending on processing methods. Look for tofu processed with calcium sulfate.
HOW MUCH:
1,000 mg/day
1,200 mg/day (women: >50 years old)
5. FIBER
Dietary fiber helps you feel fuller for longer, helps steady blood-glucose levels so your energy is steady and keeps blood cholesterol controlled. Both types of fiber, soluble and insoluble, can help with weight control as they convey a feeling of fullness after absorbing water in the stomach.
If you eat a lot of high-fiber foods, you are likely to eat fewer empty-calorie foods such as solid fats and sweets.
KEY SOURCES:
Plant foods only, such as Fruits, Vegetables, Beans, Whole grains
HOW MUCH:
25 g/day
21 g/day (women: >50 years old)
6. VITAMIN D
Your body relies on Vitamin D to absorb calcium and regulate its flow in bones and the bloodstream, which also helps keeping your heartbeat regular and your muscles moving. It moreover acts as a hormone, a compound manufactured by one organ of the body that affects another.
In adults, vitamin D deficiency causes osteomalacia, most often in women whose diets lack calcium, who get little exposure to the sun, and who go through several closely spaced pregnancies and prolonged periods of breastfeeding.
KEY SOURCES:
Fortified foods such as Milk, Soy, Yogurt, Orange juice, Cereals; Fatty fish (including Salmon, Tuna, Sardines, Herring, Mackerel), Eggs, Liver
HOW MUCH:
600-800 IU/day
7. FOLATE
Folate is a B vitamin found naturally in foods; folic acid is the synthetic form added to grains and dietary supplements. Folate is a coenzyme that acts particularly important in the synthesis of DNA. While folic acid is better absorbed by the body, both forms are needed to make new muscle and red blood cells and to help prevent birth defects during early pregnancy.
Folate occurs naturally in fresh green, leafy vegetables, but it is easily lost when foods are overcooked, canned, dehydrated, or otherwise processed.
KEY SOURCES:
Fortified foods such as Bread, Oatmeal, Pasta and Rice; Orange juice, Beans, Avocado, Asparagus, Spinach, Broccoli
HOW MUCH:
400 mcg/day
