Foods contain the most nutrients

Which foods contain the most nutrients?

26/10/2014

Especially in the beginning of the cold season, lack of sunshine can promote vitamin D deficiency. Pregnant women often have iron deficiency. Knowing which foods can help prevent iron, zinc or vitamin deficiencies can save you expensive supplements.

Lack of sunlight favors vitamin D deficiency
Just now the clocks had to be switched to winter time. The shortening days and the lack of sunlight can not only depress the mood but also damage your health. For example, there may be vitamin D deficiency in winter, as the body gets too little UVB radiation during the low-sun period needed to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency, left untreated, can lead to bone softening (osteomalacia), skeletal deformation or bone loss (osteoporosis). However, the symptoms of a poor vitamin D balance are difficult to detect. So fatigue and lack of concentration could also indicate too little iron or zinc in the body, like the „Frankfurter Rundschau“ (FR), which deals with the topic in a recent article, writes.

Balanced nutrition protects against nutrient deficiency
If a deficiency is present, can show a blood test in case of doubt. If the laboratory results show that a nutrient is not sufficiently in the body, the Cologne nutritional therapist Christof Meinhold should be the first to consider a diet change. „A well-balanced diet usually protects healthy people from any nutrient deficiencies. Anyone who still eats irregularly or one-sidedly, should first try to compensate for a shortcoming with a targeted food selection“, so the expert according to FR. He would recommend dietary supplements such as vitamin pills or iron tablets only when a deficiency could not be resolved even after a sensible change in diet.

Iron deficiency is one of the most common deficiency symptoms
The most common deficiency symptoms include iron deficiency. Symptoms that may indicate include decreased performance, fatigue, headache, dizziness, brittle skin, facial blemishes, brittle hair, susceptibility to infections, loss of appetite, and angular cheilitis (torn corners of the mouth). Affected are often children and adolescents who are still growing, pregnant women, as well as vegetarians and vegans. The latter, because they do not eat animal products, but meat is one of the foods in which most iron is contained. But you do not have to fall back on animal foods, but can also by home remedies for iron deficiency, such as in the form of red juices, manage.

A lot of iron in animal foods
According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE), adults should consume between twelve and 15 milligrams of iron per day. Meat, sausages, pork liver and fish are among the foods that contain the most iron. However, legumes such as lentils, beans or peas, chanterelles, wheat bran, millet and oatmeal also contain this important trace element. Among other things, because of the comic sailor Popeye holds the rumor that spinach is a true iron bomb, but this vegetable variety is on the iron table rather represented in midfield.

Important trace element zinc
Another important trace element is zinc. It is important for the metabolism and the hormones. In addition, it can strengthen the immune system. A zinc deficiency shows up among other things by brittle nails or hair loss. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), men should consume about 15 milligrams a day and women about 12 milligrams. Ten children are enough for children and five milligrams a day for infants. Zinc is also found mainly in animal products. The main suppliers of zinc include meat, fish and seafood, especially oysters. A daily amount of twelve to 15 milligrams of zinc is recommended. Vegetarian foods that contain a lot of zinc include oatmeal, cashews, Brazil nuts, cheese and sunflower seeds. Basically, the body can use zinc from animal sources better than from plant foods.

Seniors often over-supplied with vitamin E.
Furthermore, the FR is concerned with vitamin E. It is a collective term for many different antioxidants that turn off free radicals and thus prevent their attacks on cells. They should provide a beautiful, young look, heal wounds faster and scars disappear faster. The DGE recommends a daily dose of 12 milligrams for women and 15 milligrams for men. Good sources of vitamin E are almonds and hazelnuts. However, the leader is the sunflower oil. In the past, however, it has often been pointed out that especially seniors are often over-supplied with vitamin E. This is because they often resort to nutritional supplements for fear of vitamin or magnesium deficiency.

Miracle drug Vitamin D
In the cold season, the body usually gets too little sun and thus too little UVB radiation to make enough vitamin D can. On the part of the DGE it says: „In Germany, approximately 60 percent of the population have inadequate vitamin D supplements according to international criteria.“ Inadequate vitamin D supply is problematic, especially for the bones and immune system. Although some researchers question the effect, vitamin D is also a panacea for the prevention of cancer, diabetes, vascular disease, depression and other diseases. The most efficient means of consuming dietary vitamin D is cod liver oil. High levels of vitamin D are also found in greasy fish such as salmon, mackerel and herring. Vegetarians are offered chanterelles, mushrooms, eggs and cheese to improve the vitamin D balance.

Vitamin B 12 for the healthy growth of children
Essential for the healthy growth of children is vitamin B 12 (cobalamin). From the body itself, most of the proteins bound to proteins can not be formed, but must be absorbed through the diet. A crucial role is played by vitamin B 12 for the metabolism. It supports the formation of blood, therefore, among other things, anemia is symptomatic of a deficiency of vitamin B12. Those affected, for example, suffer from constant fatigue and often look strikingly pale. It is said that especially vegetarians and vegans are at risk because the vitamin is found mainly in animal products. Calf's liver is the leading supplier of vitamin B12 supplements. In addition, caviar, oysters, salmon, tuna and trout contain a lot of vitamin B 12. In the past, studies have shown that vitamin B 12 is better absorbed from cheese and fish than from meat and eggs. Camembert, Emmentaler, Gouda and chicken eggs contain relatively much of the vitamin. Milk and yogurt, however, rather little. (Ad)