What Are They and How To Get Them.
Our body requires 7 major nutrients in order to thrive and they are categorized as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water.
Today we're going to focus on the 10 essential vitamins and minerals that keep us ticking. This guide will provide a quick explanation of what they are and then list some good food sources to acquire them.
Overall goal is to spread the word on how to get these vitamins and minerals by consuming whole food instead of via supplements.
Vitamins
Vitamin A:
Keeps our heart, lungs, liver and other organs working properly. It's also important for reproductive, vision and immune system health.
Get it from beef liver, salmon, broccoli, carrots, squash, green leafy vegetables, cantaloupe, apricots, mangos, and various microgreens.
Vitamin B:
There are eight different types (B1 to B8) and they help convert carbs, fats and proteins into energy. Several of them are also necessary for cell development, growth and function.
Get them from lean beef, turkey, tuna, organ meats, seeds, nuts, leafy greens, eggs and microgreens (broccoli, pea shoots, sunflowers, radish, kale, etc).
Vitamin C:
Boosts the immune system and increase iron absorption from plant-based foods and supplements. It's an antioxidant so it protects our cells from damaging free radicals. It also helps our body produce collagen.
You get these mainly from citrus fruits, red and green peppers, strawberries, cantaloupe, broccoli, tomatoes, and various microgreens (broccoli, pea shoots, radish, kale, etc.)
Vitamin D:
Helps build strong bones by helping our body absorb calcium from food and supplements.
The sun is the #1 source. Food includes salmon, tuna, lean beef, yogurt, egg yolk and sunflower microgreens.
Vitamin E:
Protects our cells from free radicals, boosts our immune system and helps prevent blood cots.
Mainly get these from nuts like sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts. Greens include spinach, swiss chard, avocados, squash and various microgreens (kale, radish, sunflower)
Vitamin K:
Plays a role in helping the blood clot, preventing excessive bleeding and o help wounds heal and healthy bones.
You get them from spinach, kale, lettuce, broccoli, blueberries, figs, meat, cheese, eggs, and of course, microgreens (broccoli, radish, kale).
Minerals
Calcium:
Crucial for structural support (bones and teeth).
Main source is from dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt. Can also get them from fortified non-dairy milks like almond, soy and rice milks but I caution you about anything fortified. Dark leafy greens have them include collard green, kale, broccoli and microgreens (kale, radish and sunflowers)
Iron:
Important for building red blood cells. They in turn carry oxygen from your lungs to other parts of the body thru the bloodstream.
Biggest source of iron is from meat (especially red meat and liver). If you're a vegetarian you need to eat twice as much iron because it's hard to get it from plants. Some sources include chickpeas, beans, lentils, sesame seeds. You can also get them from broccoli and sunflower microgreens.
Magnesium:
They help in the function of more than 300 enzymes that regulate various processes in the body like muscle and nerve function, heart rhythms and glucose control.
Get them from nuts like almonds, cashews, peanuts. Spinach, kale, and other leafy green vegetables, legumes and microgreens (kale, sunflower, pea shoots, broccoli).
Zinc:
Play a role in immune function and is critical for normal growth and development during pregnancy and childhood.
Zinc is abundant in meat (red, chicken, seafood), dairy products, beans and nuts. This is another one that's really difficult to get as a vegetarian but kale and radish microgreens contain some.
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