Now I know what you’re all thinking, ‘not another post personal trainer telling me I’m not getting enough vitamins and minerals in my diet and that I need to eat more fruit and veg…’
Well sorry to burst your bubble, you’re partly correct.
Most of us could (and should!) be getting more vitamins and minerals into our diets on a regular basis but that all important question is certainly… WHY?
In this blog i’m not only going to explain why we need vitamins and minerals but how to tell if we we might be deficient of them and ways to explore the world of vitamins and minerals in a more tasty, healthy and nutritious way.
Micronutrients, what are they?
Vitamins and minerals are known as our micronutrients. Micronutrients are no less important than our macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) but the quantity we need of our micronutrients are much much smaller. Vitamins and minerals are usually lumped together as a collective term, but they both serve different purposes within the human body.
Vitamins are organic substances produced by plants or animals and minerals are all plucked from the earth’s surface. Soil and water contain a lot of the minerals we ingest in our diets. The plants absorb the nutrients, the animals eat the plants, and then we eat the plants and animals – simple!
So now you can see we get both vitamins and minerals from a huge variety of different sources. We find them in nuts, seeds, certain meats, dairy products, fish and seafood, eggs and some whole-grains.
Micronutrients, why do we need them?
Micronutrients play a key role in “normal health”. It’s as simple as that; they help our immune system, the makeup of cells, they play key roles in bone structure, bone health, metabolism, digestion and a tonne more. The World Health Organisation (WHO) label micronutrients as “magic wands” that help our bodies produce enzymes and hormones needed for growth and development.
Micronutrients and fluid balance
During sports performance we need a healthy balance of electrolytes (our essential minerals, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate and potassium), which essentially keep our bodies working healthily during prolonged sports performance. These essential micronutrients are vital for maintaining muscular contractions, nerve impulses and balancing the fine art of acidity and alkaline in the body. Failure to obtain enough of these micronutrients in the performance is not only likely to impact the performance itself but more importantly the health of the athlete.
But, where do I find them?
We’re spoilt for choice nowadays. There’s far too many places to shop and there’s just far too much to choose from, so finding the right place to compliment your diet can often become confusing. Where do I find good quality vitamins and minerals for my lifestyle? Well, the clue is in the question, GOOD QUALITY whole foods. Finding natural foods that have minimal processing or any modifications or any pesticides added to them can bring you an abundance of healthy vitamins and minerals. My advice? simple…
Shop local
Source locally produced animal and plant-based products. When buying local the quality of the food remains high because it doesn’t need to be mass produced or preserved to transport half way across the country or over-seas.
Plan your meals
Write yourself a plan of the meals you like and the ingredients you want for it. It doesn’t have to be a really strict meal plan you have to follow religiously. But, planning ahead makes it easier to cook these meals and shop for the ingredients you need.
Invest
Invest in some good cook books or some cooking lessons!
Finding cook books with simple recipes or recipe packs can help save you a bunch of time researching your own recipes and not knowing where to start. There is an abundance of cook books out there, so look for a reputable source, or ask a health care professional for their advice. Learning to cook is a fantastic way to appreciate the food you eat whilst ensuring the quality of the food remains high. Freshly made food made from scratch prevents an excess of cheap processed ingredients going in to it.
If you want to find out more about vitamins and minerals, then book in for a nutrition consultation and I can take you through any additional information that is needed.
If you want a set of 15 recipes delivered to you each month, with macronutrients calculated step by step instructions of how to make these amazing recipes then purchase one of my ‘one-off’ recipe packs or get in touch to enquire about my recipe pack service. For just £5.00 per month recipe packs are delivered right to your email inbox which takes away a huge stress of cooking. It’s a no brainer really!