What Nutrients We Actually Need (and Where to Get Them!)
A dear friend of mine only wanted WHITE foods on his Thanksgiving plate. White turkey meat, mashed potatoes, and yeast rolls. I’d like to tell you he is seven, but actually, he is that plus 60! His health came up at the table, thanks to my curious and unfiltered husband’s rapid-fire line of questions, and our friend mentioned feeling sluggish. Now with my new-found health coaching skills, I asked him about his energy level when he tried eating a more colorful plate, to which he simply laughed and responded, “Touché!”
The information coming to us around nutrition is overwhelming. It’s up to you to educate yourself around what you need to feed yourself and your family to stay healthy and disease free. Nutrient deficiencies can contribute to chronic disease and shorten lifespan. Rather than focusing on certain percentages of fat or carbs, it’s far more helpful to pay attention to the overall quality of your diet. Let’s break nutrition down by common nutrient deficiencies, what they cause, and highest nutrient-dense foods.
Vitamin C- increases risk for waist circumference, blood pressure, and inflammation from lack of protein in your blood.
Vitamin D- immune dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease.
Magnesium- depression, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease.
Choline- DNA damage, brain development, liver function.
Vitamin B12- cognitive dysfunction, possible Parkinson’s-like symptoms
Folate- birth defects, damaged blood vessels, impaired DNA/gene expression and increased cancer risk.
*Note: If you have an unhealthy gut, your nutrient absorption may not be adequate. Chronic inflammation increases our need for Vitamin B6. Environmental toxins may also increase the need for various nutrients.
Some multivitamins may have more nutrients than we need, but because of the lack of combinations needed for nutrient absorption that you will find in a nutrient-dense meal, we often eliminate (pee out) most of what the vitamin offers. Many supplements lack studies to determine their effectiveness.
FOOD. Nutrient-dense, whole foods are our best source for getting the nutrients we need.
Based on nutrient density scores, here is a list of the foods with the highest amount of nutrients available.
Organ meats
Herbs and spices
Nuts and seeds
Cacao
Fish and seafood
Beef
Lamb, veal, and wild game
Vegetables
Pork
Eggs and dairy
Let’s look a little deeper into certain Nutrients, their functions and what being deficient may cause when we lack them
VITAMIN A : sight, skin, infections, menstruation, thyroid, Autoimmune.
Liver, cod liver oil, Pasture-raised eggs, Orange and Yellow vegetables
VITAMIN D: heart health, autoimmune, type 2 Diabetes, bone density, kidney stones,
Sunshine (not a food but the best source of vitamin D)
Cod liver oil
MAGNESIUM: bone health, cramping, headaches, reflux.
Dark leafy greens (e.g., spinach, swiss chard)
Nuts and seeds (especially pumpkin seeds)
VITAMIN K2: bone health, decrease heart attack risk, regulate calcium, reduce prostate cancer risk, fractures, anti-Alzheimer’s, decrease kidney stones.
Grass fed dairy
VITAMIN C: cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, gout, mortality.
Citrus fruit
Bell peppers
Dark leafy greens
Kiwi
IODINE: thyroid health, brain damage, goiter, growth.
Seaweed
Fish
Egg yolks
Fatty fish like sardines, tuna, mackerel, and salmon
Avocados
Yogurt
Bananas
Poultry liver (especially goose)
Broccoli
Berries
Tomatoes
Papaya
Shellfish
Potatoes
Cod liver oil
Shellfish (oysters, clams, shrimp, etc.)
Dark chocolate
Molasses
Figs
Natto (fermented soybeans)
Brussels sprouts
Cantaloupe
Cranberries
Organic dairy products
It is also important to note that our nutrient needs vary seasonably. Consider researching what vegetables are in-season as you plan your family’s meals. Keep an eye out for a post on “Eating Seasonally for Your Health.”
