Our bodies need a range of vitamins and minerals to function optimally, and food sources are always better to get them.
If you eat a well-balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, protein, fiber and certain fortified foods like milk and bread, you’re probably getting enough of everything and don’t have to worry.
But, shall we be honest? It’s not easy to eat healthily. Who has never had a few nights of junk food and drinking, or spent a whole holiday eating chocolate?
If you’ve had to stop to think about how long you haven’t eaten a fruit, you’ll want to get supplements with a vitamin. All right, we understand you. The following are the most important nutrients to ensure that you ingest a sufficient amount.
1. Beta Carotene
Beta carotene is an antioxidant that is converted into vitamin A in the body. You need vitamin A to maintain a strong immune system, healthy eyes and beautiful skin. Get your Vitamin A through a diet rich in things like sweet potatoes, green peppers and carrots (although this won’t improve your night vision, contrary to popular belief).
A note of warning, however – ingesting too much beta carotene in the form of supplements can raise your risk of certain cancers and lung disease, especially if you are a smoker. There is no DDR for beta carotene, only for vitamin A (3,000 IU for men and 2,300 IU for women). This can make it difficult to select the correct potency of the supplement.
2. Calcium
Our bodies use calcium to maintain strong bone density and prevent osteoporosis. If you’re a mature person of a certain age, you’re probably getting a lot of spam emails warning you to take more calcium, or your bones will turn post. The best sources are dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt.
If you hate dairy, you can still get your DDR from foods like kale and canned sardines. Better that way? No! Take a calcium supplement, just take it easy if you have a tendency to kidney stones or are a woman over 70. Take less than 500 mg per dose and along with vitamin D to increase absorption.
3. Vitamin D
Speaking of vitamin D, when was the last time you did an outdoor activity? This vitamin, crucial for bone health, is synthesized in the body after a period of sun exposure, and does not take long. But doctors are now saying that many of us are disabled because we spend a lot of time indoors – at work or at home.
You can get vitamin D in your diet by means of fatty fish or fortified milk if you don’t want to go outdoors, but don’t hesitate to choose a supplement if necessary. In any case, talk to your doctor to check your vitamin D levels.
In order for the sun to stimulate vitamin D production, it needs to be positioned 50 degrees or more above the horizon; directly above the head is ideal. That’s the case only a few hours a day, so when you go outdoors it makes all the difference.
4. Folic acid
Folic acid, known as folate, is a very important vitamin B for pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant. It helps prevent neural tube defects in a growing fetus, but even non-pregnant people benefit from getting a sufficient amount of this vitamin. Folic acid supposedly reduces your risk of breast cancer, heart disease and anemia, and keep your brain more sharp as you get older.
You can get folate through foods like fortified breakfast cereals, citrus fruits, dark green leaves, vegetables, pasta and bread. There is no reason not to rely on a supplement if you cannot eat these foods regularly. Target 400 micrograms per day unless you are pregnant or breastfeeding; in this case, increase to 600 micrograms.
5. Iron
Organ meat, does anyone accept? It’s the best food to get iron, and you need enough iron for your red blood pressure to function properly. When they get out of control, it usually results in anemia. But don’t worry, you can also get iron through lean meats, green vegetables, seafood and nuts.
You probably don’t need a daily supplement unless you’re anemic, pregnant or just eating candy. Women may feel better with a supplement when menstruating. The DDR for iron varies greatly based on your age and state of your health, so it costs nothing to ask your doctor to see what he or she recommends for you.
6. Potassium
Potassium supposedly reduces your risk of heart disease or stroke, and works alongside calcium to regulate optimal water balance in your body. Unfortunately, many people ingest too much calcium and almost nothing potassium in their daily diets. Eat more bananas, vegetables, raisins and oranges to achieve a more adequate sodium/potassium ratio.
Target 4,700 mg of potassium per day unless you have a baby on the way. In this case, you need to increase the dose to 5,100 mg. Supplements can be very useful if you cannot reach that amount, or take diuretic potassium deplorations for a heart condition. It is very difficult to overdose, but too much potassium is not good for older people and for those with kidney disease.
7. Vitamin K
Vitamin K doesn’t do much, but what it does is quite important. It is crucial in the process of blood clot formation, and a deficiency could cause excessive bleeding after an injury. If you have a job that uses many knives, if you love extreme sports, or have siblings, it is important to ingest a sufficient amount of vitamin K.
In your diet, you can get it through vegetables, meat, eggs and cheese. Deficiencies are rare in adults, but quite common in newborns, which is why babies usually receive a vitamin K injection in the hospital. A supplement is advisable if you do not consume a daily amount of 120 mcg for men and 90 mcg for women.
8. Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a good thing, and if you don’t consume anything from it you’ll probably have scurvy. Vitamin C helps prevent deficiencies in the immune system, cardiovascular disease, eye disease, prenatal problems and even wrinkled skin. What she doesn’t do is prevent the cold, but we can’t have everything in life, can we?
Found in abundance in citrus fruits, berries, broccoli and green peppers, it is not difficult to achieve their DDR (90 mg for women and 75 mg for men) through food. But it doesn’t hurt to take a supplement if you think you need more vitamin C. Although you’ll only be able to reduce in a day the time of your cold, at least you’ll get radiant skin and clear eyes.
9. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a crucial antioxidant that protects your cells from free radicals, both internally and externally. This is why skin care products are fortified with it. Vitamin E also strengthens your immune system and can help slow down macular degeneration if you have this condition. You find vitamin E in foods like peanuts, fruits, eggs and vegetables (I’m feeling a pattern here).
If you want to get your Vitamin E DDR with a supplement, but take more than 33 IU from the synthetic business. Too much of it can increase the risk of bleeding in the brain. If you are worried, remember that spreading vitamin E on your skin is also an option.
10. Multivitamins
Research on multivitamins shows mixed results, and there is strong evidence that a daily multivitamin reduces the risk of things like diabetes, cancer or heart disease. However, if your diet is not healthy and you are too busy to pay attention to what or when you eat, a multivitamin can be good for resolving any deficits.
If you go that way, choose a vitamin that doesn’t provide much of something unless excess can be easily excreted in the urine (vitamin C, for example). And, do not take individual supplements except when recommended by your doctor. Daily multivitamins are, in theory, created to be nutritionally complete.
Conclusion
you really should eat vegetables, but let’s not judge if you don’t like them.
With a little research, most nutritional needs can be met with a balanced diet of food that you tolerate, but it is not uncommon to become deficient of something for one reason or another.
Whether you’re sick, unusually busy or just demanding, supplementing your diet with these ten essential vitamins and minerals can help you feel much better.
