Why do you eat food?
Food provides you with energy. This comes in the form of calories which consist of macronutrients, or ‘macros’. You can read more about them here in my last blog post.
But is energy all you need from food?
No, it’s not.
You also need the nutritional value from food.
Well, what makes up the nutritional content of food exactly?
Micronutrients
Micronutrients!
Micronutrients are the vitamins and minerals your body needs to transform energy and create tissues. Some familiar examples are Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, and Magnesium.
Each of these individual vitamins and minerals provides you with important metabolic capabilities. Without them, you can end up suffering from malnutrition, either undernutrition or overnutrition.
Too little Vitamin C in your diet? Scurvy for you, pirate!
Ate too much iron? Enjoy your vomit and diarrhea!
But what if you eat an ideal balance of these micronutrients?
Hello healthy!
With proper nutrition, you increase your cognitive and physical performance, and your lifespan.
Vitamins and Minerals
Every vitamin and mineral plays a unique role in your physiology.
Here’s a list of just some of the benefits from a few notable micronutrients:
Vitamin D
- builds bones and muscles
- has anti-inflammatory effects
- helps make disease-preventing enzymes and proteins
- plays a role in anti-aging
- improves immune function
Vitamin C
- aids in prevention of common colds
- protects against COPD and other respiratory illnesses
- lowers blood pressure in hypertensive patients
- decreases risk of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s diseases
- helps regulate neurotransmitters and form neural circuits
Zinc
- supports immune function
- reduces likelihood of contracting pneumonia
- increase rate of recovery from common cold
- plays role in testosterone, estrogen, & progesterone production
- mitigates blood sugar levels by aiding pancreatic function
Magnesium
- maintains cognitive function
- supports heart health
- regulates muscle contraction and relaxation
- helps stabilize blood sugar levels
- assists mitochondria production after exercise
Vitamin K
- involved in blood clot formation
- improves cognitive function
- regulates bone health
- maintains healthy gums and teeth
- regulates calcium levels in the body
As you can see, micronutrients are absolutely essential to your health.
And we get these vitamins and minerals from our food.
Nutrient Density
Each food provides a unique array of micronutrients. And you need each vitamin and mineral in varying amounts. This depends on your unique genetics and physiology. How fascinating!
This means that some foods are more important than others.
Indeed, some foods have higher nutrient density than others. Nutrient rich foods contain larger ratios of micronutrients to calories per serving.
These so-called superfoods are very desirable for this reason. Kale, lentils, and broccoli sprouts are examples you might be already familiar with. You can check out my post about them here.
Deficiency
Wondering whether you might be deficient in a particular micronutrient?
Talk to your doctor! They can help you interpret your blood tests and determine the best course of action.
This usually means dietary supplements, which are a fine solution.
But if you’re looking to correct your deficiency through natural means, look at your diet.
You could work with a registered dietitian to guide you toward eating the right foods for your needs.
After you’ve been eating these foods for a few months, get another blood test. This will reveal if your dietary intervention has been effective or not.
You Are What You Eat
Now you know what micronutrients are and why you should care about them.
It’s not enough to only focus on your calorie consumption and macronutrient ratios. Sure, doing so will help you manage your body weight and composition, which is great!
But to achieve optimal health and performance, you must eat adequate micronutrients.
So, what will you do with this knowledge?
Are you going to schedule a blood test with your doctor?
And will you consult with a dietitian to fine tune your diet further?
Whatever you’re thinking, let me know in the comments below!
Or reach out to me at stephen@feelthinkfit.com to chat about how you can start improving your diet today!
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