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.
Foods high in sodium make you thirsty. Harvard School of Public Health points to meat pizza, white bread, hot dogs, processed cheese and spaghetti sauce as five of ten top sources from which you get your sodium. Sodium makes you thirsty because too much of it disrupts the balance of fluid in your cells.
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The pH in food depends on its acidity or basicity, which is usually determined by the soil where it grows. To stay healthy, you must maintain a proper pH balance in your body. Acidosis is a condition in which your body becomes too acidic. With alkalosis, on the other hand, your body is too alkaline or basic.
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You may not think of fruit when you are trying to increase your iron intake. Some types of fruit are higher in iron than meat and will help you reach your daily intake recommendations, which is 18 mg for women and 8 mg for men, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that helps the body to metabolize calcium. Humans synthesize vitamin D by exposing the skin to the sun’s ultraviolet-B radiations, or by obtaining it from the diet. Unlike water-soluble vitamins, excess fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and fatty tissue.
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Dietary supplements are often promoted for their health benefits. But you need only limited amounts of the vitamins, minerals and other substances that supplements provide, and excessive amounts of some vitamins can be harmful.
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Most of the iron in your body is concentrated in your red blood cells. Iron is mainly responsible for carrying oxygen to your body’s various cells and also has a role in the production of adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.
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Many people enjoy staple Chinese food dishes like fried rice, wonton soup and beef and broccoli. Unfortunately, many of the most popular Chinese foods are loaded with sodium.
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You may provide healthy and balanced meals and snacks, but that doesn't mean your 2-year-old is going to eat them. You may worry that between the finickiness, food jags and meal skipping, your toddler is not getting all the nutrients needed to grow.
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Low iron levels often indicate iron deficiency anemia. If, during a routine blood test, your doctor discovers that your hemoglobin levels are under 13.5 g/dL for men or under 12 g/dL for women, he may want to treat you for anemia.
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Vitamins can't help boost your energy, but they can help your body use the energy it gets from food. You should be able to get all the vitamins you need from food to get that energy, but if you're worried about missing out on nutrients, a supplement can help.
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After drinking too much alcohol, you may experience a hangover. Common symptoms include headache, dehydration, difficulties concentrating, rapid heart beat, bloodshot eyes, vomiting and dizziness. The most effective way to avoid hangovers is to abstain from alcohol or drink in moderation.
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Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential compound in the human diet that is required for the synthesis of collagen, a structural component in the assembly of blood vessels as well as tendons, ligaments and bone. It's found almost exclusively in plant-related food such as vegetables and fruits.
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Important body functions depend on ensuring normal levels of iron in your body. While iron is critical for good health, an estimated 3 million Americans remain iron deficient, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports.
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Vitamins and minerals are essential molecules for your health, growth and development. Vitamins are organic substances, made by animals and plants, while minerals are inorganic elements, absorbed by plants from the soil and water. Only a few foods contain all three -- vitamin E, vitamin C and zinc.
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Biotin, also known as vitamin H, forms a part of the B complex group of vitamins. Like other B vitamins, biotin helps your body turn food into fuel for energy. This water-soluble vitamin also assists in the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and amino acids, the basic building blocks of protein.
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Uric acid is a chemical your body produces to digest purines, which occur naturally in most foods. Oxalates also naturally occur in foods.
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You need phosphate, the main form of phosphorus in your body, to form strong bones and DNA, and you need potassium for proper nerve and muscle function. Although both are essential, some people, including those with kidney problems, may need to limit foods high in these minerals.
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Iron is a mineral that helps transport oxygen throughout the body via the bloodstream, provides energy and is an antioxidant that can protect cells against damage. Sometimes medications can interfere with the body's absorption of iron or how the body utilizes this mineral.
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Vitamins play an essential part in the healthy development of a child. Growth factors from tissue and bone repair to muscle and tooth formation all depend on a healthy supply of vitamins. In general, a child's diet provides plenty of vitamins to cover all of his growth needs.
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Iron deficiency is the result of blood loss, your body's inability to store or use iron efficiently or because your diet is lacking in iron-rich foods. As iron stores diminish, your body loses red blood cells. Healthy red blood cells carry oxygen and other nutrients to every cell in the body.
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