Foods rich in magnesium, potassium, and calcium are essential for heart health and muscle function. Discover the best dietary sources for iron and B12, and learn how steaming vegetables compares to boiling for nutrient preservation.
Low levels of potassium can cause feelings of weakness, muscle spasms or irregular heartbeat. Your doctor will tell you if you have clinically low levels after running a simple blood test. Potassium levels may also temporarily become lower after a sweaty workout or after a bout of diarrhea and vomiting.
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Most Americans get too much sodium in their diet, so they are usually trying to decrease their sodium intake to limit their risk for high blood pressure and heart disease.
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Transferrin is the main protein in the blood that carries iron throughout the body. Iron is an element important to many of the body functions, but its main role is as the building block for hemoglobin, the protein that helps red blood cells bind oxygen for delivery to the tissues.
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If you read the ingredients list for fruit juices and drinks, cereals, fruit-flavored candies, cured meats, cereals and frozen fruits, you may see ascorbic acid listed. Manufacturers sometimes include it in foods as a preservative, antioxidant or color stabilizer, or it can be used to boost a food's vitamin C content.
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Survivalists, homestead and commercial farmers, pet owners and people interested in natural healing all tout eggshells as a source of calcium in the diet. Extracting the calcium takes time, but costs far less than supplements or fertilizers, an attractive economic option.
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During pregnancy, your unborn child is completely dependent upon you for the nutrients he needs to grow and develop. Getting proper nutrition during your pregnancy is even more important than normal.
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The ingredients in whole food vitamins are from foods in their natural state, including concentrated portions of whole fruits and vegetables, not synthetic extracts. Whole food vitamins benefit the body nutritionally by keeping all the nutrients and vitamins intact.
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Itβs a good thing that iron is found in a wide variety of foods -- the nutrient plays a major role in providing cells with the oxygen they need to function properly. Although few foods are completely iron-free, those that are tend to be high in fat or highly processed.
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Probiotics and prebiotics can both help to improve digestion and overall health. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) explains that prebiotics are food ingredients that cannot be digested, but instead, stimulate the growth of probiotics.
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The adequate intake (AI) of calcium for adults, as explained by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), is 1000 to 1200 mg per day. Children ages 9 to 18 need 1300 mg per day, while younger children have an AI of 500 to 800 mg.
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The B vitamins are thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, panothenic acid, vitamin B-6, biotin, folic acid and vitamin B-12. Vitamin C and the B vitamins are water-soluble, which means that your body excretes excess amounts of these vitamins in your urine.
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Potassium and magnesium are important minerals needed for all cells in the body to function properly. They are also both electrolytes, involved in conducting electricity throughout the body, affecting nerve function, muscle contraction and the rhythm of the heart.
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If you have low iron levels in your blood, you may have iron-deficiency anemia or borderline anemia, a condition that can ultimately result in a shortage of oxygen in the body. Red meat is often at the top of the list of iron-rich foods but many other foods contain this essential mineral.
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Potassium is an essential mineral needed in your body to maintain muscle contractions, fluid balance, blood pressure and good bone health. Your body is unable to make potassium, so it must come from your daily diet.
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Ferritin is a protein found inside the body that aids in storing iron in the body. A blood test is used to measure the amount of ferritin in the body, which indirectly tests the amount of iron in your body. A lower than normal result may indicate that you do not have enough iron stores.
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Magnesium, potassium and calcium are minerals that your body needs to maintain strong bones and normal muscle function. They are all electrolytes, or minerals that conduct electrical impulses in your body. These minerals help to maintain fluid balance, nerve transmissions and a healthy blood pressure.
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Kojic acid and its derivatives are small molecule compounds isolated from the fungus Aspergillus oryzae. These organic compounds exhibit antibacterial and antifungal properties and possibly anti-inflammatory characteristics, but more data is needed to confirm.
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Most people require between 10mg and 15mg of iron per day. If you have diabetes, getting proper amounts of iron in your diet is important. According to The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, anemia, or iron deficiency, is a considerable risk for those who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
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Spinach provides significant amounts of micronutrients, including manganese, folate and vitamins A, C and K. Regularly eating spinach may even help lower your risk for health conditions such as heart disease, cancer and age-related macular degeneration, according to Drugs.com.
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Eating millet, a tiny yellow seed grain, may improve your overall well-being by providing nutrients essential for your health. The small whole grain has a slightly nutty flavor.
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