Talk about nutrition tends to focus on America’s widening waistlines. No doubt, we’re a nation that’s overfed. But we’re also undernourished.
Government surveys show that we continue to suffer from nutritional shortfalls – a fact that’s often overlooked because we’re obviously eating enough calories.
The seven most neglected nutrients are calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, C and E. Filling these nutrient gaps is not as tough as it may seem. Sure, a multivitamin could remedy part of the problem, but you would be missing out on some of the natural compounds in food that can’t be captured in a pill. Plus, supplements are meant to be just that – supplemental to the diet, not substitutes for real food.
Here’s why you need these nutrients and how you can easily get more.
Calcium
People not getting enough: 70%
Why you need it: Promotes bone health, helps muscles contract, may help maintain normal blood pressure
Your daily goal: 1,000 mg
How to reach it: Drink a skim latte made with 8 ounces of milk and eat a cup of yogurt as a mid-afternoon snack and grate 1 1/2 ounces of cheese on your salad or pasta at dinner.
Potassium
People not getting enough: 97%
Why you need it: Regulates body fluids, helps maintain normal blood pressure, needed for muscle contractions
Your daily goal: 4,700 mg
How to reach it: Include 1 cup of orange juice and 1/2 cantaloupe at breakfast; stir 1 cup of white beans and 1/4 cup of tomato paste into soup. Snack on a banana; at dinner eat 5 ounces of pork tenderloin and baked potato.
Fiber
People not getting enough: 96%
Why you need it: Helps maintain healthy cholesterol levels, promotes regularity, can help reduce hunger
Your daily goal: Men: 38 g. Women: 25 g
How to reach it: Eat 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal topped with 1/4 cup raspberries for breakfast and make a sandwich with whole-grain bread and eat a pear with your lunch; snack on 1/4 cup dried figs; eat 1 cup of steamed broccoli and 1 cup of whole-wheat pasta at dinner
Magnesium
People not getting enough: 56%
Why you need it: Supports bone and heart health, signals muscles to relax and contract
Your daily goal: Men: 420 mg Women: 320 mg
How to reach it: Eat 1 ounce of whole-grain cereal and 1/2 cup milk for breakfast and include 1 cup of sauteed spinach and 1 cup of brown rice with your dinner; snack on 1 ounce of Brazil nuts
Vitamin A
People not getting enough: 44 %
Why you need it: Promotes healthy skin, eyesight and immune function
Your daily goal: Men: 900 mcg. Women: 700 mcg
How to reach it: Add 1 cup of sliced carrots to your stir-fry or bake a medium-sized sweet potato as a side with dinner
Vitamin C
People not getting enough: 31% Why you need it: Promotes a healthy immune system, helps wounds heal, works as an antioxidant to inhibit damage to body cells
Your daily goal: Men: 90 mg. Women: 75 mg
How to reach it: Slice a small red pepper on your salad or eat 1 cup of strawberries for dessert
Vitamin E
People not getting enough: 93%
Why you need it: Acts as an antioxidant that may help lower risk of heart disease and cancer, helps bolster the immune system
Your daily goal: 15 mg
How to reach it: Top a salad with half of an avocado and a dressing made with 1 tablespoon safflower oil; snack on 1 ounce of almonds or sunflower seeds
-Janet Helm, Chicago Tribune
Source: What We Eat in America,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2005. www.ars.usda.gov/foodsurvey.
