Nutritional Overview: Micro Nutrients

 A common analogy I use when discussing micro vs. macro nutrients is a car. In order to get anywhere, not only does the fuel tank have to be filled, but the internal components also need to be in a functional state or else that fuel won't take you as far as it potentially is able to.

Where I am going with this is simple, macro nutrients are the fuel for your car, while micro nutrients are the internal components, such as the fuel line, spark plugs, water pump, etc. More concisely, micro nutrients are what keeps those internal components in proper working order.

In my previous post, I discussed macro nutrients and their three sources: protein, carbohydrates, and lipids (fats). In stark contrast to the three sources for macro nutrients, the number of micro nutrients is vast and many in number. 

The first broad category of micro nutrients is vitamins. Vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K comprise this sub-category of micro nutrients. Each of these vitamins have multiple forms and sub-categories. Generally speaking, the vitamins have these following functions. Vitamin K is omitted from this list and information will follow in a future post due to a current lack of information:

A: Eyesight

B: Energy metabolism from food

C: Immunity, white blood cell production

D: Hormone balance

E: Skin health

Minerals follow vitamins for categories of micro nutrients. Minerals that your body needs include magnesium, zinc, iron, silicon, gold, sodium, copper, manganese, potassium, selenium, etc. If these words have any meaning to you, you have probably studied them in a science classroom setting. 

Electrolytes are probably the most-discussed category of micro nutrients in society due to their fundamental use in sports. Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Sodium gets the worst reputation among the lot due to its role in exacerbating hypertension (high blood pressure), yet not only is it essential to a healthy body, the largest underlying cause for hypertension is poor dietary choices and lack of physical activity. Sodium is often unbalanced with the intake of other electrolytes, creating the common perception that sodium is bad. Simply keeping your intake of other electrolytes in rough proportion to your intake of sodium is key to maintaining a healthy electrolyte balance. Electrolytes deserve their own post, which will happen in the future, yet for now, I wanted to leave my readers with some guidance on electrolyte balance:

    -Lowering sodium intake: reduce the amount of processed food you eat. Cooking from ingredients in your own home dramatically reduces sodium intake due to sodium's ability to preserve food for long periods of time.

    -Potassium intake: When cooking, use a form of salt from the grocery store called 'salt alternative.' This is actually potassium salt and is the cheapest and most plentiful option to receive this vital nutrient.

    -Calcium intake: Milk is a great way to get calcium. Many of you might be lactose-intolerant so my suggestion for this actually lies in almond milk. Once you can adjust to the flavor of it, this is an excellent source of calcium.

    -Magnesium intake: Magnesium is a tricky mineral to get in your diet. Most foods that contain it are both expensive and the amount of magnesium you receive is almost negligible. Take this in a supplement form. 400 mg is a standard, daily amount.

For now, this will be the end of this post. I will continue on a later date about more knowledge of micro nutrients. Feel free to leave a question in the comments. If I do not respond right away, don't feel sleighted; I am not so great at blogging, yet I will make an effort to read your comment and respond accordingly.

 

Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, nor have I received formal education from any medical field. What I describe comes from my own, personal experiences. Before following the contents of this or any other posts found on this blog, consult with a medical professional.