17 Jun The Mighty Micronutrients
Micronutrients are required in small amounts in your body. The tiny but mighty nutrients are truly essential for great and optimal health. Micronutrients are imperative for the healthy functioning of all your body’s systems from bone growth to brain function and more.
So just what are micronutrients?
Micronutrients are your vitamins and minerals. When a person has a diet rich in a wide variety of foods, micronutrients should be ample. However, it has been found that sadly, most of us routinely eat the same foods over and over again on a weekly basis.
Do you recall how many times you’ve eaten chicken this past week or month? Too many times? This trend is troublesome on many fronts. Why? Because we cannot obtain the proper variety of vitamins and minerals if our diet is not truly nutrient-dense, organic, and varied. Our physical bodies are literally made from the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. It is, therefore, reasonable to conclude that the state of our health is directly impacted by these three variables. So go ahead, broaden your mealtime horizons and eat adventurously.
Vitamins serve a variety of roles in the body. One of the most important being their role as cofactors for enzymes. Each vitamin performs a specific function, but they are all critical to virtually every single process in your body.
Fat-soluble or water soluble?
Vitamins are grouped as either fat soluble or water soluble. An important distinction because this determines how each vitamin acts within the body.
The fat-soluble vitamins are broken down in your lipids (fats). These fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamins A, D, E, and K are then stored in the body until they are needed. Storage sites for these vitamins are fat deposits and your liver. If your healthy fat intake is too low or if your fat absorption is compromised, for example, having had a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal), you might be deficient in your fat soluble vitamins.
Water-soluble vitamins are dissolved and absorbed by the body’s water. They are found in both plant and animal foods. Unlike the storage sites of the fat-soluble vitamins, your body cannot store excess amounts of water-soluble vitamins. They must be eaten daily. This is another very good reason to enjoy a varied, nutrient dense diet. What your cells don’t immediately use is excreted in the form of urine. Water-soluble vitamins require a regular daily intake to prevent deficiencies that present as disease later in life.
Where can we find them?
Organic foods can be both vitamin and mineral rich. Supplements are also available to support gaps in your diet. One of the very best places to acquire minerals is in unprocessed salt. And no, I am not speaking about the tiny white iodized stuff that’s sitting on every restaurant table in America. Since white table salt is processed, it is void of the rich minerals our body needs. I am referring to unprocessed salts like Himalayan and Celtic salts which can have up to 80 or more minerals. I consume both of these salts daily and regularly.
Let’s sum this up!
Micronutrients are necessary and vital for you to thrive and to function optimally. Since no single food contains all the micronutrients we need, it’s important to once again emphasize the value of eating a varied, nutrient-dense, organic diet. By doing so, you will gain countless benefits to support your health. Do nourish yourself well.
Sources:
FactyHealth: Health Benefits of Micronutrients, by Jamie, Updated: Oct 25, 2018
Healthline: Micronutrients: Types, Functions, Benefits and More, by Lizzy Streit, MS, RDN, LD, September 27, 2018
Dr. Axe, Prevent Disease & Fight Aging with Micronutrients, By Rachael Link, MS, RD, October 8, 2018
Nourished Kitchen: Nutrient Showdown: Best Sources of Vitamins & Minerals, Published: Dec 9, 2009, Modified: Oct 18, 2018
Livestrong: What Are the 84 Minerals in Himalayan Salt? Karen S. Garvin
FindHealthGood: List of Vitamins and Supplements. Water and Fat Soluble Vitamins, By Dan Escobar
MedicineNet: Which Vitamins are Water Soluble and Fat Soluble? Medical Editor: William C Shiel Jr. MD, FACP, FACR
JustVitamins: What are Water-Soluble Vitamins? Mar 4, 2014
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