How much nutrients your body retains can be a tricky question to answer. Mainly because the food you eat does not contain consistent amounts of nutrients all the time. At the same time, eating nutritious foods does not guarantee that your body will be healthy and equipped with the nutrients it needs. Sometimes, no matter how healthy the food you intake is, the way it is grown and cooked can affect the overall nutrition it can give you.
Still, the best way to have balanced body nutrition is to be conscious about what you consume and know where to get the nutrients you need. Let this article be your guide in understanding what these nutrients are and where you can find them.
Which Foods Contains More Micronutrients?
Some fruits and vegetables are naturally rich in micronutrients than others. If you aim to eat the healthiest ones, here are some top entries for your guide:
- The Leafy Greens
Stock more greens in your fridge as these leafy vegetables are rich in various vitamins and minerals. You can get a good amount of iron, potassium, fiber, folate, calcium, and vitamins C, A, and K from leafy greens such as spinach, collards, and kale. They are also rich in antioxidants that are important in neutralizing harmful free radicals.
Green vegetables have many health benefits. They can reduce your risk of getting mental decline, stroke, heart disease, obesity, and high blood pressure. They help keep your teeth and bones healthy and give you a stronger immune system. Basically, they are essential parts of a healthy diet you should not miss.
- The Beautiful Yellows and Oranges
Remember how adults used to say that carrots can make your eyes healthy? Many fruits and vegetables in colors yellow and orange are rich in lutein and zeaxanthin. These are nutritional compounds responsible for repairing the damaged cells in your eyes.
These compounds turn to vitamin A when they enter your body. Besides helping your eyes, they are good in enhancing your immune system and protecting you from diseases like cancer. Some other examples of this food color are citrus fruits, peppers, and sweet potatoes, all rich in vitamin C and folate.
- The Powerful Red Foods
If you want a good source of antioxidants, red fruits and vegetables are your must-haves. These foods are filled with lycopene, anthocyanins. They are antioxidants that fight heart disease and prostate cancer, protect your eyes, and fight infections. If you are prone to macular degeneration or stroke, they are also helpful compounds that can protect your body against them.
Other Sources of Micronutrients
A healthy diet is not the only way for you to get your much-needed balanced body nutrition. In fact, it is impossible to get all the nutrients your body needs no matter how varied your healthy food intake is.
Sometimes, the minerals and vitamins from the healthy food you eat do not even reach your body. Fortunately, there are other means to complete your body with the nutrients it needs. Here are some other methods you can consider.
- Oral Dietary Supplements – Vitamins and other supplements exist to give your body a nutritional boost. The extra nutrients and supplements you get from these tablets can speed up the repair and maintenance of your damaged cells. You even get enhanced nutrition.
- Injecting Nutrients – If you want powerful health boosters that get absorbed by your body directly, nutrient injections are a good option for you. The injected multivitamins in your muscle systems would help increase your metabolism, give you more energy, detoxify your body, and give you athletic performance. It is a perfect alternative source of nutrition for those with busy schedules.
Conclusion
Nutrients are essential for you to have good health and a wonderful life. When you get enough nutrients, you can get the energy you need to survive every day. At the same time, your body receives the compounds it needs for repair and growth. Furthermore, you maintain a robust immune system, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and delay the effects of aging. Healthy foods are a good source of these nutrients, but your body might still need other sources to have balanced body nutrition.
To make yourself the best dietary guide, have a micronutrient test first. This test will measure the cellular function of your vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, and more. Then, you will know what nutrients you lack and find the perfect supplement to address them. At Balanced Body Functional Medicine, we offer micronutrient testing and nutritional therapy in Texas. Call us today to learn more about our service.
